Valerie Cagle gave up seven runs but only two were earned after three errors from the Tiger defense. (Clemson athletics photo)

by Brandon Rink - Staff Writer - Thu Apr 06 17:21:18 GMT-04:00 2023

CLEMSON - For the first time this season, the orange-clad crowd that filled McWhorter Stadium over Thursday afternoon witnessed a Clemson loss.

No. 6-ranked Florida State ended a pair of lengthy Clemson winning streaks and continued one of their own in a rescheduled game as part of a doubleheader, 7-0.

The No. 4-ranked Tigers (37-2, 12-1 ACC) had won all 20 home games this season and 29 total carrying over from the 2022 campaign. Clemson also had a program-best 23-game winning streak snapped from this season.

Florida State (30-7, 9-1) and Clemson have only met five times now over four seasons and the Seminoles have won all five times.

Florida State broke up a pitcher’s duel in the fifth inning.

FSU’s first runner reached via a fielding error at first base and Hallie Wacaser notched only the Seminoles’ second hit of the game to put two on. A fielder’s choice throw to the plate was late on the ensuing ground ball for the game’s first run and an attempted rundown put two in scoring position with no one out.

FSU catcher Michaela Edenfield added some insurance with a two-run double to left-center after that, but Clemson ace Valerie Cagle (18-2) was able to get out of the jam from there.

FSU freshman left-handed starter Makenna Reid held Clemson without a hit through three frames, but Cagle ended that stretch with a leadoff single in the fourth. After a pinchrunner in Julia Bomhardt stole second, she was stranded by senior righty reliever Ali DuBois (4-2).

Clemson put two on with one out in the fifth, but after working double-digit pitches from FSU reliever Kathryn Sandercock, Maddie Moore popped out to left field to end the attempted rally.

Florida State put the game away with a four-run sixth frame, where Edenfield struck again with a line-drive three-run shot over the left field wall. Edenfield totaled five RBIs in two hits over the doubleheader starter.

The Tigers' defense totaled three errors on the game. Only two of the seven runs were charged to Cagle over six innings, where she notched five strikeouts and gave up a lone walk.

Clemson dropped to 3-2 versus top 25 opponents this season. The Tigers’ only other loss this campaign was 1-0 to No. 9 Tennessee.

The game was FSU’s seventh versus a top-5 foe, improving to 3-4 there and 7-6 against top 25 teams this year.

The Tigers take on the Seminoles in pt. 2 of the doubleheader coming up at 6 p.m. (ACCN), and despite some rainy weather forecasted, there is a 7 p.m. scheduled start on Friday (ESPN2).

Clemson-FSU box (Game one)