Clemson Softball Stuns Sixth-Ranked Texas 7-4 in Game One, Captures Historic First-Ever Super Regional Victory in Program History

The Clemson Tigers made history in stunning fashion on Friday night in Austin, Texas.

In just their fifth year of existence, Clemson softball delivered the biggest win in program history by knocking off No. 6 national seed Texas 7-4 in the opening game of the Austin Super Regional. Behind clutch hitting, resilient defense, and poised pitching, the No. 11-seeded Tigers took a massive step toward reaching their first Women’s College World Series.

It was a defining moment for the young but rapidly rising program under head coach John Rittman, who started the Clemson softball program from scratch in 2020. Now, five seasons later, he and his team are one win away from punching their ticket to Oklahoma City.

“Just an incredible performance from our girls,” Rittman said after the victory. “We’ve talked about moments like this from day one. To come out here against a great Texas team and compete the way we did – that’s Clemson softball.”

The game began with early fireworks from both dugouts, but it was Clemson who landed the decisive blows when it mattered most. After falling behind 1-0 in the opening inning, the Tigers responded with a three-run third and a four-run fifth, silencing the Texas crowd and taking firm control of the contest.

Senior third baseman Alia Logoleo was the star at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, a two-run home run, and three RBIs. Her go-ahead blast in the fifth inning sailed over the left field fence and served as the emotional turning point of the game.

“I saw a pitch I could drive and just trusted myself,” Logoleo said. “We’ve been working for this all season – all four years for me – and to finally break through on this stage means everything.”

Clemson’s lineup was relentless from top to bottom, tallying nine hits and working six walks against a Texas pitching staff that had dominated throughout the season. Texas ace Mac Morgan, who came into the night with a 1.62 ERA, struggled with command, allowing four runs (three earned) on five hits over 4.1 innings.

Texas jumped ahead in the first inning with an RBI single from Leighann Goode, but Clemson quickly answered with three in the third. After Maddie Moore reached on a walk and Logoleo singled, graduate catcher JoJo Hyatt tied the game with an RBI knock to left. Then came the breakthrough: junior designated player McKenzie Clark ripped a two-run single to right, giving Clemson its first lead of the night at 3-1.

The Longhorns responded in the bottom half of the third with a solo home run from Mia Scott, and added another in the fourth when Reese Atwood lifted a sacrifice fly to tie the game 3-3. But Clemson’s explosive fifth inning would prove to be the difference.

With one on and one out, Logoleo sent a towering shot out of McCombs Field to put Clemson ahead for good, 5-3. After another walk and a single, Hyatt came through again with a line-drive RBI single, and Clark followed with a sacrifice fly to cap the four-run frame.

Texas got a run back in the sixth on an RBI double from Viviana Martinez, but Clemson reliever Millie Thompson entered and shut the door with gritty performances in the final two innings. She worked around a leadoff single in the seventh to seal the win and earn the save, retiring the heart of the Longhorns’ order with a calm that belied the magnitude of the moment.

“It’s about keeping the moment from getting too big,” Thompson said. “I just wanted to throw my game and give us a chance to win. Our offense gave me a cushion, and I was going to do everything I could to protect it.”

Starter Valerie Cagle, the program’s two-way superstar and the 2023 ACC Player of the Year, gave Clemson a gutsy performance in the circle. Though not at her sharpest, she battled through 5.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and striking out five. More importantly, she kept Texas from gaining any prolonged momentum and handed the ball off with a lead.

Cagle also drew three walks at the plate and scored a run, showcasing the complete skill set that’s made her one of the most feared players in college softball.

Texas, the Big 12 regular-season co-champion and a Women’s College World Series finalist just two years ago, now finds itself in a win-or-go-home scenario for the rest of the Super Regional. The loss dropped the Longhorns to 47-8 overall and snapped an eight-game winning streak.

“They outplayed us tonight, plain and simple,” Texas head coach Mike White said. “We didn’t execute the way we needed to in key spots, and Clemson took advantage. Now it’s about how we respond.”

White’s squad will have to regroup quickly for Game Two on Saturday, where a loss would end their season and send Clemson to Oklahoma City. The Tigers, now 46-14, are surging with confidence and one step away from the ultimate stage in college softball.

For a program that didn’t exist before 2020, Clemson’s rise has been nothing short of meteoric. In 2021, the Tigers won the ACC regular-season title in just their first full season. In 2022 and 2023, they made back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, reaching the Super Regionals both times but falling short. Now, in 2024, they’re finally breaking through.

“It’s been a journey,” Cagle said. “From year one, we’ve had to prove ourselves. We’ve heard all the talk – that we were too new, too inexperienced, not ready. But tonight, we showed we belong.”

Clemson’s energy, focus, and composure were evident from the first pitch, as was their hunger to make history. The Tigers executed with precision and purpose, flashing leather in the field and grinding out tough at-bats at the plate.

Clark finished with three RBIs, Hyatt drove in two, and six different players reached base at least twice. Every time Texas seemed poised to shift the momentum, Clemson had an answer – whether it was a big hit, a key strikeout, or a defensive gem.

The defensive play of the night came in the bottom of the fifth, when center fielder Aby Vieira made a full-extension diving catch in the gap to rob a would-be RBI double. The grab halted a Texas rally and preserved Clemson’s two-run lead, drawing an eruption from the Tigers’ dugout.

“I just saw it off the bat and knew I had to go for it,” Vieira said. “No hesitation. It’s the playoffs – you lay it all on the line.”

With the victory, Clemson now holds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series. Game Two is set for Saturday afternoon, and Game Three, if necessary, would be played on Sunday.

Rittman hasn’t announced a starting pitcher for Saturday, but Cagle could be available again in some capacity, depending on how the game unfolds. Texas is expected to go back to Morgan or turn to junior Estelle Czech, who has experience pitching in high-leverage postseason games.

Regardless of who takes the circle, the Tigers now have the upper hand and the momentum. They’ve already made history, but they’re not satisfied yet.

“We’re not done,” Logoleo said with a smile. “We came here to win. One more to go.”

For Clemson, Friday night wasn’t just about a victory. It was about validation – for the players who believed in a brand-new program, for a coaching staff that built from the ground up, and for a university that dreamed big. It was a night the Tigers will never forget – and one that may just mark the beginning of something even bigger.

With the nation watching, Clemson didn’t flinch. They roared.