Regan Spencer pitched five shutout innings and the Tigers poured on the runs late for a run-rule win. (Clemson athletics photo)

by TigerNet Staff - Sat May 18 20:19:30 GMT-04:00 2024

The second-seeded Clemson softball team (35-18) weathered a lengthy delay and topped fourth-seeded USC Upstate (30-22) 8-0 Saturday evening.

The Tigers will rematch with Southeastern Louisiana (45-14) shortly after the game on Saturday in Tuscaloosa (ESPN+) for the right to make the regional final against host Alabama on Sunday (first game at 2 p.m. EDT; needing two wins there to advance). Clemson lost to the Lady Lions on Friday, 6-2.

The Tigers, the designated visiting team versus USC Upstate, got on the board first in the fourth inning.

Julia Knowler worked a full-count and a walk, and the Tigers maneuvered her pinch-runner, Kennedy Ariail, around the bases with two groundouts and an Arielle Oda RBI single, to make it 1-0.

In the fifth frame, Alex Brown doubled and Maddie Moore doubled her in to double the Tigers’ lead. Knowler made contact next with a ball that went under the first baseman’s glove and up the line to score Moore.

There was an over three-hour weather delay during Clemson’s time at the plate in the sixth after putting Oda on with no out. The Tigers’ rally continued with McKenzie Clark sending a double down the left field line in the second pitch from resumption, and Brown singled up the middle to make it 4-0 Tigers. Clark then scored on a sac fly from Moore and Lindsey Garcia knocked in Brown on a single. Alia Logoleo kept the rally going with a two-run double to reach run-rule territory.

Regan Spencer improved to 11-4 from the circle with five shutout innings, allowing two hits with five strikeouts to no walks. Millie Thompson came on after the break with two strikeouts in the sixth inning.

Saturday was the first meeting between the Palmetto State programs.