CLEMSON – In Clemson’s run-rule win over No. 18 Virginia Friday, the Tigers plated 12 runs on 16 hits. One day later, the Tigers notched just three runs on as many hits. Still, they found a way to win the game 3-0 and clinch the series.

Despite offensive struggles, the Tigers used a two-run homer from catcher Corri Hicks and a manufactured run from centerfielder Jamison Brockenbrough, in addition to a one-run performance from the pitching staff, to clinch their fifth ACC series win Saturday.

“I told the team after the game, ‘Hey, it’s nice that we get the offense going again and scored a lot of runs, and then won a close pitching duel,’” head coach John Rittman said Saturday. “Good teams win in many different ways.”

Throughout the first month of the season, the Tigers (29-17, 11-9 ACC) struggled to pull out wins when the pitching staff or offense could not find any momentum. For example, Clemson plated seven runs but allowed eight in a loss to Georgia Southern on Feb 27 at the Tiger Invitational Tournament. Two weeks later, They scored six runs against Louisville on March 15, but still suffered a defeat after the pitching staff gave up seven runs.

Conversely, Clemson’s pitching staff held Florida State, Georgia Tech, and South Carolina to four or fewer runs, but the Tigers could not get over the hump offensively.

Now, as Clemson approaches its last ACC series and looks towards the postseason, Rittman believes the concept of complementary softball is starting to become contagious for his squad.

“We’ve been through a lot this year,” Rittman said. here. “We’ve been on a little bit of a roller coaster ride with consistency and the biggest thing is you got to try to put it together at the right time, and against a very good Virginia team we’ve won in two different ways.”

Since April 12, the Tigers have a 3-1 record, and are 3-0 in conference-play, outscoring opponents by 11 total runs since April 12. This momentum, in part, comes from five different Tigers recording RBIs, and eight notching hits across a four-game span.

“It’s no secret we’ve struggled offensively and very few times have we put up big numbers and just haven’t really been consistent,” Rittman said Friday. “The coach in me is like, ‘you got to stay optimistic. We’re a really good hitting team. We just got to get hot at the right time.’ And I think we’re starting to swing the bat better. We’re starting to be a little bit more disciplined at the plate and I think it showed tonight. It showed last weekend against Pitt.”

In addition to offensive momentum, the Tigers’ pitching staff has been bolstered by adding two-way player Macey Cintron as a bullpen arm, as she has worked back to play after an injury. 

After making sporadic appearances in the first two months of the season, Cintron has earned wins in the Tigers’ past two games, giving up only one earned run on two hits in 5.2 innings of work. Offensively, she was also responsible for two hits and four RBIs in the Tigers series-opening win over the Cavaliers. (33-10, 10-9 ACC)

“I’m feeling pretty good right now,” Cintron said after improving her record to 4-0 Saturday. “I just go out there and try to compete for my team, hit my spots, and I think me and Corri work well together so I’m just excited to see how the postseason goes.”

With two wins in the circle and a home run last night, Cintron encapsulates the Tigers’ current brand of complementary softball as she continues to heat up after a slow start to the season. Like Rittman, she sees the value in winning games with large-scale offensive surges, and fighting for close victories.

“I just think that obviously it’s no secret we haven’t been playing our Clemson softball like we play, like we played last year,” she said. “But I just think having gritty wins, I think that speaks more than the run-rules. And I just think that today we came out to win a series and that’s really all that matters.”

Clemson has a chance to pick up its first ACC sweep Sunday and continue its hot streak, when the Tigers will host Virginia one last time at McWhorter Stadium. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.