Clemson wraps Paradise Classic with 17 hits in 13-run win over Bears |
BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Clemson Tigers softball team (3-2) closed out opening weekend with 17 hits, including four home runs, to propel themselves to a 13-0 shutout victory against Missouri State (0-5). This is Clemson’s first shutout win of the season, while the 17 hits ties for third-most by the program. The Tigers continued to notch spots in the record book, as the team’s four home runs ties for the most by the program in a single game, and the three home runs in the seventh inning ties for the most by the program in a single inning.
Eight Tigers tallied a hit, led by senior Alex Brown going 4-for-5 with one RBI and four runs. Julia Knowler and Sam Minish each clocked three hits, while Macey Cintron and Ava Wilson finished with two. Knowler, Cintron, Marian Collins and Kennedy Ariail contributed the four home runs. Knowler and Cintron’s were their seconds of the season, while Collins and Ariail notched the first of their careers. Similar to the 2024 season opener, Knowler dominated her first at bat against the Missouri State Bears. With one on, Knowler sent her first at bat of the game out of center field to make it 2-0 after one. This was Knowler’s second home run of the season, and mirrored her first at bat of 2024 when she left the park against Missouri State in Clearwater, Florida on February 8, 2024. The Tigers extended their lead in the top of the second as the freshmen at the bottom of the lineup contributed three-straight hits. Minish notched a leadoff double and was joined on the bases by a first-pitch single by Wilson. Taylor Pipkins pitcked up her own RBI single to plate Minish, all with no outs. Brown loaded the bases off a single, and Jamison Brockenbrough tallied the RBI on a ground out to make it 4-0. Still in the second, Knowler followed her first inning performance with a double down the right field line to plate both Wilson and Brown to bring her RBI count up to four. Knowler clocked her third hit of the game with a single in the top of the fourth as Clemson held a 6-0 lead heading to the bottom of the fourth. Clemson scored an additional runs in the top of the sixth after Brown singled through the right side and stole second to be in scoring position for Cintron’s at bat. With two outs, Cintron doubled to right field to score Brown and make it 7-0 in Clemson’s favor. The seventh inning saw three Tigers hit home runs that began with Collins leading off the inning with a solo shot out of center field. After Minish clocked her third hit of the game with a single through the right side, Ariail set her first career home run out of left field to push the lead to 10-0. Pipkins drew a walk and moved around to score as Brown tallied an RBI double for her fourth. Cintron closed out the hits and runs for the Tigers with her second two-run shot of the weekend and the fourth home run for Clemson in the game to make it 13-0. Brooke McCubbin started in the circle and pitched two innings with four strikeouts. She allowed only two hits before graduate Brook Melnychuk replaced her to open the bottom of the third and earned the win for her first of the season. She pitched two innings with one strikeout before sophomore Olivia Duncan made her season debut. Duncan pitched the final three innings with two strikeouts. Up Next The Tigers return to Clemson for their home opener against Furman on Tuesday, February 11. Action is slated to begin at 6 p.m. on ACCNX. T1 | We've seen this before 👀 T2 | Ain't no party like a Knowler RBI party T7 | The first of her career 🤩 T7 | Make that THREE HOMERS THIS INNING! TIGERS WIN! TIGERS WIN!!
Julia Knowler drives a two-run homer out of center to put the Tigers on the board!
🎥 FloCollege pic.twitter.com/08mxpCU1kk
Julia Knowler brings home her third and fourth RBIs of the game with a double down the line pic.twitter.com/ARhcPVUXf4
Kennedy Ariail send a two-run bomb out of left field to extend the Tigers' lead pic.twitter.com/dGxnLpPOWZ
Macey Cintron sends a two-run shot out of left to make it 13-0! pic.twitter.com/fmzWwfRqhW
Olivia Duncan makes the toss to Knowler at first to give Clemson the 13-0 victory! The Tigers 17 hits ties for third-most in program history, and Clemson's four home runs tie the single-game record. pic.twitter.com/jteMu0FIfz
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