Tigers Dominate Opening Game of Regionals
CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson plated 17 runs on 14 hits to open the 2023 Clemson Regional in a dominant fashion against UNC Greensboro with a 17-2 five-inning victory. The Tigers, who improved to 47-9, finished with home runs from Caroline Jacobsen, Alia Logoleo, Reedy Davenport and Maddie Moore to help propel them to the win.
The Tigers’ bats came alive early, as Clemson sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first. Following a McKenzie Clark single to left field, UNCG intentionally walked Valerie Cagle to put two on with one out. Jacobsen jumped on the opportunity to send a three-run shot out of left center, then Logoleo followed by driving the second pitch of her at bat out to dead center, giving Clemson a 4-0 lead.
Action didn’t slow down on the offensive side for the Tigers as Aby Vieira, who returned to the lineup for the first time since April 11, drew a walk, and JoJo Hyatt brought her home with a double into deep right center. In an attempt to get Vieira going home, Hyatt advanced to third. Where Hyatt was on the bases didn’t seem to matter as Davenport sent the seventh pitch she saw out of left center to push the Tigers ahead 7-0.
The Spartans answered with a single run in the top of the second, but Clemson bounced back with two additional runs. Jacobsen reached on a fielder’s choice, Logoleo singled up the middle, and Moore loaded the bases with a walk to bring Vieira back to the plate. Hitting a ground ball through the right side plated both Jacobsen and Logoleo and credited Vieira with a double to make it 9-1.
The momentum continued in the third as Ally Miklesh reached on a fielder’s choice and Cagle drew her third walk of the day. Jacobsen doubled to right center to score both. Two batters later, Moore joined the home run party with a two-run shot out of center to make it 13-1.
Bringing pinch hitters into the lineup, Arielle Oda led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk, and Abi Stuart singled through the left side to put two on. A single by Cagle scored Oda. Jacobsen added her third hit of the game with a single at the pitcher, and Logoleo drew a bases loaded walk to tack on another run. Moore rounded out the scoring for the Tigers with a single to center that plated Sarah Howell, who was running for Cagle, and Jacobsen to make it 17-1.
UNCG scored one more run in the top of the fifth, but Clemson shut things down to take the opening game, 17-2.
Junior Millie Thompson earned her 14th win in the circle pitching three innings with three strikeouts. Sophomore Brooke McCubbin pitched the final two frames with one strikeout.
Up Next
The Tigers continue action at the Clemson Regional Saturday at 1 p.m vs. Auburn.