Tenth-ranked Clemson opened up the 2023 season in winning fashion with a dominant 10-1 run-rule victory over the FIU Panthers on Thursday evening at the FIU Tournament in Miami, Fla. The victory shook out in just five innings thanks to a big first inning that accounted for four of the Tigers’ eventual 10 runs along with four homers in the second, fourth and fifth innings.

Clemson starter Millie Thompson earned her first win of the season en route to Thursday night’s win while FIU right-hander Ella Whitney tallied the loss.

The Tigers started off their first game of the 2023 season with a bang thanks to Valerie Cagle’s RBI double down the left field line that scored second baseman Maddie Moore and gave Clemson the early 1-0 lead in the first inning. Shortstop Alia Logoleo, catcher Aby Vieira and left fielder Ally Miklesh quickly followed suit with a sac-fly, RBI double and RBI single respectively that gave Clemson the 4-0 lead off of four hits after one.

In the second, veteran center fielder McKenzie Clark extended the Tigers’ lead to 6-0 thanks to a two-RBI double that scored FGCU transfer Reedy Davenport.

FIU attempted to claw its way back with shortstop Ashton Lansdell’s first career home run for the Panthers in the third, but the Tigers were able to make a pitching adjustment that kept FIU at bay for the remainder of Thursday’s contest.

Despite a scoreless third inning for Clemson, Miklesh sent a solo ball out the park for the Tigers’ second home run of the day in the fourth inning.

In what would be Clemson’s last inning of play, Cagle and Jacobson combined for back-to-back homers, both to left field, for the Tigers’ third and fourth bombs of the day. After a pitching change for FIU, infielder Kyah Keller sent a sac-fly to left, which would score Logoleo from third and seal the deal for the Tigers’ 10-1 run-rule victory.

In the first win of Clemson’s fourth-ever season under head coach John Rittman, the Tigers scored 10 runs off of 12 hits and four home runs while holding the Panthers to just one run off of four hits. Cagle led the Tigers on the day with two runs off of two hits, two RBIs, one double and her first home run of the season.

Clemson resumes play in the FIU Invitational on Friday, Feb. 10, against Georgia State at Felsberg Field in Miami, Fla. with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.

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