# 2023 Clemson Tigers softball team

The 2023 Clemson Tigers softball team was the varsity college softball team that represented Clemson University during the 2023 NCAA Division I softball season. This was the fourth season of Clemson's softball program. The Tigers competed in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and were led by head coach John Rittman. Clemson played its home games at McWhorter Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina.
During the season, on March 8, Valerie Cagle became the first Clemson pitcher to throw a perfect game in program history. The game came against Mercer at home.
The Tigers finished the regular season 45–8 and 18–6 in ACC play to finish in third place. As the third seed in the ACC Tournament, they earned a bye into the Quarter finals where the defeated North Carolina before losing to Duke in the Semifinals. The Tigers were selected, via at-large bid, as the sixteenth overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. They hosted a regional and were placed into the Norman Super Regional. They defeated UNC Greensboro and Auburn to earn a spot in the final of the Regional. They lost to Auburn in the first game, but won the second time to advance to the Super Regional. The Tigers lost both games to the eventual national champions Oklahoma Sooners in Norman to end their season.

## Previous Season

The Tigers finished the 2022 season 42–17 overall and 14–10 in ACC play to finish in fifth place. As the fifth seed in the ACC Tournament, they earned a bye into the Quarter finals where they defeated fourth seed Notre Dame. In the Semifinals they defeated first seed Virginia Tech, but fell to third seed Florida State in the Final. This marked the back-to-back appearances in the Final of the ACC Tournament in the program's first two full seasons. The Tigers were selected, via at-large bid, as the tenth overall seed in the NCAA Tournament. They hosted a regional and were placed into the Stillwater Super Regional. They defeated UNC Wilmington, Auburn, and Louisiana in their Regional to advance to face Oklahoma State in the Super Regional. Clemson lost both games in Stillwater to end their season.

