Built for the Moment: Clemson Softball Keeps Shocking the World
- Charles Mays
- 2 minutes ago
- 5 min read
"We Never Quit, We Never Say Die": Clemson Softball Heads to Austin with Fire
Life comes at you fast. Especially when you’re thrown straight into the fire and told to survive or be devoured. That might sound a bit dramatic, but I imagine that’s exactly what it felt like to be a Clemson softball player this season, especially for the young ones.
We’ve said it time and time again this year. These freshmen? They’re legit. They were built for the big stage and they were built to succeed now. Back in the fall, I got my first glimpse. Then, at the Orange and Purple scrimmage to kick off the season, I really started to notice them. After only a quick look during fall ball, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But to my surprise, there wasn’t a drop-off in talent.
As the season rolled on and names like Macey Cintron, Marian Collins, Ava Wilson, and later Taylor Pipkins started showing up in the starting lineup and making plays, it hit me, these kids weren’t just adjusting, they were thriving. I knew it was only a matter of time before they helped turn Clemson into a contender.
The scary part? I didn’t think it would happen this fast.
Coach John Rittman and his staff deserve all the credit. What they’ve done this season? It’s coach of the year material. I don’t know what the rest of the country looks like up close, but I’d bet you’d be hard-pressed to find another program that replaced so much and progressed through this season like they have.
Clemson sits at 47-12. Six of those losses came in the first couple of weeks. That’s insanely impressive. And they haven’t taken the easy route, either, they’ve gone through well-respected programs to get here. The culture and love this team has for the game and for Clemson? This is how it’s supposed to be.
The Tigers have stacked up moment after moment this season. There was the walk-off win at home against South Carolina when Marian Collins delivered the game-winner. Then came the ACC Tournament, where they clawed back late against Virginia Tech. And of course, in the championship game against Florida State, another NCAA softball powerhouse, Kylee Johnson came through with the massive two-run home run to seal the title.
This team doesn’t just show up. They make statements. Game after game, they prove they’re not going anywhere. And good luck trying to game plan for them. You never know who’s going to come up big in the moment.
Just as important to Clemson’s success has been what they’ve done in the circle. You can’t win games if you’re not keeping the other team off the board, and Clemson’s pitching staff has answered the bell. Brooke McCubbin was someone I had an eye on coming into the season. After being behind players like Valerie Cagle, Millie Thompson, and Regan Spencer last year, I expected her to take a step forward. And she did.
McCubbin’s growth has been tremendous, and her pairing with Reese Basinger has turned into one of the toughest one-two punches in the country. Coach Rittman spoke about their development, saying,“It took Reese Basinger, our transfer pitcher, a couple weeks to figure out that, hey, I need to be good for the Clemson Tigers. And when she figured that out, she kind of took us on this ride and kept us in every game. Then about halfway through the season, Brooke McCubbin just really stepped up, and we have a one-two punch, and they’ve been phenomenal.
The second half of the season, and this weekend was an indication of what they can do.”
Coach Rittman summed up the rest of this team’s challenge to opposing pitchers just as clearly in today’s press conference:
“Our offense has been pretty darn good all year long, and to be a good offense, you have to be productive up and down the lineup. You have to have some versatility, some speed, some people that can short game and then hit the ball with power. We’ve had contributions from so many people up and down our lineup, and that’s what makes this team so tough. Just one through nine, and even players coming off the bench have contributed this year. That’s why this team is so special. It’s not just one or two players, it’s everyone. You never know who’s going to strike in any given game. The opposing team’s pitching coach will tell you, this is a tough lineup to pitch to.”
“One of our mantras when we started this program was to shock the world,” Coach Rittman also said. Well Coach, mission accomplished. And the job’s not finished.
This team has already shocked the world a few times this season. Now, a huge opportunity awaits in Austin, Texas, and make no mistake, the Clemson Tigers are built for this moment. Texas won’t be facing a team that’s coming in timid or wide-eyed. This Clemson group is confident, fiery, and flat-out fun to watch. They don’t play scared. They don’t flinch.
“We’ve gotten the name cardiac kids for a reason,” said senior Maddie Moore. “I just have all the faith in the world with this team. We never quit, we never give up, we never say die.”
Truer words haven’t been spoken.
If you’ve followed this team, you know, they never roll over. They never quit when the moment gets tough. In fact, they get tougher. I’ve seen it firsthand more times than I can count. But there’s one game that stands out. That Tennessee game. That’s the one I’ll always come back to from this season. Not just because Clemson beat the No. 1 team in the country, but how it happened.
You had to be there to feel it. When Clemson jumped out to that early lead, there was this tension in the air, like the game was dragging toward something. Then came the bottom of the fifth. Tennessee struck back. That’s usually the moment an underdog freezes. That’s when teams fold on the road, especially against a top-ranked team.
Not Clemson.
They responded like veterans. They got up, met the moment, and stood toe to toe with the best. Four innings later, Clemson walked out with a win over the No. 1 team in the country, and earned a little more respect. This team isn’t done. The journey continues in Austin. And if you’re paying attention, you’ll realize what we’ve been seeing all season.
This team is built for the big stage. This team is built to shock the world, again.
