Clearwater, Fla. – The Clemson softball team (5-3) dropped two games on the third day of competition at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational in Clearwater, Fla. The Tigers opened the day with a loss to No. RV/23 Northwestern in seven innings before dropping the night cap to Wisconsin in extras.
Game 1 vs. No. RV/23 Northwestern
The Tigers dropped the morning game to No. RV/23 Northwestern, 7-0, after committing some costly errors on the defensive side.
The game started with both team’s trading outs in the first and second innings. The Wildcats scored first in the top of the third after a fielding error by Clemson. The Tigers attempted to respond in the bottom of the inning after getting McKenzie Clark and Sam Russ aboard with two outs, but Russ was ruled out after leaving the base early on the next pitch.
Northwestern scored again in the fifth off a two-run homer. NU tacked on their final three runs in the sixth after Clemson made back-to-back errors that allowed runners to score.
The Tigers made one final push in the bottom of the sixth after getting two runners on with two outs, but a ground ball hit to Northwestern’s third baseman was fielded cleanly to end the inning.
Freshman Brooke McCubbin started in the circle for the Tigers. She pitched 5.1 innings and faced 29 batters as she fell to 1-1 on the year. Sophomore Regan Spencer pitched the final 1.2 innings. She faced six batters and struck out three without giving up a hit.
Game 2 vs. Wisconsin
The second game of the day began as a pitcher’s duel as the two teams traded outs until the Tigers got on the board first in the bottom of the fourth inning.
In the fourth, Madison May singled up the middle. The Tigers brought in pinch runner, Carlee Shannon, in May’s place and Shannon quickly stole second. Shannon advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by the catcher to give Clemson the 1-0 lead.
Sophomore pitcher Millie Thompson put in six innings of work in the circle for the Tigers amassing a season-high nine strikeouts, one shy from tying her career-best. She faced 24 batters, and Clemson’s defense made some incredible plays behind her to keep the Badgers from scoring in those first six innings.
Going into the seventh inning, Clemson made a pitching change to Valerie Cagle. After batters got on base early, Wisconsin went on to tie the game, 1-1, in the top of the seventh inning when Peyton Bannon scored on a wild pitch.
Wisconsin scored what would be the game-winning run in the top of the eighth inning when the international tie-breaker rule placed Molly Schlosser on second base with Kayla Konwent at the plate. A single up the middle by Konwent scored Schlosser to give the Badgers the 2-1 lead over the Tigers.
Up Next
Clemson concludes action at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational tomorrow morning against No. 6/5 Washington at 9:30 a.m.
