ATHENS, Ga. — Clemson has Georgia on its mind, as it opens NCAA Softball Regional play today at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Ga.

The Tigers will play UNC Greensboro at 4:30 p.m., in Game 1 of the Athens (Georgia) Regional. Host Georgia and the College of Charleston are scheduled to play at 7 p.m., in Game 2.

“We built are resume and that is where the committee put us,” Clemson head coach John Rittman said. “I think it is a really tough regional, and if you get out of that regional, you get matched up with the Tennessee Regional. So, you have to beat really good teams this time of the year, especially where we want to go and our team knows that.”

Clemson (32-20) has never won an NCAA Regional away from the confines of McWhorter Stadium in Clemson. The Tigers are 12-5 all-time in regional competition, but nine of those wins have come in Clemson and they are just 3-4 in road regional games.

Though the Tigers need to take care of business against UNCG today, they hope they get an opportunity to face the Bulldogs, a team they beat 10-1 on Feb. 25 in Athens.

“I was really excited,” said centerfielder Jamison Brockenbrough when she saw they were playing in Georgia’s regional. “I think we played a really good game against them. It is always fun playing Georgia. I have a lot of faith that we will have a great game with them.”

Brockenbrough, who is from Locust Grove, Ga., is one of nine players on Clemson’s 24-person roster that hails from the state of Georgia. Right fielder Taylor Pipkins is another Georgia Peach that would love another opportunity to play the Bulldogs.

“I think it’s extra special with a lot of us being from Georgia, a little hometown moment for a lot of us,” the Cumming, Ga., native said. “And I feel like we’re going to have a good fan show out, a lot of support. I’m just really excited.”

Clemson’s win over Georgia, the No. 10 overall seed in the field, this past February was its first in Athens and was the first road win by either team in the short series. The Tigers lead the series 4-2 through the first six games.

“It is a rivalry game. We play them every year,” Rittman said. “It is going to be a tough weekend and a tough regional, and we are looking forward to it.”

But, at least for today, the focus is on the Spartans of UNCG.

The Spartans (42-17) earned their seventh SoCon regular season title and fourth tournament title, finishing with their best record since 2018.

Infielder Nya South ranks second in the SoCon with 17 home runs this season, while maintaining a .385 batting average. UNCG ranks second in runs scored, hits, and runs batted in in the conference. 

In the circle, junior Brooklyn Shroyer leads the charge, while accumulating a 21-6 record in 33 appearances this season. The right-hander holds a 1.41 ERA and will most likely face the Tigers.

“They’re a well-coached team really,” Rittman said. “You know they seem to win the SoCon just about every year and we know we’ll get a tough, tough game with them.”