CLEMSON — How do you break up a great pitching duel? You use a suicide squeeze to bring home the winning run.

That is what Clemson did to get past Northwestern in nine innings on Saturday in the Clemson (NCAA) Regional.

Following a triple by Clemson’s Aby Vieira with one out in the top of the ninth inning, Clemson coach John Rittman called Vieira home while Marian Collins laid down a perfectly placed bunt. Northwestern pitcher Lauren Boyd desperately tried to get to the ball as it rolled slowly between the circle and the first place line.

Her effort fell short, as Vieira slid home safely with no throw to the plate, lifting the No. 11 overall seeded Tigers to a 1-0 victory over the Wildcats at McWhorter Stadium. The Tigers advance to Sunday’s championship round at 1:30 p.m.

Clemson’s gutsy call outshined the pitching performances of the Tigers’ Brooke McCubbin and Boyd. McCubbin (18-5) won her seventh consecutive decision overall and her sixth out of the bullpen.

The Clemson pitcher allowed just two hits in 5 2/3 scoreless innings. She had one walk and struck out two.

Northwestern (30-19-1) had runners on first and third in the bottom of the fourth with one out when McCubbin came into the game. The senior got Emma Raye to pop up to Vieira behind the plate for the second out. She then got Lauren Sciborski to ground out to third base to end the inning.

Clemson’s Kylee Johnson made a great play in the bottom of the sixth inning to rob Kaylie Avvisato of a sure extra base hit or home run, as she climbed the wall and caught it for the first out. In the bottom of the seventh, Alex Brown made a diving two-out catch by the Northwestern dugout to end that inning after the Wildcats got a leadoff hit and had the winning run at second base.

It appeared the Tigers (46-12) finally had something going in the top of the fifth inning. Vieira started the inning by reaching base on a fielding error, and then Marian Collins singled to leftfield.

Unfortunately for Clemson, Taylor Pipkins ripped a shot to short, which Avvisato climbed the ladder, stealing Pipkins of a sure hit. She then threw over to second to get Vieira out, while second baseman Grace Nieto finished the rare triple play by going to first to get Collins out, who could not get back to first in time.

The Tigers again had an opportunity to gain control of the game in the top of the sixth inning when Alex Brown drew a two-out walk and Maddie Moore singled to short. Julia Knowler then gave a Boyd pitch a ride to straightaway center, but the wind held the ball in the park and centerfielder Ayana Lindsey was able to catch the long ball at the wall to end the inning.

Clemson loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the seventh inning thanks to another two-out walk, this time time from Collins. Pipkins followed with a base hit to left field and then Johnson ran out an infield hit. However, Jamison Brockenbrough flew out to right on a 3-1 pitch to end another Tigers threat.

Boyd (15-5) pitched magnificently despite being charged the loss. She threw all nine innings and tallied 150 pitches. She allowed just seven hits in a complete game, plus extras, while fanning nine Tigers and walking three.

Up Next

Clemson will wait to see who moved out of the elimination bracket tonight. The Tigers need to win one game to advance to their third Super Regional overall and their first since 2023.