Home Runs Power Tigers to Opening Day Victory
CLEARWATER, Fla. – The No. 13/12 Tigers opened their 2026 campaign with a 5-3 extra-innings victory against RV/NR Southeastern Louisiana that was powered by multi-run homers from senior Jamison Brockenbrough and sophomore Corri Hicks. The Tigers start the year 1-0, while the Lady Lions drop to 1-0, following the eight-inning game.
Junior Sierra Maness started for the Tigers in the circle and notched six strikeouts in her first five innings of work. Graduate Abby Dunning threw 2.1 innings of relief with two strikeouts to earn the win. Maness returned in the bottom of the eighth inning with one out to get credited with the first save of the 2026 season.
SLE broke open the scoreless game in the bottom of the sixth inning after a leadoff walk followed by a single put runners in scoring position for the third batter of the inning to send a shot back up the middle for an RBI single with no outs. Both runners moved up a base on a passed ball and wild pitch before Dunning entered the circle. Dunning struck out the first two batters she faced and forced a line drive to end the inning and minimize any further damage.
Hicks opened the top of the seventh with a base hit, but her pinch runner, freshman Sarah Rocheleau, would be called out at second two batters later on a fielder’s choice that had junior Kylee Johnson reaching safely at first. With two outs, Brockenbrough drove the first pitch she saw out of right field. It was her sixth career home run and gave the Tigers their first lead of the night. SEL answered with a two-out RBI double to tie the game and force extras.
Brockenbrough and Hicks led the offense with two RBIs following their respective homers, while sophomore Marian Collins gave Clemson the initial lead in extra innings with an RBI single. Collins and Hicks both finished with two hits, and Brockenbrough tallied a single hit alongside junior Kiley Channell.
Following international tiebreaker rules, Kennedy Ariail pinch ran for Julia Knowler at second to begin the top of the eighth. Ariail scored the go-ahead run on an RBI single by Collins up the middle. Two batters later, Hicks sent a two-run shot out of right center to plate Collins that gave Clemson a 5-2 edge. SE Louisiana singled in the bottom of the eighth to close the gap and loaded the bases with two outs, but Maness forced a ground out to Channell that secured the 5-3 win.
Up Next
The Tigers continue action in Clearwater on Friday, Feb. 6 against No. 5/5 Oregon at 4 p.m. and versus No. 21/23 Liberty at 7 p.m. Both games are available to stream for free on the GameChanger app.
