February 14, 2024
Clemson leaned on four pitchers to get the job done Wednesday against UC San Diego, and the Tigers rode a big second inning to top the Tritons, 6-4, at the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.
The Tritons (1-5) jumped ahead in the top of the first inning, as Morgan Eng was hit by a pitch leading off and then stole second base. On a fielder’s choice to second that included an error, Eng scored to make it 1-0. Clemson (6-1) responded in the bottom of the second; freshman Kylee Johnson reached on an error, stole second and scored on a sacrifice fly by McKenzie Clark. Alex Clark then dropped in a two-out single to push the Tigers ahead, 3-1, and Valerie Cagle doubled in Clark as the lead moved to 4-1.
Johnson made it 5-1 with a two-out opposite-field solo home run in the third. UC San Diego stayed in range with a run in the fourth as Mariah Melendez scored on a single from Lily Hermosillo. Cagle tripled to lead off the fifth for Clemson; she scored on a groundout to second by freshman Julia Knowler as the lead moved to 6-2.
The Tritons made one last push in the seventh as Eng led off with a double. She scored on a single from freshman Lexi O’Gorman, who later scored on an infield error.
Regan Spencer, Brooke McCubbin, Millie Thompson and Cagle all pitched for the Tigers. O’Gorman had three hits for UC San Diego.