## Schedule

Legend :
| | Clemson win |
| | Clemson loss |
| | Cancellation |
| Bold | Clemson team member |
| * | Non-Conference game |
| † | Make-Up Game |
2023 Clemson Tigers softball game log :
Regular Season :
February (15–1) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | ACC Record |
| Feb 9 | at FIU* | No. 10 | Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium • Westchester, FL (FIU Tournament) | W 10–1 (5) | Thompson (1–0) | Whitney (0–1) | — | 358 | 1–0 | – |
| Feb 10 | vs Georgia State* | No. 10 | Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium • Westchester, FL (FIU Tournament) | W 11–2 | Cagle (1–0) | Adams (0–1) | — | 124 | 2–0 | – |
| Feb 11 | vs Kansas City* | No. 10 | Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium • Westchester, FL (FIU Tournament) | W 8–1 | McCubbin (1–0) | Milan (0–1) | — | 202 | 3–0 | – |
| Feb 11 | vs Georgia State* | No. 10 | Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium • Westchester, FL (FIU Tournament) | W 11–3 | Thompson (2–0) | Hodentt (0–2) | — | 289 | 4–0 | – |
| Feb 12 | at FIU* | No. 10 | Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium • Westchester, FL (FIU Tournament) | W 4–0 | Cagle (2–0) | Birling (0–1) | — | 232 | 5–0 | – |
| Feb 14 | at Furman* | No. 7 | Pepsi Softball Stadium • Greenville, SC | W 10–0 | Cagle (3–0) | Tufts (1–1) | — | 1,131 | 6–0 | – |
| Feb 17 | No. 14 Northwestern* | No. 7 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC ACC/Big Ten Challenge | W 15–2 (5) | Cagle (4–0) | Williams (0–1) | — | 1,982 | 7–0 | – |
| Feb 18 | No. 14 Northwestern* | No. 7 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC ACC/Big Ten Challenge | W 3–2 | Thompson (3–0) | Boyd (0–1) | Cagle (1) | 2,116 | 8–0 | – |
| Feb 18 | Ohio State* | No. 7 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC ACC/Big Ten Challenge | W 5–1 | Cagle (5–0) | Smith (2–3) | — | 2,116 | 9–0 | – |
| Feb 19 | Ohio State* | No. 7 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC ACC/Big Ten Challenge | W 10–0 (5) | Spencer (1–0) | Ruck (0–2) | — | 1,752 | 10–0 | – |
| Feb 21 | No. 17 Georgia* | No. 5 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 7–1 | Cagle (6–0) | Macy (1–1) | — | 1,912 | 11–0 | – |
| Feb 23 | at South Florida* | No. 5 | USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL | W 6–0 | Thompson (4–0) | Dixon (1–2) | — | 938 | 12–0 | – |
| Feb 24 | vs UIC* | No. 5 | USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL | W 9–2 | Spencer (2–0) | Toniolo (0–1) | — | 220 | 13–0 | – |
| Feb 25 | vs Michigan State* | No. 5 | USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL | W 4–1 | McCubbin (2–0) | Taylor (1–1) | — | N/A | 14–0 | – |
| Feb 25 | vs No. 12 Tennessee* | No. 5 | USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL | L 0–1 | Pickens (2–1) | Cagle (6–1) | — | N/A | 14–1 | – |
| Feb 26 | vs Michigan State* | No. 5 | USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL | W 8–0 (5) | Thompson (5–0) | Miller (5–5) | — | 212 | 15–1 | – |
March (20–0) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | ACC Record |
| Mar 1 | Gardner–Webb* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 8–0 (5) | Cagle (7–1) | Stidham (1–3) | — | 1,713 | 16–1 | – |
| Mar 1 | Gardner–Webb* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 4–1 | Thompson (6–0) | Lyon (2–6) | McCubbin (1) | 1,713 | 17–1 | – |
| Mar 4 | Syracuse | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 4–1 | Cagle (8–1) | Hendrix (2–3) | — | 1,854 | 18–1 | 1–0 |
| Mar 4 | Syracuse | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 8–0 (5) | Thompson (7–0) | Pengel (0–2) | — | 1,854 | 19–1 | 2–0 |
| Mar 5 | Syracuse | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 1–0 | Spencer (3–0) | Knight (3–3) | Cagle (2) | 1,786 | 20–1 | 3–0 |
| Mar 8 | Mercer* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 18–0 (5) | Cagle (9–1) | Taylor (2–9) | — | 1,662 | 21–1 | – |
| Mar 10 | Bryant* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) | W 10–1 (5) | Spencer (4–0) | Kenney (3–3) | — | 1,705 | 22–1 | – |
| Mar 10 | UNC Greensboro* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) | W 3–0 | Thompson (8–0) | Ward (3–2) | — | 1,791 | 23–1 | – |
| Mar 11 | Jacksonville* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) | W 9–0 (5) | McCubbin (3–0) | Harpe (1–1) | — | 2,087 | 24–1 | – |
| Mar 11 | UNC Greensboro | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) | W 6–1 | Cagle (10–1) | Jones (5–1) | — | 2,116 | 25–1 | – |
| Mar 15 | Charlotte* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 9–1 (5) | Cagle (11–1) | Elkins (2–3) | — | 1,660 | 26–1 | – |
| Mar 18 | Virginia | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 4–1 | Thompson (9–0) | Bigham (5–3) | — | 1,905 | 27–1 | 4–0 |
| Mar 18 | Virginia | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 1–0 | Cagle (12–1) | Grube (7–5) | — | 2,003 | 28–1 | 5–0 |
| Mar 19 | Virginia | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 2–0 | Cagle (13–1) | Grube (7–6) | — | 1,783 | 29–1 | 6–0 |
| Mar 24 | at Georgia Tech | No. 5 | Shirley Clements Mewborn Field • Atlanta, GA | W 9–1 (5) | Cagle (14–1) | Neleman (4–6) | — | 478 | 30–1 | 7–0 |
| Mar 25 | at Georgia Tech | No. 5 | Shirley Clements Mewborn Field • Atlanta, GA | W 8–4 | Thompson (10–0) | Voyles (2–3) | Spencer (1) | 542 | 31–1 | 8–0 |
| Mar 26 | at Georgia Tech | No. 5 | Shirley Clements Mewborn Field • Atlanta, GA | W 13–0 (5) | Cagle (15–1) | Voyles (2–4) | — | 498 | 32–1 | 9–0 |
| Mar 28 | South Carolina* | No. 5 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Rivalry) | W 10–0 (5) | Cagle (16–1) | Gobourne (5–1) | — | 2,017 | 33–1 | – |
