Clemson Survives Elimination; Advances to Regional Final Against Alabama
The Clemson Tigers advanced to the regional final Sunday against Alabama, who they must defeat twice to win the region.
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(CUSD Release)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Morgan Johnson’s pinch-hit double to lead off the seventh inning sparked Clemson (44-7) to a 4-2 victory against Troy in an elimination game at the Tuscaloosa Regional on Saturday evening. Johnson would later come around to score the go-ahead run on Mackenzie Clark’s single.
Clemson advances to play third-seeded Alabama at 2 p.m. eastern on Sunday in an elimination game for the Tigers on ESPN3 and WCCP 105.5 FM. If Clemson were to win, the Tigers and Tide would meet again Sunday at 4:30 p.m. to determine the Regional winner in the double-elimination format.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Morgan Johnson’s pinch-hit double to lead off the seventh inning sparked Clemson (44-7) to a 4-2 victory against Troy in an elimination game at the Tuscaloosa Regional on Saturday evening. Johnson would later come around to score the go-ahead run on Mackenzie Clark’s single.
Clemson advances to play third-seeded Alabama at 2 p.m. eastern on Sunday in an elimination game for the Tigers on ESPN3 and WCCP 105.5 FM. If Clemson were to win, the Tigers and Tide would meet again Sunday at 4:30 p.m. to determine the Regional winner in the double-elimination format.
Johnson, a freshman from Georgia, entered as a pinch hitter to open the 7th and drove the second pitch she saw into left center for a double, her seventh extra-base-hit of the year. After advancing to third on a passed ball, Johnson scored the go-ahead run when Clark hit a well-placed ball to shortstop that didn’t draw a throw.
Alexa Romero walks 5 hitters in 4-2 loss to No. 13 Clemson
Will Fudge | Staff Photographer
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With runners on second and third base, Clemson’s Ansley Gilstrap worked a 3-1 count against Alexa Romero. On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Romero’s pitch was outside the strike zone, putting Gilstrap on first and loading the bases. Not even four innings into the contest, Romero walked her fifth batter of the game her second of the inning. Syracuse trailed 3-2, putting the graduate student in a tough spot.
Romero was able to strikeout the Tigers’ top hitter, Valerie Cagle, swinging to end the inning. But the damage had already been done. Johnson’s full count walk had cost Romero and the Orange (19-21, 11-18 Atlantic Coast) as she later scored on an RBI single into right field by junior Cammy Pereira. SU’s offense, which has struggled all season long, had mustered two solo home runs in the first three innings, but Romero’s cont
Syracuse finishes with 5 hits in 2-run loss to No. 13 Clemson
Will Fudge | Staff Photographer
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Syracuse’s leadoff hitters, Calista Almer and Angel Jasso, both struck out in the first inning against Clemson pitcher Valerie Cagle’s opening eight pitches.
Neli Casares-Maher came up to bat, taking a ball on the first pitch. She sized up the second pitch and leveled her sixth home run of the season into the right-center field netting, giving Syracuse a 1-0 lead just 10 pitches into the game.
Then in the third inning, Paris Woods led off and crushed a first-pitch home run 215 feet into the center field netting, tying the game at 2-2.