CLEMSON – Sarah Breaux and Corri Hicks each smashed three-run homers and five others notched hits as Clemson finished out its home, regular-season schedule with a run-rule 10-0 win over Presbyterian College at McWhorter Stadium Tuesday.

The Tigers, now 4-0 in their last four games and 6-1 since April 11, recorded midweek season-highs in runs and hits in an inning, and improved its midweek record to 8-2 on the season. Seven of Clemson’s starters mashed hits, and one of the others, designated player Macey Cintron, drew a walk. 

In the circle, Clemson’s pitching staff combined to throw the Tigers’ 12th shutout of the season. Graduate Abby Dunning got the start in the circle, and was replaced by freshman Lexie Hames to open the fourth. The pair allowed only three hits over five innings to a Blue Hose team that averages nearly eight per game.

With the win, Clemson (31-17, 12-9 ACC) claimed its second win in program history over Presbyterian, in the first matchup since Clemson’s inaugural season in 2020. Both games resulted in shutouts. Tuesday marked the first time the Blue Hose (19-28) have played at McWhorter Stadium, as it was under construction in their last trip south.

“It’s good to win at home,” head coach John Rittman said postgame. “Obviously, we had an emotional day Sunday and got the series sweep against Virginia and we wanted tonight to keep the momentum going, and certainly they came out and played really well to do that.”

After an uneventful first inning from both teams, designated player Macey Cintron got things rolling for the Tigers in the bottom of the second with a leadoff walk. Second baseman Marian Collins, up next, ended her two-game hitless streak with a single to put Cintron in scoring position.

With two runners on base, third baseman Sarah Breaux launched her tenth homer of the year, and fifth in two weeks, into the parking lot to give Clemson an early 3-0 lead.

With the bases cleared, left fielder Kylee Johnson singled and stole second to regenerate the offense, and fellow sophomore Taylor Pipkins sent her home with a one-out double. 

Leadoff hitter Jamison Brockenbrough, and shortstop Kiley Channell, seeking revenge for short at-bats in the first inning, added doubles of their own to plate two more runs and take a 6-0 lead. Channell’s hit marked the Tigers’ sixth hit of the inning and seventh of the game. 

A fielding error and a wild pitch sent Channell home to extend the lead 7-0 after two innings. The Tigers batted around in the second, while six different players notched hits.

One inning later, Collins drew a leadoff hit-by-pitch, and Breaux followed it up with a single to put two runners on with no outs. Catcher Corri Hicks, in the seventh spot, joined in on the fun next, blasting her 11th homer of the year 243 feet, extending Clemson’s lead 10-0.

“Corri being a transfer and and Sarah being a freshman, just making the transition to Clemson and playing a really tough schedule, I think it took them a while to get comfortable,” Rittman said of Hicks and Breaux after the win. “We’ve certainly made a few adjustments with their swings, but they’ve really showed the power that they’re capable of the last month.”

The pair of newcomers have brought the Tigers eight home runs and 20 RBIs since April 11.

Additionally, Johnson and Brockenbrough each finished with two hits. Dunning got the win and finished with three hits, four strikeouts, and no walks in three innings. She improved her record to 7-7 on the year. Hames walked one and struck out five in two innings of work.

“I thought Abby Dunning was great,” Rittman said. Her first one, two, three inning in a while to start the game and so we kind of rolled off of her. Lexie Hames came in, had her best outing of the year, two innings, five strikeouts. So really pleased with our pitchers tonight.”

The win took less than 90 minutes for Clemson.

Up Next

The Tigers will head up to Durham to take on No. 12 Duke (36-12, 18-3 ACC) at the Smith Family Stadium in a three-game series this weekend. Game one is set for Friday at 6 p.m. With a series win, the Tigers would have a better chance to host an NCAA Regional in the coming weeks, and improve their seeding in the ACC Tournament.

Everything is still in front of us,” Rittman said. “We can still play for an ACC Championship, for a Regional championship, Super Regionals, World Series. It’s all there for us, and certainly we’re playing for seeding right now, but we’re also playing a lot better softball and I think we’re playing confidently and as a coach, you really like to see that this time of year.”