Clemson Takes Down Liberty 7-3
By: treymccurry February 10, 2024

CLEARWATER, Fla. — No. 5 Clemson scored runs in four different innings on their way to a 7-3 win over Liberty Saturday afternoon at the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Tigers move to 3-0 on the season while the Flames fell to 1-2. 

Liberty started the game hot as three of the first four batters reached on their way to a two-run top of the first inning.

Clemson answered right back in the bottom of the frame. The first four batters got on base without a hit before Alia Logoleo singled in a run to cut the deficit to 2-1. Two batters later, Lindsey Garcia was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to tie the game and JoJo Hyatt worked a walk for a 3-2 lead after one inning of play.

The Tigers kept the pressure on in the second inning. Again the first three batters reached without the benefit of a hit to load the bases. A wild pitch brought a run in and a throwing error on the same play allowed another to cross the plate to extend the lead to 5-2. 

Clemson tacked on another run in the third. Garcia led off with a single, advanced on a Hyatt sac bun, and moved to third on a Kylee Johnson single that loaded the bases. McKenzie Clark drew a walk to force a run in for a 6-2 advantage.

The Flames got a run back in the fourth as they strung together three hits to cut the lead to 6-3.

The Tigers responded again in the bottom of the fifth. Clark and Valerie Cagle both singled to put runners on the corners and allow Julia Knowler to pick up an RBI on a single for a 7-3 lead.

Clemson reliever Brooke McCubbin (2-0) earned the win after allowing a single run on five hits in 5.1 innings. Liberty starter Katie Love suffered the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on just one hits with four walks in 1.0 innings.

The Tigers finished the game with nine hits, led by Logoleo with three, while the Flames tallied seven hits in the contest.

Clemson is back in action Saturday night in the NFCA Leadoff Classic as they take on No. 13 Oregon at 7:00 p.m. on MLB Network. 

Get your signed Valerie Cagle replica road sign today.  The nation’s top player has signed a limited number of these signs that have the same properties as a road sign.