A day after hitting a record five home runs, Clemson added four more on Sunday, as the Tigers clinched their three-game series against Pitt with an 11-7 victory at Vartabedian Field in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Clemson got home runs from Corri Hicks, Taylor Pipkins, Sarah Breaux and Jamison Brockenbrough, while Macey Cintron came on in relief to record her second straight win in the circle. Marian Collins was also 2-for-4 at the plate with 2 RBIs in Game 3.
Cintron (2-0) was once again solid in the circle. She came on in relief of starter Sierra Maness with the bases load and no outs in the bottom of the third inning and retired the side.
She retired the Panthers in order in the fourth and fifth innings before giving up a home run to Ahmari Braden in the bottom of the sixth inning and two consecutive singles, including an RBI hit from Tieley Vaughn. Cintron finished her day allowing three runs on three hits. She struck out two batters and walked none.
Abbey Dunning came on in the sixth inning to earn the save. As for Cintron, she recorded her first start of the season in Game 2 of the series on Saturday, and held the Panthers to just five hits in a 13-2 victory.
On Sunday, Clemson (27-16, 9-9 ACC) took a 4-0 lead in the first inning thanks to two, two-out walks, followed by a two-run double and then a two-run home run. With two outs, Pavese and Cintron drew back-to-back walks, setting Collins up for her double to right centerfield to score both runners.
Then, on a 3-1 count, Hicks smashed the softball to deep leftfield for a two-run homer and a 4-0 Clemson lead. Hicks’ home run ran off Pitt starter Bekah Duck.
The Panthers (21-20, 7-11 ACC) loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the first inning, but on a 3-2 count, Addison Toczek grounded to the circle. Maness came home for the force and then Hicks went down the line to first base where Mac Pavese completed a rare 1-2-3 double play.
The Tigers extended their lead to 6-0 in the second inning, as Kylee Johnson led off the inning with a base hit to leftfield, followed by Pipkins, who homered for a fifth straight game. Her bomb to centerfield came on the first pitch from Gwen Sparks.
Unfortunately for Clemson, three errors and three wild pitches in the bottom of the second allowed Pitt to score three runs without hitting the softball. With runners on the corners, a wild pitch on a 3-2 count allowed the runner from third base to score. Hicks tried to get the batter running to first base, but she threw the ball into rightfield. Pipkins then had an errant throw to third which allowed the runner to come home with the second run. A wild pitch on the next at-bat, allowed the third Pitt runner to come home for the third run.
Maness continued to struggle in the third inning. She gave up three walks and a hit, allowing one run to come home before being replaced by Cintron. With the bases still loaded, the sophomore retired the side without anymore damage done.
Cintron got the first batter she faced to flyout to left, she struck out the second batter and finally got the third batter to pop up to second for the final out.
Breaux gave Clemson some breathing room in the top of the sixth inning thanks to three-run home run to leftfield. Brockenbrough followed a few batters later with a two-run shot to centerfield for an 11-5 advantage.
The Tigers had five players–Brockenbrough, Collins, Hicks, Breaux and Pipkins–finish the afternoon with at least two RBIs, while all but one starter in the lineup got a hit. They finished the game with nine hits overall.
UP NEXT
Clemson will host rival South Carolina on Tuesday at McWhorter Stadium in Clemson. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. The Tigers are going for the season sweep after beating the Gamecocks 8-0 on March 25 in Columbia.