Cagle tosses a shutout as Tigers reach Regional Championship

Clemson celebrates the win over Auburn. (Photo by Susan Lloyd).

Nikki Hood - Staff Writer - Saturday, May 21 2022

CLEMSON – Great pitching, great defense and big moments.

The winner’s bracket game between No. 2 seed Auburn and top-seeded Clemson had it all on a perfect May day at McWhorter Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Valerie Cagle did it all for Clemson Saturday – pitching a complete-game shutout and scoring the game’s only run to give Clemson a 1-0 win over Auburn and advance to the Sunday game with a chance to clinch the Regional.

Auburn, however, will play again at 6 p.m. and face the winner of the elimination game between UNC-Wilmington and Louisiana scheduled for 3:30.

Cagle pitched all seven innings and improved to 16-8 on the season with the win. She allowed only four hits and struck out six while throwing 100 pitches – 66 for strikes.

Auburn’s starting pitcher – Maddie Penta – also went the distance allowing just three hits and one earned run.

Clemson was hitless until Valerie Cagle ripped a two-out double off the left-field wall in the fourth inning.

Marissa Guimbarda – Clemson’s designated player – followed with a fly ball to shallow left-centerfield that careened off the gloves of two Auburn outfielders and fell to the ground for a double and scoring Cagle to give Clemson a 1-0 lead after four innings.

Auburn had its best chance to tie the game or take the lead in the sixth inning.

With one out Jessie Blaine hit a ball that bounced off of Maddie Moore’s glove at third. Cagle induced a perfect double-play ball that came right back to the mound, but the throw to second was short allowing both runners to reach base safely. A bloop single to right field loaded the bases with just one out for Auburn.

That’s where Clemson’s defense stepped in.

Carlee McCondichie rifled a ball to centerfield, but McKenzie Clark was there to make the catch and threw a strike home that kept the runners from advancing. Alia Logoleo stayed with a hard grounder to short on the very next play for the final out of the sixth inning and preserving a 1-0 Clemson lead.

Auburn had three runners reach base – a single and two fielder’s choices – in the seventh, but again Clemson’s defense held to preserve the win.