RALEIGH, N.C. – Taylor Pipkins, Alex Brown and Kylee Johnson all recorded home runs to propel the No. 24/21 Clemson Tigers to an 8-3 victory against the NC State Wolfpack (21-22, 4-14 ACC) to conclude the weekend. The win secured the three-game series sweep to mark the third ACC sweep of the 2025 campaign and moved the Tigers to 34-11 (14-4 ACC).
Brown, Jamison Brockenbrough and Aby Vieira all finished with multiple hits, while Pipkins propelled the offense with two RBIs and two runs scored alongside Brown. Macey Cintron and Marian Collins drew two walks and scored one run each in the win.
In the circle, senior Reese Basinger started in her 20th game of 2025 and pitched the first five innings to finish with four strikeouts and four hits. Basinger picked up her 14th victory of the year and the 50th of her career. She was replaced in the bottom of the sixth by senior Brooke McCubbin, who pitched the final two innings with one strikeout.
The Wolfpack took the lead in the bottom of the first inning with a leadoff home run. The Tigers responded in the top of the second by loading the bases. Pipkins came up with the productive at bat with a sac fly to right field that allowed Collins to score from third to make it 1-1.
Pipkins continued to deliver at the plate for the Tigers, hitting her second home run in three games with a solo shot in the top of the fourth inning. Brown made it back-to-back home runs for the Tigers with a solo shot out of center to extend Clemson’s lead to 3-1. This was Brown’s 203rd hit and second home run in as many games. NC State answered with a solo home run to cut the lead down to 3-2 in Clemson’s favor after four.
NC State leveled the score in the bottom of the fifth after the leadoff batter doubled and advanced to third on the play and a single through the left side plated the runner from third.
Clemson reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth after Pipkins walked and advanced to third on a single by Brown. Brown stole second to be in scoring position for Brockenbrough, who slapped a shot back at NC State’s third baseman. Both Pipkins and Brown came home as the Wolfpack made a throwing error coming home, and Brockenbrough took second on the play.
Cintron drew a walk, and Brockenbrough advanced to third to put runners on the corners for Vieira who drove a double into center and advanced on a fielding error by NC State’s center fielder that allowed both Brockenbrough and Cintron to score to make it 7-3 in Clemson’s favor. This was Vieira’s 15th double of the year which leads the team and ties for first on Clemson’s single-season records with Valerie Cagle and Caroline Jacobsen who both tallied 15 in 2023.
The final run scored by either side came at the bat of Johnson. The sophomore drove the sixth pitch of her at bat out of left field to add an insurance run for the Tigers that led to the 8-3 victory and series sweep.
Up Next
The Tigers return to McWhorter Stadium for the final four home games of the 2025 regular season. Action begins on Tuesday, April 15 as the Tigers welcome the Gamecocks to town for the second game of the Palmetto Series presented by the South Carolina Education Lottery. Action on Tuesday is slated to begin at 7 p.m. on ACC Network.
Clemson concludes its home stand with a three-game series against Boston College. The series begins on Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m. on ACCNX, before continuing on Friday, April 18. Clemson will conclude the season at home with Senior Day on Saturday, April 19. The Tigers will recognize and honor their nine seniors following the game that begins at noon.
