Clemson Softball: Tigers Defeat the Marshall Thundering Herd to Sweep the Clemson Classic

Reese Basinger pitches during Clemson's win over Marshall at McWhorter Stadium on Sunday, February 23, 2025. (Photo By: Charles Mays/Tiger View Media)

It was a beautiful Sunday for Clemson Softball as the Tigers took on the Marshall Thundering Herd in the Clemson Classic Championship. Clemson was decked out in their regalia jerseys featuring the orange Clemson script across their chests paired with white pants, while Marshall wore white jerseys with white lettering and numerals outlined in green, along with green pants. The two teams met yesterday, and Clemson won the game 8–3 behind a third-inning offensive explosion. Clemson Tigers Softball’s offense has been scorching, and that trend continued today. Today’s pitching matchup began with Marshall’s Bub Feringa (1–2) facing Clemson’s Reese Basinger (2–2). Basinger has been a strikeout machine this season; coming into today’s matchup, she had recorded 32 strikeouts on the year with an ERA of 2.29. Let’s dive into the game recap.

Early Inning Business

The action began in the top of the first inning when Marshall’s Rielly Lucas opened the hit column in the box score with a one-out single. However, Marshall’s momentum was quickly halted. Clemson’s Reese Basinger delivered a strikeout to Tia Titi, and Abby Darnley’s groundout to Basinger sealed the inning without allowing further damage.

Clemson roared to life in the bottom of the first. Alex Brown drew a lead-off walk on a hit by pitch, setting the stage for Maddie Moore’s single that moved Brown to second base. Subsequent plays saw Julia Knowler reach on a fielder’s choice, and a throwing error by Marshall’s first baseman allowed Brown to score an unearned run, making it 1-0. With Macey Cintron drawing a walk to load the bases, an Aby Vieira groundout to third produced an RBI while advancing runners. A timely single by Ava Wilson then pushed the score to 3-0, giving Clemson an early and comfortable lead.

Marshall managed to get on base in the top of the second inning but could not convert those opportunities into runs. The inning ended with another strikeout from Basinger, who had established herself as a key figure in Clemson’s success. In response, Clemson’s offense kept piling on. A leadoff walk by Jamison Brockenbrough started a series of events that saw Maddie Moore, Julia Knowler, and Macey Cintron each contribute to extending the lead. An RBI single by Cintron in the bottom of the second brought the score to 4-0.

Tigers Strike Again

While Marshall’s Brooklyn Ulrich managed a single in the top of the third, the Tigers struck back emphatically. Alex Wilson’s lead-off home run in the bottom half pushed the score to 5-0, igniting the Clemson offense. Even as hit-by-pitches sent Riley Fennell and Jamison Brockenbrough to the plate, Marshall’s bullpen tried to regain control. However, rookie Emily Cole proved unfazed, walking Alex Brown and then loading the bases with one out. Despite the pressure, Cole maintained composure with controlled pitches around 44 mph, striking out back-to-back batters to end the inning without surrendering additional runs.

The top of the fourth saw Marshall make another attempt to generate offense. Basinger struck out lead-off hitter Abby Darnley and, after Paige Simpson’s groundout, Diamond Leslie delivered an electrifying triple to right-center with two outs. Yet, Reese Basinger quickly reasserted control by retiring Kasia Parks on a strikeout to close the frame. Clemson’s bottom of the fourth was uneventful, aside from a solitary walk, as the Tigers continued to maintain their advantage.

Tigers Defeat the Marshall Thundering Herd

By the fifth inning, Clemson was determined to put the game beyond reach. The top half of the frame was a masterclass in defensive execution as Basinger racked up her fifth strikeout of the game, effectively neutralizing Marshall’s offense. The bottom of the fifth proved to be the clincher. A single by Riley Fennell set the stage for Jamison Brockenbrough’s perfect bunt, which allowed Fennell to dash from first to third on Marshall’s lapse in awareness. Facing pressure in the circle, Marshall turned to Paige Maynard. It was then that Maddie Moore stepped up, smashing a two-out triple that drove in both Brockenbrough and Fennell to take the score to 7-0. Julia Knowler would come up next and smack a walk-off RBI single, which scored Moore, sealing the victory. The Clemson Tigers defeat the Marshall Thundering Herd, 8-0.

Great Win, Now on to the Next

The win not only marked a dominant performance by the Clemson Tigers but also earned Reese Basinger her third win of the season, while Bub Feringa of Marshall took the loss. With the Tigers continuing to impress on both sides of the ball, they now set their sights on their next challenge.

Clemson is scheduled to return to McWhorter Stadium on Wednesday, February 26th at 4 p.m. EST, where they will face the Georgia Bulldogs. Fans can catch all the action live on ACCNX, ensuring they don’t miss a moment of what will be another exciting chapter in the Tigers’ season. We will also have coverage here at Tiger View Media. Check our socials and here at tigerviewmedia.com