CLEARWATER, Fla. — The fifth-ranked Clemson Tigers started the 2024 softball season off with a bang as they hit four homers en route to a 12-0, five-inning win over Missouri State on Thursday night at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Tigers start the season 1-0 while the Bears fall to 0-1.

Clemson wasted little time getting things going as McKenzie Clark led off the game with a triple and came in to score on an Alex Brown sac fly for a 1-0 lead. Two batters later Julia Knowler recorded her first career hit with a solo homer followed by another solo homer from Alia Logoleo for a 3-0 lead. The Tigers would plate two more runs on a RBI double from Lindsey Garcia and a RBI single by Arielle Oda for a 5-0 lead.

Clemson put another five spot on the board in the second as Knowler picked up a RBI single and Maddie Moore provided the big blast with a grand slam for a 10-0 lead.

The Tigers did not stop there, adding two more runs in the third inning. After Brown led off the frame with a bunt single, Knowler hit her second homer of the game to make it 12-0 Clemson.

Clemson starter Brooke McCubbin (1-0) earned the win with 1.0 scoreless innings of one-hit ball with five strikeouts while Missouri State starter Gracie Johnston (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing five earned runs on five hits in 0.2 innings.

The Tigers finished the game with 12 hits, led by Knowler and Moore with three each, while the Bears tallied two hits in the contest.

Clemson is back in action Friday night at 7 p.m., as they take on Indiana in day two of action at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. 

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