Clemson Softball Sweeps California in Weekend Showdown

Macey Cintron and the Clemson Tigers celebrate after their 2-1 walk-off win. (Photo By Charles Mays/Tiger View Media)

A Series to Remember

It was a perfect weekend for Clemson softball at McWhorter Stadium, as the Tigers came in already up 1-0 in their series against the California Golden Bears. After taking game one with a 5-3 win, Clemson looked to wrap things up with a Saturday doubleheader, thanks to some looming bad weather in the forecast.

Decked out in their crisp all-white uniforms with "Tigers" across the front, Clemson squared off against a Cal team sporting navy jerseys with "California" in script. The pitching matchups, Brooke McCubbin (6-4) against Cal’s Miranda De Nava (9-1) in game one, followed by Reese Basinger (11-4) versus Anna Reimers (5-1) in game two.

By the end of the day, the Tigers had pulled off a dramatic 2-1 walk-off win in the first game before completely dismantling Cal 14-4 to finish the series in dominant fashion. Let’s dive into how it all unfolded.

Game One: A Walk-Off Thriller

A Pitcher’s Duel Early On

Brooke McCubbin got right to work, cruising through a 1-2-3 first inning with a strikeout. Alex Brown led off the bottom half with a hit, but Clemson couldn’t bring her around.

Cal struck first in the second inning when Tianna Bell launched a solo shot to center. McCubbin, unfazed, retired the next three batters to keep it a one-run game. Clemson put a runner on in their half of the inning, thanks to a Kylee Johnson single, but couldn’t string anything together.

For the next few innings, McCubbin was in the zone, giving up just one hit per inning and picking up another strikeout in the fourth. Meanwhile, Clemson hitters kept getting on base but couldn’t break through.

The Drama Unfolds

McCubbin worked a flawless fifth, and the Tigers went down in order in the bottom half. In the sixth, Cal threatened with a double to left center, but a heads-up play by Kylee Johnson in left field ended with her gunning down the runner at home to keep it 1-0.

That set the stage for the seventh inning, where Clemson needed two runs to walk it off. The rally started with Jamison Brockenbrough’s single, followed by an Alex Brown hit to put two runners on. After a pop-up, Julia Knowler showed patience and worked a full-count walk to load the bases.

With the pressure on, Macey Cintron delivered the moment of the game—a clutch base hit to right field, scoring Brockenbrough and Brown. Just like that, Clemson had stolen a 2-1 victory in walk-off fashion.

Analyst Takeaway

McCubbin’s composure on the mound was the key factor in this win. She worked efficiently, kept hitters off balance, and let her defense make plays behind her. The offense struggled early, but their ability to string together key at-bats in the seventh showcased the resilience of this team. These are the types of games that build character heading deeper into ACC play.

Game Two: A First-Inning Explosion

An Offensive Showcase

If the first game was all about patience and late-game heroics, game two was a completely different story—Clemson came out swinging and never looked back.

After Basinger gave up a couple of hits to start the game, she quickly shut things down, setting the stage for an absolute offensive explosion in the bottom of the first.

Alex Brown got things started with a double, and Maddie Moore bunted for a hit. A throwing error on the play allowed Brown to score, and then Aby Vieira stepped up and crushed a three-run homer to right center. Just like that, it was 4-0.

Cal made a pitching change, but it didn’t help much. Marian Collins doubled, Kylee Johnson singled, and before you knew it, the bases were loaded. Brockenbrough drew a walk to bring in another run, then Alex Brown lifted a sac fly to make it 6-0.

Then came the knockout blow—Maddie Moore blasted a three-run homer, forcing yet another Cal pitching change. Julia Knowler added a solo shot for good measure, and by the time the inning ended, Clemson had put up a jaw-dropping 10 runs.

Finishing in Style

Cal scratched across three unearned runs in the second and another on a Tianna Bell homer in the third, but that was all they’d get. Macey Cintron took over pitching duties and kept them quiet the rest of the way.

Clemson tacked on another run in the fourth, then put the finishing touches on the game in the fifth. Brown and Moore reached base before Julia Knowler stepped up and crushed her second home run of the day—a three-run shot that ended the game on a run-rule walk-off.

Final score: Clemson 14, Cal 4. A complete sweep of the weekend series.

Analyst Takeaway

This game showed the offensive firepower Clemson is capable of when they’re clicking. From top to bottom, the lineup delivered, with big-time performances from Vieira, Moore, and Knowler. The ability to capitalize on mistakes and punish opposing pitching with home runs is what makes this Clemson team so dangerous. If they can replicate this kind of production against top-tier competition, they’ll be a serious threat in the ACC tournament coming up soon.

Up Next: More Home Cooking

With the sweep in the books, Clemson (27-10, 9-3 ACC) turns its attention to Tuesday night’s home game against Gardner-Webb. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.

With three straight ACC series wins under their belt, the Tigers are rolling. Let’s see if they can keep it going!