Tigers Take Down Kentucky to Punch Ticket to Supers

Clemson rides another strong outing from Reese Basinger and timely hitting to clinch a spot in the NCAA Super Regionals

TIGERS WINNNN!! (Video Courtesy of ESPN)

Regional Final Sunday in Clemson, SC, as the Kentucky Wildcats and Clemson Tigers met for the second time this season. They previously squared off at the Clearwater Invitational back on Valentine’s Day, a game Kentucky won 7-6 in a back-and-forth battle.

Wearing all black uniforms with Kentucky blue lettering, the Wildcats took the field as the designated home team, with freshman right-hander Carson Fall in the circle. Clemson, dressed in all purple with orange Clemson script, looked to get off to a better start than Saturday’s win over Northwestern. Fall handled the top of the first cleanly, retiring the Tigers in order with a leadoff strikeout of Alex Brown, followed by routine outs to Moore and Knowler.

Clemson stuck with the pitching formula that had worked for them lately, giving the start to Reese Basinger. The senior entered Sunday with a 2.91 ERA after tossing 3.1 strong innings the day before. Basinger quickly picked up two outs in the bottom of the first before running into Peyton Plotts, who had gone 2-for-3 with three RBIs in the previous meeting and was having a monster weekend. Plotts continued her tear with a double off the right field wall, putting her at 9-for-12 on the weekend, but Basinger bounced back to get Hallie Mitchell swinging on a 2-2 rise ball to end the inning.

The Tigers threatened in the top of the second. Saturday’s hero Aby Vieira drew a one-out walk and moved to second on a single from Marian Collins. Taylor Pipkins then reached on a fielder’s choice, moving Vieira to third while Collins was thrown out at second. Kentucky shortstop Cassie Reasner made a full-extension diving stop that likely saved a run or two. With two outs and the bases loaded after a Kylee Johnson walk, Jamison Brockenbrough had a chance to do damage, but she flew out to left. Fall escaped the jam and kept the game scoreless.

Kentucky got a leadoff base runner in the bottom half of the second when Lauryn Borzilleri was hit by a pitch. Delani Sullivan entered as a pinch runner and eventually reached third after a pair of bunts moved her along, but the Wildcats couldn’t cash in. Both sides had early chances but couldn’t finish.

Clemson finally broke through in the third. Alex Brown led off with a single and came around to score on a Julia Knowler double to center. That gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead and a shot of momentum.

In the bottom half, Kentucky answered with pressure of their own. Donaldson and Blum opened the inning with back-to-back singles, and a sac bunt by Clark moved both into scoring position. Plotts came up in another key spot, but Basinger went right at her and induced a flyout. With two outs and runners still on second and third, Hallie Mitchell stepped in, and Basinger froze her with a strike three looking, another huge escape for the Tiger defense.

Clemson opened things up in the fourth. Marian Collins drew a leadoff walk, and Taylor Pipkins delivered a two-run homer to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. That marked the end of the day for Carson Fall, as Kentucky turned to reliever Julie Kelley. She retired Johnson and Brockenbrough on groundouts before Alex Brown kept the inning alive with a single. Maddie Moore followed with a two-out RBI double to bring in Brown, extending Clemson’s lead to 4-0.

Reese Basinger continued to show poise and fire, working through four shutout innings while allowing just four hits and striking out three.

In the fifth inning, you could feel that Clemson had settled in and was going about their business as usual. Julie Kelley struggled to keep the Tigers off the bases and was pulled with two on and one out. Kentucky turned to Sarah Haendiges out of the bullpen, and the right-hander was able to shut the door, stranding runners at the corners. Clemson carried a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth.

Kentucky was starting to run out of gas, while Reese Basinger continued to cruise. She retired the Wildcats in order in the fifth, all on fly outs. Basinger had been sharp all day and, really, all season. She’s had a few hiccups along the way, that’s part of the game, but there’s a reason she was named ACC Pitcher of the Year. What she’s done since transferring from Winthrop has been nothing short of incredible.

Kentucky wasn’t going down without a fight. Just when it looked like Clemson might cruise to the finish, Peyton Plotts led off the sixth with a single and later came around to score on a two-out knock by Cassie Reasner to finally get the Wildcats on the board, cutting the lead to 4-1. After Ally Hutchins drew a walk and Reese Basinger reached 101 pitches, Clemson made the move to the bullpen. Brooke McCubbin, who has quietly taken over that door-shutting closer role this season, entered with two on and two outs. McCubbin would shut the door on the Wildcats’ efforts that inning with a strikeout of Ella Emmert.

Clemson looked for an insurance run in the top of the seventh and got it, as Macey Cintron came around to score on a Kylee Johnson fielder’s choice to make it 5-1. Brooke McCubbin and the Clemson defense then slammed the door in the bottom half, retiring Kentucky in order. The Tigers are headed to the NCAA Super Regionals. What a team, what a feeling, what a ride, Clemson continues to make its mark on this 2025 campaign. Supers, the Tigers are coming!