Clemson softball heating up as postseason approaches

For Rittman, Tuesday’s win provided some perspective on where his team stands. (Clemson athletics photo)

Grayson Mann · Staff Writer · Wednesday, April 16 2025

This would always be a different season for John Rittman.

Losing 10 seniors, including program icon Valerie Cagle, would always be a tall task for his young program.

Replacing that kind of production is always easier said than done, but as the softball season began, a 3-6 start paved the way to the idea that this year could be full of growing pains.

Fast forward to April, and the story being told is quite the opposite.

On Tuesday night, Clemson took extra innings to walk it off against South Carolina, with freshman Marian Collins' second homer of the day being enough to get the job done.

The win was a blend of freshman talent mixed with the senior poise of Brooke McCubbin, who pitched 5.0 innings and only surrendered two hits to keep Clemson alive.

For Rittman, Tuesday’s win provided some perspective on where his team stands. South Carolina ranked third in RPI, with the Tigers at the 17th spot.

He understands this group has a long way to go, but the win over South Carolina was proof of how much this team has grown.

“I just love our team,” Rittman said. "I mean, we started the year 3-6 and have had that growth mindset and a lot of leadership from our upperclassmen to get to where we are right now. We know we still got a lot of work to do, but this was a huge win for our program.”

Regarding postseason implications, Tuesday’s win may boost momentum for a bid to host a regional, a significant touch on a special season.

“Certainly when you start to season 3-6, you're not really focused on post-season and hosting and all of those things, but we've definitely played ourselves into that talk,” Rittman said. “We're a veteran enough team to know that every game's important this time of year, and we just got to take a businesslike approach.”

Since a late March loss to South Carolina, the Tigers have won 11 of their last 12 games, including series wins over California, Stanford, and NC State.

That is also being paired with a redemption victory over South Carolina, with Rittman’s group seemingly playing its best at the right time.

Despite the air in McWhorter feeling cold for a spring night, if you ask Collins, the Tigers are heating up as the postseason approaches.

“Starting off the season, we were just trying to figure out the pieces, but here in April, we're figuring it out,” Collins said. “We're putting all the pieces together, and the Tigers are hot.”