CLEMSON – Though it was warm and sunny at McWhorter Stadium, Clemson’s bats could not heat up in a 4-1 series-opening loss to No. 8 Florida State Friday night.

After run-ruling rival South Carolina on Wednesday, the Tigers notched just four hits and left four on base as they were held to one or fewer runs for the first time in ACC-play this season. No Clemson players struck out, but the Tigers notched only one hit with a runner on base. No players recorded more than one hit.

Tiger Ace Sierra Maness kept Clemson (23-11, 6-4 ACC) in the game, as she threw her 10th complete game of the season. Outside of a three-run fourth inning, Maness held the dynamic Florida State offense scoreless through six frames.

After a relatively quiet and quick first inning from both squads, the Seminoles (30-4, 7-0 ACC) opened the second inning by reaching on a fielding error. The runner made no haste taking second on a sacrifice ground out, and third on a wild pitch.

With runners on the corners and one out, Florida State’s eight-hole hitter smacked a ball past Maness through the center. To stop a sure-single, shortstop Kiley Channell laid out, reined it the hard-hit ball, and lasered a throw to first for a run-saving double play to end the inning. 

Minutes later, Julia Knowler blasted her sixth double of the year in the bottom of the inning, but Clemson left her stranded, and remained scoreless through two.

After another uneventful third frame, both offenses remained in a stalemate, notching only three combined hits and no runs after almost an hour of play. In the first three innings, the Tigers and Seminoles combined for 0-for-8 with runners on base.

The Seminoles, who rank second in the ACC in batting average, broke out of the production purgatory first in the fourth when two leadoff hitters in the middle of the order singled to put runners in scoring position. A single and a sacrifice ground out sent two runners home for a 2-0 lead, and a double scored one more.

A groundout to Marian Collins at second base finally ended outburst.

Freshman Mac Pavese answered quickly with a one-out single in the bottom of the inning, and Collins followed her on base by drawing a four-pitch walk. Right fielder Macey Cintron, next up, extended her hit streak to six games with a single to load the bases. It marked the first time that Clemson was in scoring position with fewer than two outs.

With a new pitcher in after the one-out rally, Knowler blasted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Pavese to cut the lead 3-1. However, groundouts ended the Tigers’ chances of erasing a lead. The score remained after four frames.

Maness picked up her second inning without allowing a baserunner in the fifth, and notched her second strikeout of the night to stifle Seminole momentum from the prior frame. The Tigers could not capitalize in the bottom of the fifth either, however, and left leadoff batter Jamison Brockenbrough stranded on first.

The Tigers got out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth with a turned double-play, the third of the game for Clemson. This one came from Pavese at first to Collins at second. One inning later, in the top of the seventh, the Seminoles plated one more on a single down the first base line for the final score.

Matchup

Headed into the game, Clemson was tied for first in the ACC in Earned Run Average, with a 2.57. On the other side, Florida State was tied for second in total offense, with a .370 team batting average. While the Seminoles’ offense eventually won the game, Maness held the group below their batting average, and under their 8.2 runs per game.

Series History

With the loss, Clemson falls to 1-8 all-time against the Seminoles. The victory came in the Championship Game of last year’s ACC Tournament, when the Tigers secured their first conference title in program history. Florida State has not visited Clemson since 2023.

Cintron Back in Business

Despite an offensive struggle for the Tigers’ Cintron notched her ninth hit in six games, after a slow start to the season. The sophomore has three multi-hit games in her last six appearances. She now holds a .296 average, ranking fifth amongst starters.

Up Next

The Tigers will look even the series Saturday, when Clemson will host Florida State again at McWhorter Stadium. First pitch is set for noon.