| Mar 31 | at Boston College | No. 5 | Boston College Softball Field at Harrington Athletics Village • Brighton, MA | W 8–4 | Thompson (11–0) | Anderson (6–9) | — | 117 | 34–1 | 10–0 |
| Mar 31 | at Boston College | No. 5 | Boston College Softball Field at Harrington Athletics Village • Brighton, MA | W 7–3 | Cagle (17–1) | Dunning (6–5) | — | 113 | 35–1 | 11–0 |
April (10–7) :
| Date | Opponent | Rank | Site/Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | ACC Record |
| Apr 2 | at Boston College | No. 5 | Boston College Softball Field at Harrington Athletics Village • Brighton, MA | W 8–0 (5) | Cagle (18–1) | Anderson (6–10) | — | 642 | 36–1 | 12–0 |
| Apr 5 | Furman* | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 4–1 | McCubbin (4–0) | Scott (1–8) | — | 1,892 | 37–1 | – |
| Apr 6 | No. 6 Florida State | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | L 0–7 | DuBois (4–2) | Cagle (18–2) | Sandercock (4) | 1,920 | 37–2 | 12–1 |
| Apr 6 | No. 6 Florida State | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | L 1–4 | Sandercock (13–3) | Thompson (11–1) | — | 1,924 | 37–3 | 12–2 |
| Apr 7 | No. 6 Florida State | No. 4 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | L 2–3 | Reid (8–9) | Cagle (18–3) | Sandercock (5) | 1,867 | 37–4 | 12–3 |
| Apr 11 | at South Carolina* | No. 6 | Beckham Field • Columbia, SC (Rivalry) | W 4–3 | Cagle (19–3) | Gobourne (7–2) | — | 2,165 | 38–4 | – |
| Apr 14 | at NC State | No. 6 | Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium • Raleigh, NC | W 4–1 (8) | Cagle (20–3) | Weixlmann (6–8) | — | 501 | 39–4 | 13–3 |
| Apr 15 | at NC State | No. 6 | Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium • Raleigh, NC | W 6–3 | Thompson (12–1) | Inscoe (7–12) | McCubbin (2) | 758 | 40–4 | 14–3 |
| Apr 16 | at NC State | No. 6 | Curtis & Jacqueline Dail Softball Stadium • Raleigh, NC | L 5–7 | Weixlmann (7–7) | McCubbin (4–1) | — | 571 | 40–5 | 14–4 |
| Apr 18 | Winthrop* | No. 6 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 2–0 | McCubbin (5–1) | Bassinger (15–10) | — | 1,870 | 41–5 | – |
| Apr 21 | Pittsburgh | No. 6 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 3–2 | Cagle (21–3) | Drogemuller (7–11) | — | 1,923 | 42–5 | 15–4 |
| Apr 22 | Pittsburgh | No. 6 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 2–0 | Thompson (13–1) | Edwards (7–9) | — | 1,946 | 43–5 | 16–4 |
| Apr 23 | Pittsburgh | No. 6 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 11–2 (6) | Cagle (22–3) | Drogemuller (7–12) | — | 1,907 | 44–5 | 17–4 |
| Apr 26 | at Liberty* | No. 6 | Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium • Lynchburg, VA | L 4–5 | Keeney (22–8) | Cagle (22–4) | — | 768 | 44–6 | – |
| Apr 28 | at No. 21 Virginia Tech | No. 6 | Tech Softball Park • Blacksburg, VA | L 4–5 | Jacobson (7–2) | Cagle (22–5) | — | 1,490 | 44–7 | 17–5 |
| Apr 29 | at No. 21 Virginia Tech | No. 6 | Tech Softball Park • Blacksburg, VA | L 1–3 | Grein (8–3) | Thompson (13–2) | — | 1,490 | 44–8 | 17–6 |
| Apr 30 | at No. 21 Virginia Tech | No. 6 | Tech Softball Park • Blacksburg, VA | W 5–4 | Spencer (5–0) | Grien (8–4) | Cagle (3) | 771 | 45–8 | 18–6 |
Postseason :
ACC Tournament (1–1) :
| Date | Seed | Rank | Opponent | Opponent Seed | Site/Stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | ACCT Record |
| May 11 | 3 | No. 9 | North Carolina | 6 | Melissa Cook Stadium • Notre Dame, IN | W 2–1 (8) | Cagle (23–5) | Backes (16–14) | — | 495 | 46–8 | 1–0 |
| May 12 | 3 | No. 9 | No. 6 Duke | 2 | Melissa Cook Stadium • Notre Dame, IN | L 0–2 | Curd (16–1) | Thompson (13–3) | — | 589 | 46–9 | 1–1 |
NCAA Clemson Regional (3–1) :
| Date | Opponent Seed | Opponent | Seed | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Regional Record |
| May 19 | 4 | UNC Greensboro | 1 | No. 10 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 17–2 (5) | Thompson (14–3) | Spell (12–6) | — | 2,166 | 47–9 | 1–0 |
| May 20 | 2 | Auburn | 1 | No. 10 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 7–0 | Cagle (24–5) | Penta (26–6) | — | 2,166 | 48–9 | 2–0 |
| May 21 | 2 | Auburn | 1 | No. 10 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | L 2–5 | Penta (27–6) | Cagle (24–6) | — | 2,166 | 48–10 | 2–1 |
| May 21 | 2 | Auburn | 1 | No. 10 | McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC | W 5–1 | Cagle (25–6) | Penta (27–7) | — | 2,137 | 49–10 | 3–1 |
NCAA Norman Super Regional (0–2) :
| Date | Opponent Seed | Opponent | Seed | Rank | Site/stadium | Score | Win | Loss | Save | Attendance | Overall Record | Super Reg. Record |
| May 26 | 1 | No. 1 Oklahoma | 16 | No. 10 | OU Softball Complex • Norman, OK | L 2–9 | Bahl (17–1) | Cagle (25–7) | — | 1,979 | 49–11 | 0–1 |
| May 27 | 1 | No. 1 Oklahoma | 16 | No. 10 | OU Softball Complex • Norman, OK | L 7–8 (9) | Bahl (18–1) | Cagle (25–8) | — | 2,127 | 49–12 | 0–1 |
Note: All rankings shown are from the NFCA/USA Today poll.

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking т = Tied with team above or below ( ) = First-place votes :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Final |
| NFCA / USA Today | 10 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 (1) | 5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10* | 9 |
| Softball America | 10 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 9 |
| ESPN.com/USA Softball | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4т | 5 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 10* | 9 |
| D1Softball | 9 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 10* | 10* | 13 |
* Various polls did not release during the NCAA tournament. * indicates that the ranking is from pre-tournament for comparison purposes.