No. 18/18 Clemson Earns Run-Rule Win Over Furman in Home Season Opener
CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 18/18 Clemson (4-2) opened the game with a home run by Jamison Brockenbrough, and Kiley Channell ended it on a run-rule walk-off blast to left center as the Tigers defeated Furman (0-6), 9-1, in five innings on Tuesday in the home opener at McWhorter Stadium. Clemson blasted three homers on the night, and the Tiger pitching staff combined for a one-hitter in the effort, allowing just two baserunners.
Abby Dunning (3-1) earned the win after Keira Crosby opened with 2.1 innings. Dunning and Oliva Duncan went the final 2.2 innings without allowing a baserunner to power the Tigers to the win.
The Tigers struck early in the bottom of the first, as leadoff hitter Jamison Brockenbrough hit her second homer of the season over the wall in right-center. Two hitters later, Marian Collins repeated the feat, this time going 232 feet to left center, plating Kiley Channell from first to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead before recording an out.
Entering the second, Furman’s Katie Peeler struck a solo home run to make the score 3-1. In the bottom of the second, Sarah Breaux led off with a double, and the Tigers loaded the bases after walks to Sam Minish and Brockenbrough. Furman then walked in three runs, with Julia Knowler, Collins and Mac Pavese each earning a walk, upping Clemson’s lead to 6-1.
Breaux led off the third inning with her second double of the night and Pipkins entered as a pinch runner. She found herself on third after Minish was hit by a pitch, and ran home on Wilson’s groundout. Channell walked before Knowler singled to short, scoring Minish from second base. The Tigers were up 8-1 heading into the fourth.
Minish tripled for the second time of her career with two outs on the board, but a swing and a miss sent the game into the fifth. After a runless top of the inning, Channell rounded out the night with her fourth career home run, and her first as a Tiger, to walk off Furman with a 9-1 run-rule.
Up Next
The Tigers hit the road for a weekend tournament in San Marcos, Texas where they will face off against host Texas State, Wichita State, BYU and Arkansas twice.
