CLEMSON – Clemson’s 8-0 run-rule win over Coastal Carolina at McWhorter Stadium Friday provided a lot of firsts for the twenty-third-ranked Tigers.
The firsts started early with Julia Knowler’s first home run of the season– a 274-foot blast that put the Tigers up 2-0 in the first inning. Additionally, starting pitcher Abby Dunning recorded her first scoreless start in an orange and purple uniform.
And maybe the most important first– for the first time this season, the Tigers have played (and won) consecutive games at McWhorter Stadium. Both were won in run-rules.
With the win, Clemson (8-5) improves to 3-0 at home and a first-ranked 2-0 in the Clemson Classic Tournament, after beating Lipscomb earlier in the day.
The Tigers kept their momentum from the run-rule win over the Bisons rolling when freshman Mac Pavese lined a single to left field in the first inning.
One pitch later, Knowler, batting third, sent a ball blistering at 70 miles per hour beyond the wall to take a 2-0 lead. The junior’s homer came after she singled and sent in two RBIs against the Bisons earlier in the afternoon.
Outside of Pavese and Knowler, the Tigers struggled early on offense. Clemson put up three scoreless innings and only recorded one other hit as a team from the second to fourth innings, leaving four on base. The one other hit came when left fielder Kylee Johnson doubled in the second inning, but she was left stranded after a strikeout.
While Clemson’s offense struggled to get going, Dunning and the defense held down a lead, rarely even allowing the Chanticleers to threaten in scoring position.
In five innings, Dunning struck out six, and allowed only two hits and no runs. The right-handed graduate put up a season-high in strikeouts, and her fewest amount of walks (2) since opening weekend.
The offense gave Dunning and the defense some insurance in the fifth, after around an hour with no scoring. Pavese singled to right field, Knowler singled to the pitcher, and Breaux lined one through center to plate a run.
A Kiley Channell ground out to first scored one more in the fifth, extending the Tigers’ lead 4-0. With two outs, Clemson rallied. The Tigers scored three late runs on a Brockenbrough triple, fielding errors, and a single, walking off the second game in a row.
Knowler’s single in the fifth marked her first multi-hit game this season, after recording 18 last year. She finished 2-for-2 with a drawn walk and a run scored. Pavese also notched two hits, while four others had one.
Dunning pitched the first shutout of her Clemson career and improved to 4-2 on the year.
Next Up
The Tigers will look to remain undefeated in the Clemson Classic Saturday, when they will play Baylor at McWhorter Stadium. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.