Photos by Kaitlyn Cote, Clemson Athletics
CLEMSON, S.C. On senior day at McWhorter Stadium, Clemson senior infielder Casey Bigham registered a walk-off hit to score senior infielder Ansley Gilstrap with bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh against NC State on Saturday. The Tigers won the game, 4-3, and clinched the series with its third win over the Wolfpack this weekend. With the win, the Tigers improved to 36-4 overall and 25-4 in ACC contests, and extended their win streak to 16 games.
With Clemson trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh, NC State opted to intentionally walk Valerie Cagle with the bases loaded, allowing Alia Logoleo to score. Then, the Wolfpack made a pitching change with Marissa Guimbarda at the plate with a 2-0 count. Guimbarda eventually had a full count and walked, which tied the game, 3-3. Then, Bigham smashed her game-winning hit, which smacked off of the left-center field wall, in route to completing the Tigers’ seventh-inning come
Photos by Makenna Biehl, Clemson Athletics
CLEMSON, S.C. The Clemson Softball (34-4, 23-4 ACC) team posted three home runs against the ACC’s home run leader, NC State, to win its 14th straight game by a final score of 9-3 at McWhorter Stadium in game No. 1 of Friday’s doubleheader. Clemson’s Valerie Cagle (11), Marissa Guimbarda (10) and McKenzie Clark (7) all homered to give the Tigers 50 home runs on the season. Clemson’s performance marked the fifth time this season the Tigers notched at least three home runs in a single game and the 16th occasion in which it has recorded multiple home runs in a single game this season.
Photos by
Makenna Biehl, Clemson Athletics
CLEMSON, S.C. Clemson redshirt junior Marissa Guimbarda roped an RBI-double off of the right-center field fence in the bottom of the seventh to win Friday’s nightcap at McWhorter Stadium by a final score of 4-3 over against NC State. With the win, the Tigers improved to 35-4 overall and 24-4 in ACC play and tallied their fifth straight win in the process.
Freshman righty Regan Spencer (6-0) secured the win after entering in relief of starter Millie Thompson in the top of the sixth inning.
Valerie Cagle had yet another outstanding game in the batter’s box, going 3-for-3, including her 13th homer of the season. She also reached base safely in all eight plate appearances between both of Friday’s contests.
Photos by Patrick Boling, Clemson Athletics
COLUMBIA, S.C. Propelled by three runs in the first inning, the No. 16 Clemson Softball Team (35-4, 22-4 ACC) shutout the University of South Carolina (23-16, 2-11 SEC), 6-0, Wednesday evening at Beckham Field. The victory extended the Tigers’ winning streak to 13 games as Clemson improved to 20-0 on the season when leading after the first. The Tigers also improved to 40-0 all-time and 23-0 this season when scoring five runs or more, and 26-0 on the year when homering at least once.
In the circle, Clemson ace Valerie Cagle (21-3) recorded her ninth complete-game shutout after registering eight strikeouts and surrendering just three hits. South Carolina pitcher Cayla Drotar suffered the loss and fell to 3-6 on the season.
Apr 20, 2021
Valerie Cagle might have sneaked up on some, but the Clemson two-way softball star has left the ACC and now the country with no doubt of the talent she has on the diamond.
The journey to leading a second-year program into the top 25 began a lot differently than most, and on the outside, joining a new program could be a headscratcher, but not when the head coach is John Rittman, Cagle said. The big thing with Clemson was, it s hard to pass up on an opportunity to be a part of something like this, Cagle said. The culture that Coach Rittman talks about wanting to create, and what we have created, it s just something that you know is going to be so special. So getting that opportunity when not a lot of people get that opportunity, it s hard to pass up on.