Clemson has one more opportunity to shock everyone in the Super Regional against Texas
Clemson has one more opportunity to shock everyone in the Super Regional against Texas
The stage is set for a winner-take-all battle in Austin.
After falling 7-5 in extra innings on Friday night, No. 11 seed Clemson softball finds itself in a familiar position: one win away from reaching the Women's College World Series for the first time in program history. But after letting a golden opportunity slip in Game 2 of the NCAA Super Regional against No. 6 Texas, the Tigers will need to regroup quickly ahead of Saturday's decisive Game 3.
Clemson (48-13) and Texas (50-11) are now even at one win apiece in the best-of-three series. The final game — with a trip to Oklahoma City on the line — is scheduled for 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Clemson will serve as the designated visiting team.
Friday's game had all the makings of a postseason classic. The Tigers, looking to build on Thursday's historic 7-4 win in Game 1, rallied twice but ultimately came up just short in the 10th inning. Texas, playing as the visiting team for Game 2, broke a 5-5 tie in the top of the 10th with a two-run frame. Katie Stewart led off the inning with a single, and a fielding error put two runners on. A sacrifice bunt moved them over, and the Longhorns took advantage with a sac fly from Kaydee Bennett and an RBI single by Ashton Maloney.
Clemson threatened in the bottom half. With two outs, Kylee Johnson drew a walk, and Jamison Brockenbrough singled to bring the tying run to first base. But Texas reliever Teagan Kavan got Alex Brown to ground into a fielder's choice, ending the game and forcing a Game 3.
The Tigers had multiple chances earlier to take control. Freshman Macey Cintron tied the game 5-5 in the fifth with a solo home run to center, her 15th blast of the year. Clemson also had a chance to walk it off in the eighth when Marian Collins and Taylor Pipkins opened the inning with back-to-back singles, putting the winning run on third with no outs. But Kavan, who delivered 5.2 scoreless innings of relief, wiggled out of the jam.
Julia Knowler led Clemson at the plate, going 3-for-5, while Maddie Moore drove in three runs, including a two-run homer in the third. Brockenbrough, Collins, and Aby Vieira each added two hits for the Tigers.
In the circle, Reese Basinger started and allowed three earned runs over four innings. Brooke McCubbin pitched the final six, giving up four runs — only one of them earned — while striking out three. Clemson's defense committed a costly error in the 10th, and it came back to haunt them.
Now, everything comes down to Saturday night. For the second year in a row, Clemson is trying to reach a milestone that's eluded them since the program's founding in 2020: a spot in Oklahoma City. After winning Game 1 on Thursday behind a late offensive surge and a game-changing double play from Brockenbrough, the Tigers proved they can hang with one of the nation's top teams. But beating Texas twice in Austin won't come easy.
With one final chance to make program history, the Tigers will need to summon their best performance of the season. One game. One opportunity. One win from the Women's College World Series.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
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