Clemson Softball Dominates Syracuse for Weekend Sweep

Alex Brown had a perfect weekend at the plate, going 10-for-10! (Photo By Charles Mays/Tiger View Media)

After a two-hour delay from the original start time of 12 p.m., the Clemson Tigers softball team finally squared off against Syracuse, looking to sweep the weekend ACC series in New York. The Tigers had dominated the weekend with an 8-1 win on Friday and a 10-0 victory on Saturday. Sunday’s pitching matchup featured Clemson’s Reese Basinger (9-3) against Syracuse’s Julianna Verni (8-3). Clemson made quick work of the Orange, securing a 15-0 run-rule victory in just five innings. Let’s dive into how the final game of the weekend unfolded inside Skytop Softball Stadium.

Scoreless Start for Both Teams

The Tigers threatened early in the top of the first as Alex Brown led off with a hit, but the rest of the lineup was retired without bringing in a run.

Reese Basinger started strong, pitching a 1-2-3 first inning, recording one strikeout and forcing two groundouts.

In the top of the second, Clemson again failed to score, managing just one hit from Marian Collins.

Basinger remained in control, tossing another perfect inning in the second, adding a strikeout to her tally.

Clemson Softball's Explosive Third Inning

The Tigers broke the game open in the third inning, erupting for eight runs on five hits. Alex Brown singled up the middle, followed by an RBI single from Aby Vieira that brought Maddie Moore across the plate. Marian Collins then drove in two more runs with a single. A wild pitch allowed another run to score before Kylee Johnson launched a two-run homer. Moore capped off the dominant inning with a two-RBI double, extending the lead to 8-0.

Meanwhile, Basinger stayed dominant, retiring the Orange in order for the third straight inning while adding another strikeout.

Adding Seven More Runs in the Fourth

Clemson continued its offensive explosion in the top of the fourth, scoring seven more runs on six hits and two errors. Marian Collins hit a sacrifice fly to bring in another run, followed by a single from Kylee Johnson, who later scored on an error. Alex Brown then crushed a three-run homer to center field. Macey Cintron doubled to drive in another run, and another Syracuse error led to an unearned run for the Tigers.

Basinger finally allowed her first and only hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth but escaped with two more strikeouts.

Basinger Closes It Out

Clemson didn’t add any runs in the top of the fifth, but Basinger took care of business in the bottom half, tossing another 1-2-3 inning and ending the game with a strikeout to seal the run-rule victory. She earned her 10th win of the season, finishing with an impressive stat line of five innings pitched, allowing just one hit, no runs, no walks, and six strikeouts.

Perfect Weekend

Huge kudos to Alex Brown! Brown went a perfect 10-for-10 at the plate this weekend and scored six runs.

What’s Next for the Tigers?

With the series sweep of Syracuse, Clemson improves to 24-9 overall and 6-3 in the ACC. Up next, the Tigers will shift their focus to a showdown against in-state rival No. 10 South Carolina. They will travel to Columbia on Tuesday evening, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on SEC Network Plus as Clemson looks to carry its momentum into a crucial non-conference matchup.