2023 Clemson Tigers softball team explained

Sport:	softball
Year:	2023
Team:	Clemson Tigers
Conference:	Atlantic Coast Conference
Short Conf:	ACC
Coachrank:	9
Record:	49–12
Conf Record:	18–6
Head Coach:	John Rittman
Hc Year:	4th
Asst Coach1:	Kyle Jamieson
Asst Coach2:	Courtney Breault
Stadium:	McWhorter Stadium
Champion:	NCAA Clemson Regional champion
Tourney:	NCAA Tournament
Tourney Result:	Norman Super Regional

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 at home.^[1]

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 and 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,, and Louisiana in their Regional to advance to face in the Super Regional. Clemson lost both games in Stillwater to end their season.

Personnel

Coaches

Schedule

Legend
	Clemson win
	Clemson loss
	Cancellation
Bold	Clemson team member
	Non-Conference game
†	Make-Up Game

2023 Clemson Tigers softball game log^[4]
Regular Season
February (15–1) Date Opponent Rank Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record ACC Record Feb 9 at * 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 * 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 * 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 * No. 7 W 10–0 Cagle (3–0) Tufts (1–1) — 1,131 6–0 – Feb 17 No. 14 * 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 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 * No. 5 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 7–1 Cagle (6–0) Macy (1–1) — 1,912 11–0 – Feb 23 at * No. 5 W 6–0 Thompson (4–0) Dixon (1–2) — 938 12–0 – Feb 24 vs * No. 5 USF Softball Stadium • Tampa, FL W 9–2 Spencer (2–0) Toniolo (0–1) — 220 13–0 – Feb 25 vs * 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 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) 17–1 – Mar 4 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) — 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 No. 4 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 18–0 (5) Cagle (9–1) Taylor (2–9) — 1,662 21–1 – Mar 10 No. 4 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) W 10–1 (5) Spencer (4–0) Kenney (3–3) — 1,705 22–1 – Mar 10 No. 4 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) W 3–0 Thompson (8–0) Ward (3–2) — 1,791 23–1 – Mar 11 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 No. 4 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 9–1 (5) Cagle (11–1) Elkins (2–3) — 1,660 26–1 – Mar 18 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 No. 5 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 No. 5 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Rivalry) W 10–0 (5) Cagle (16–1) Gobourne (5–1) — 2,017 33–1 – Mar 31 at No. 5 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 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 No. 6 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 No. 6 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 2–0 McCubbin (5–1) Bassinger (15–10) — 1,870 41–5 – Apr 21 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 * No. 6 L 4–5 Keeney (22–8) Cagle (22–4) — 768 44–6 – Apr 28 at No. 21 No. 6 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
(1–1) Date Seed Rank Opponent Opponent Seed Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record ACCT Record May 11 3 No. 9 6 W 2–1 (8) Cagle (23–5) Backes (16–14) — 495 46–8 1–0 May 12 3 No. 9 No. 6 2 Melissa Cook Stadium • Notre Dame, IN L 0–2 Curd (16–1) Thompson (13–3) — 589 46–9 1–1
(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 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
(0–2) Date Opponent Seed Opponent Seed Rank Site/stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record Super Reg. Record May 26 1 16 No. 10 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

See main article: 2023 NCAA Division I softball rankings.

• Various polls did not release during the NCAA tournament. * indicates that the ranking is from pre-tournament for comparison purposes.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Clemson’s Valerie Cagle pitches first perfect game in program history. The Athletic. Grace. Raynor. March 8, 2023. March 9, 2023.
2. Web site: Softball Roster. Clemson Tigers. November 9, 2022.
3. Web site: Staff Directory. Clemson Tigers. November 9, 2022.
4. Web site: 2022-23 Softball Schedule. clemsontigers.com. November 9, 2022.