Texas scores late in extras to even Super Regional at one game apiece

Clemson had its chances but now the series will come down to a winner-take-all on Saturday.

David Hood · Senior Writer · 2 days ago

It all comes down to Saturday night in Austin.

No. 6 Texas broke open a tight ballgame in the tenth inning late Friday, defeating No. 11 Clemson 7-5 at Red & Charline McCombs Field to even the Austin Super Regional at one game apiece. The teams will play again Saturday to determine who advances to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Game three is scheduled to begin at 9 pm EDT. Texas improves to 50-11 while Clemson falls to 48-13.

The Longhorns scored two runs in the tenth off of Brooke McCubbin on an error and three singles to break a 5-5 tie.

Maddie Moore drove in three and Julia Knowler had three hits for the Clemson offense, but the Tigers couldn’t get past Texas ace Teagan Kavan, who pitched the final 5 2/3 innings without allowing a run.

Texas, playing the role of visitors in the second game, got on the board first against Clemson starter Reese Basinger. Joley Mitchell was hit by a pitch leading off the second, and one out later, Leighann Goode lined a homer just over the wall in left for a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers responded in the bottom of the third. Alex Brown smoked a 1-2 pitch into left-center for a double, and Maddie Moore hit a towering homer over the wall in center for her 17th long ball of the season, tying the score at 2-2.

Texas didn’t waste any time getting one of those runs back and taking a 3-2 lead when catcher Reese Atwood hit a homer to left, her 21st of the season, leading off the fourth.

Aby Viera singled up the middle leading off the bottom of the fourth, and pinch runner Kennedy Ariail replaced her. Marian Collins walked on a 3-2 pitch, but the next two hitters made outs, bringing Jamison Brockenbrough to the plate. Brockenbrough slapped the third pitch she saw through the 5-6 hole on the left side, and Ariail scored with ease to make it 3-3.

Brown walked to load the bases against reliever Cambria Salmon, and Moore walked to force in another run for a 4-3 Clemson lead.

Basinger left with the lead after pitching four innings, giving up three runs (all earned) with no walks or strikeouts. Brooke McCubbin replaced Basinger to begin the fifth, and Texas didn’t waste any time putting runs on the board with Joley Mitchell’s two-run, two-out double putting the Longhorns back in front 5-4.

Macey Cintron, leading off the bottom of the fifth, hit the fourth pitch she saw over the wall in left-center, her 14th of the season, tying the score at 5-5.

The Tigers had chances to win it in the 7th and 8th innings, but failed to capitalize each time. Julia Knowler led off the 7th with a single off the wall in left but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. In the 8th, the first two batters reached on singles and quickly moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. However, the next three hitters all made outs, sending it to the 9th.