Cagle's 7th inning homer rallies No. 6 Tigers over Gamecocks |
With No. 6 Clemson down to its last strike, Tigers two-way star
Valerie Cagle delivered to keep Clemson unbeaten in the rivalry with South Carolina and snap a three-game losing skid.
With two down and two on -- facing a 1-2 count in the seventh inning, Cagle sent a 3-run homer opposite field and just over the wall in left to take a 4-3 win out of Columbia on Tuesday. Clemson improved to 38-4 overall and 5-0 all-time against the Gamecocks, going 2-0 to sweep the season series. South Carolina dropped to 27-12. Gamecocks left fielder Riley Blampied made Tigers left-handed starter Milie Thompson pay for a two-out walk with an RBI double to right center in the first inning. South Carolina then doubled its hit output from the first game of the season series with an RBI single from Aniyah Black to make it 2-0 Gamecocks early. The Tigers put two in scoring position with one out in the top half of the second frame, but after going 0-for-30 hitting with runners on in the Florida State series, Clemson dropped to 0-for-3 on the night to strand them both by way of strikeout and pop out. Clemson’s pitching was back in trouble in the bottom half of the inning, and after giving up a leadoff single, Thompson was pulled for right-hander Brooke McCubbin, who then saw the bases full of Gamecocks with one out before a fielder’s choice and a South Carolina runner leaving early on the same play (thus getting called out also) got the Tigers out of it unscathed. In the third inning, Clemson tallied that first hit in four games with a runner on by a Caroline Jacobsen double right down the left field line that scored McKenzie Clark from first base, but Jacobsen was stranded on second from there. The Tigers again put a runner on second with two out in the sixth inning, but against pinch-hitter Marena Knowles, Gamecocks righty starter Donnie Gobourne (7-2) registered her eighth strikeout of the game. Clemson had a leadoff runner in the seventh frame and two on with two out, and after going hitless in her previous at-bats, Cagle powered a home run to left field for Clemson to take its first lead of the game. Both of Gobourne's losses this season came versus Clemson, totaling 134 pitches on Tuesday. McCubbin pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits. Cagle (19-3) entered the circle with a runner on second and one out in the sixth and picked up a double play by way of a flyout and runner doubled-off. South Carolina's Marissa Gonzalez kept things in suspense in the bottom half of the seventh with a solo home run to lead off and cut the Tigers' lead to one. It was only the second home run Cagle gave up this season, but she kept the remaining contact on the infield and got out of the jam. “What a battle,” said head coach John Rittman. “Brooke McCubbin gave us her all in the circle today giving us some crucial innings down the stretch. Caroline (Jacobsen) sparked us in the third with the RBI double and then delivered in the bottom of the sixth with a great defensive play, turning the double play. Our team continued to give us chances when Ally (Miklesh) led off with the single in the seventh, McKenzie (Clark) had a disciplined at bat to draw the walk, and obviously Valerie (Cagle) delivered for us with the big three-run homer. Our team showed grit to come out of the rivalry game with the win.” The Tigers stay on the road at NC State starting Friday at 6 p.m. Game on the line, never a doubt with Cagle at the plate ☄️ pic.twitter.com/PFo8Om8NdN Through four in Columbia TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN!! Never a doubt with #72 🤯 That feeling when you earn the Palmetto Series point >>> pic.twitter.com/lhenqN97y3 The swing ➡️ the celebration pic.twitter.com/CxYyqhHVmq
Clemson 1 - South Carolina 2 pic.twitter.com/7538K38d8K
Behind a three-run homer from Valerie Cagle, Clemson takes the Palmetto Series on the softball diamond with a 4-3 victory! pic.twitter.com/e50aFD9qE2
Rivalry dub!! 🐅 🥎 https://t.co/OJSkw3JQbx
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