The Tigers travel back to Clemson with two more wins under their belt after upsetting No. 15/17 Stanford over the weekend. Clemson handed Stanford its first home loss on Friday with a 7-5 victory, then took the rubber match on Sunday, defeating the Cardinal 7-6.
Clemson picked up its 30th win on Sunday, improving to 30-10 overall, 11-4 in the ACC, and securing their fifth-straight 30-win season.
On Friday, Maddie Moore recorded her 10th home run of the year and career-best 42nd RBI. Julia Knowler launched her 13th home run of the season with a three-run shot in the top of the sixth.
Knowler tied Valerie Cagle for second in home runs by a sophomore in program history, trailing Alia Logoleo by just two.
After the Cardinal tacked on three runs of its own in the bottom of the sixth, Brooke McCubbin entered in relief and stranded two runners. McCubbin then finished the game, earning her third save of the season and securing the Cardinal’s first home loss.
Saturday was a different story, as Stanford run-ruled the Tigers, 11-1, in five innings. Marian Collins drove in Clemson’s only run, but two errors by the Tigers’ defense and back-to-back home runs from Stanford sealed the deal in game two of the series.
In the rubber match on Sunday, the Tigers were able to hold off a late surge by Stanford and take the series.
Jamison Brockenbrough led the way with two hits, scoring two runs, while Moore drove in three RBIs. Reese Basinger pitched 4.1 innings before being relieved by McCubbin, who threw 2.2 innings and earned her eighth win.
The Cardinal threatened in the seventh after three consecutive singles brought the team within one. However, a groundout and a flyout stopped the bleeding and gave the Tigers the series win.
Clemson returns home on Wednesday to face Winthrop at 6 p.m.