No. 25 Clemson Rallies Past No. 15 Stanford to Take the Series on the Road

Coach John Rittman spent 18 season as the head coach at Stanford. Rittman and the Tigers just secured a homecoming series win for Coach Rittman. (Photo By Charles Mays/Tiger View Media)

No. 25 Clemson and No. 15 Stanford faced off in a rubber match for some Sunday softball action. Clemson took game one of the series 7-5, then was run ruled 11-1 in game two. Alyssa Houston got the start for Stanford, going against Clemson’s ace, Reese Basinger. This final game could go any way. Let’s see who walked out on top. 

Houston’s hot start 

Coming off a complete-game performance yesterday, Houston showed no signs of fatigue. She struck out Clemson’s first four batters with only 19 pitches. Jamison Brockenbrough and Julia Knowler had quality plate appearances, fouling off multiple pitches to build the count, yet Houston would remain on top, picking up seven strikeouts through three scoreless innings. 

The Cardinals get on the board 

Kylie Chung got a leadoff single from a two-strike count. With the top of the order back up, Taryn Kern sent a shot over the left field wall for a two-run RBI. This marks her second home run of the series. Despite two fly outs, Stanford got runners back in scoring position off a hit by pitch and a walk. A ground out would leave these runners stranded after the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead. 

Tigers end the no-hitter 

Through the first four innings, Stanford had all three hits of the day. Taylor Pipkins changed that with a leadoff double. Clemson’s next two hitters got on to load the bases with Maddie Moore up to bat. Moore’s triple would clear the bases. Knowler’s sacrifice fly would then bring her home. The Tigers got four runs off four consecutive hits to get on top. 

Stanford responds quickly 

Kern continued to have a dominant weekend, hitting a solo home run. After a triple from River Mahler, Bassinger would be retired for the day. Brooke McCubbin entered the circle despite struggling against the Cardinals yesterday. A quick groundout would allow Mahler to score and tie the game. McCubbin picked up a hit and a walk before finally closing the inning. 

Reversed call shifts momentum 

With the Tigers in scoring position, Chan made a perfect throw from shallow right field to home plate to record what we all thought would be an out. However, the play was recalled due to an illegal pitch. From here, Stanford's defense fell apart. Brockenbrough was able to steal second and third base. The Cardinals had late throws to home plate that allowed runners to score. Clemson easily tacked on three more runs. 

Late game antics 

Clemson entered the seventh up 7-5. McCubbin struck out the first batter to record a quick out. The rest would not go down as easily. Three consecutive singles got an RBI. Kern was intentionally walked to load the bases with Stanford’s hottest hitter, Emily Jones, up to the plate with two outs. Brockenbrough made the final catch to officially retire the Cardinals. Her teammates rushed the field to celebrate the competitive road ACC series win. 

Full-Circle Moment for Coach Rittman

This series win held special meaning for Clemson Head Coach John Rittman, who spent 18 seasons (1997–2014) as the head coach at Stanford, building the program into a perennial postseason contender. Returning to his old stomping grounds, Rittman led the Tigers to two clutch wins against a top-tier Cardinal squad that had been unbeaten at home this season. The weekend marked a full-circle moment, not just a statement victory for Clemson softball, but a personal and professional milestone for Rittman, proving once again why he's one of the game's most respected leaders.

What’s Next 

Clemson takes the first-ever series between these two programs with a 7-6 victory. The win improves the Tigers' record to 30-11 overall and 11-4 in ACC play. McCubbin would record the win with 2.2 innings pitched and a 3.49 ERA. No. 25 Clemson will take on Winthrop at home on Wednesday at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on ACC Network.