Cagle throws 11 shutout frames, Tigers extend streak to 14 wins |
Valerie Cagle tossed 11 innings and 176 pitches of shutout softball as the No. 23-ranked Clemson Tigers defeated the Louisville Cardinals on Friday night in Louisville, 4-0. Cagle earned her 11th win of the season and also lowered her ERA under one after posting a career-high 14 strikeouts in the opening game of the ACC series. It is the redshirt freshman’s second time this season striking out more than ten batters.
The Clemson offense came into the game averaging over six runs a contest but was held scoreless until the 11th inning. The frame saw the Tigers’ score four runs on five hits and was capped off by Marissa Guimbarda’s seventh home run of the season to make it a 4-0 ballgame. McKenzie Clark drove in the first run of the game after a leadoff single by JoJo Hyatt, roping her fourth triple of the year to the right-center wall. Cagle also picked up an RBI to give herself some insurance runs in the circle. Extending its program-best winning streak to 14 games, Clemson improves to 17-2 and 9-2 in ACC play. The two teams will face off in a doubleheader Saturday at noon before concluding the ACC series on Sunday 1:00 p.m. The Tigers recorded their first hit of the game in the top half of the fourth, as Cagle reached on an infield single with two outs. Marissa Guimbarda lined out to the shortstop, who made a nice ranging play to her right to keep the second hit in a row off the scoreboard and end the inning. The Cardinals led the sixth inning off with a through the left side, their second hit of the night. After a strikeout for the first out, the Louisville runner stole second to create the first scoring chance for either team so far. Cagle would get out of the jam with a fly out and a strikeout, her 10th of the game. Louisville threatened to end the game in the bottom of the seventh inning, putting a runner on second with two outs. Cagle battled with the Cardinals’ Charley Butler at the plate before eventually forcing a ground out to send the game to extras. Clemson had its best scoring chance in the 8th inning, putting runners on first and second with no outs after a single from Cammy Pereira and a fielder's choice and Louisville error from Grace Mattimore. The threat would be ended after a fly out and back-to-back strikeouts. Louisville had a threat of its own in the proceeding half inning, putting runners on first and second with two outs, threatening to walk the game off. With over 120+ pitches on the evening, Cagle grounded the Cardinals batter out to force a ninth inning. Clemson was the first team to reach third base in the game, as Ansley Gilstrap, who led the inning off with a single, reached third after a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base. The inning would end after a pop up to the shortstop. The Cardinals once again had a scoring opportunity to mirror the Tigers in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out. Cagle once again pitched herself out of the jam after a pop up and a fly out to end the inning and send it to a 10th inning. The Clemson offense exploded for four runs on five hits in the top of the 11th inning and Cagle shut down the Cardinal offense in the home half of the inning to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the series. McKENZIE CLARK, AGAIN ?? THE THROW ?? THE TAG ???? MCKENZIE CLARK, HAVE A DAY?? GUIMBARDA. GONE. Feels good ?????? pic.twitter.com/PXJHP8bmlo
The true freshman makes another miraculous play in CF to keep this thing going!
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Clutch.
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She breaks a scoreless tie in the top of the 11th to give us a 1-0 lead!!
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That's her seventh bomb of the season and she now has 23 RBIs.
We lead 4-0 entering the bottom of the 11th.
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