2024 Clemson Tigers softball team explained

Sport:	softball
Year:	2024
Team:	Clemson Tigers
Conference:	Atlantic Coast Conference
Short Conf:	ACC
Record:	35–19
Conf Record:	15–9
Head Coach:	John Rittman
Hc Year:	5th
Asst Coach1:	Kyle Jamieson
Ac1 Year:	5th
Asst Coach2:	Courtney Breault
Ac2 Year:	5th
Asst Coach3:	Jessie Harper
Ac3 Year:	2nd
Stadium:	McWhorter Stadium
Tourney:	NCAA Tuscaloosa Regional

The 2024 Clemson Tigers softball team was the varsity college softball team that represented Clemson University during the 2024 NCAA Division I softball season. This was the fifth 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.

The Tigers started the season with four straight wins at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, including one over fifteenth-ranked . They would lose the final game of the tournament against and fall from fifth to eighth in the rankings. The Tigers finished 2–1 in the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge as two of the games were cancelled due to weather. They won four games in the Clemson Classic before dropping a game to fifth-ranked in eight innings to finish February. In March, the Tigers won an ACC series against before falling to eighth-ranked . They went 4–1 in the Tiger Invitational, before winning ACC series against and but dropping a series against . They also lost a rivalry matchup at home against twenty-third ranked South Carolina. They would avenge the loss at South Carolina on April 9th. They swept an ACC series against before being swept by . They finished the season by winning two ACC series 2–1 against and .

The Tigers finished the season 35–19 and 15–9 in ACC to finish in a tie for fourth place. As the fifth seed in the ACC Tournament they earned a bye into the Quarterfinals where they defeated Virginia, before losing to Duke in the Semifinals. The Tigers received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and were placed in the Tuscaloosa regional. They lost to Southeastern Louisiana before defeating . They could not overcome a second elimination game and lost again to Southeastern Louisiana to end their season.

Previous Season

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.

Personnel

Roster

Schedule

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

2024 Clemson Tigers softball game log^[1]
Regular Season
February (11–3) Date Time (ET) Opponent Rank Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record ACC Record Feb 8 7:00p.m. vs. * No. 5 Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic) W 12–0 (5) McCubbin (1–0) Johnston (0–1) None N/A 1–0 – Feb 9 7:00p.m. vs. * No. 5 Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic) W 3–2 Thompson (1–0) Copeland (1–1) Cagle (1) 323 2–0 – Feb 10 4:00p.m. vs. * No. 5 Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic) W 7–3 McCubbin (2–0) Love (0–1) None 453 3–0 – Feb 10 7:00p.m. vs. No. 15 * No. 5 Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic) W 3–2 Cagle (1–0) Scott (1–1) None 622 4–0 – Feb 11 1:00a.m. vs. * No. 5 Eddie C. Moore Complex • Clearwater, FL (NFCA Leadoff Classic) L 1–4 Krings (3–0) McCubbin (2–1) None 573 4–1 – Feb 14 12:00p.m. vs. * No. 8 Nancy Almaraz Field • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Puerto Vallarta College Challenge) W 7–0 Cagle (2–0) Cooper (0–1) None 231 5–1 – Feb 14 2:30p.m. vs. * No. 8 Nancy Almaraz Field • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Puerto Vallarta College Challenge) W 6–4 McCubbin (3–1) Williams (0–1) Cagle (2) 187 6–1 – Feb 16 7:00p.m. vs. * No. 8 Nancy Almaraz Field • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Puerto Vallarta College Challenge) Cancelled Feb 17 4:00p.m. vs. No. 25 * No. 8 Nancy Almaraz Field • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Puerto Vallarta College Challenge) Cancelled Feb 17 9:30p.m. vs. * No. 8 Nancy Almaraz Field • Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Puerto Vallarta College Challenge) L 3–6 Wesley (3–0) Cagle (2–1) None 312 6–2 – Feb 21 6:00p.m. at * No. 9 W 8–5 McCubbin (4–1) Elkins (2–2) None 950 7–2 – Feb 23 4:00p.m. No. 9 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) W 9–1 (6) Cagle (3–1) Kliethermes (4–1) None 2,049 8–2 – Feb 24 1:30p.m. No. 9 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) W 10–1 (5) McCubbin (5–1) Hitchcock (2–1) None 1,522 9–2 – Feb 24 4:00p.m. Connecticut No. 9 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) W 3–2 (8) Cagle (4–1) O'Neil (1–3) None 2,116 10–2 – Feb 25 12:30p.m. Ole Miss* No. 9 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Clemson Classic) W 5–0 Cagle (5–1) Furbush (1–1) None 1,766 11–2 – Feb 28 5:00p.m. at No. 5 * No. 8 L 1–2 (8) Backes (4–0) Cagle (5–2) None 864 11–3 – March (13–7) Date Time (ET) Opponent Rank Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record ACC Record Mar 2 1:00p.m. No. 8 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC L 1–6 Weixlmann (6–1) McCubbin (5–2) None 1,868 11–4 0–1 Mar 2 3:00p.m. NC State No. 8 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 8–0 (5) Cagle (6–2) Wyman (3–2) None 1,973 12–4 1–1 Mar 3 12:00p.m. NC State No. 8 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 14–9 Spencer (1–0) Inscoe (3–2) McCubbin (1) 1,832 13–4 2–1 Mar 5 6:00p.m. No. 8 * No. 10 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC L 1–2 (9) Pickens (8–2) Cagle (6–3) None 1,883 13–5 – Mar 7 4:00p.m. No. 10 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Tiger Invitational) L 3–5 (9) Enter (6–3) Cagle (6–4) None 1,678 13–6 – Mar 7 6:00p.m. Minnesota* No. 10 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Tiger Invitational) W 3–1 Spencer (2–0) Richardson (0–1) None 1,698 14–6 – Mar 8 6:00p.m. No. 10 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Tiger Invitational) W 7–2 Thompson (2–0) Pitts (1–3) None 1,761 15–6 – Mar 9 6:00p.m. No. 10 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Tiger Invitational) W 9–1 (6) Cagle (7–4) Chapin (7–6) None 1,912 16–6 – Mar 10 12:30p.m. No. 10 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Tiger Invitational) W 12–0 Spencer (3–0) Simcoe (0–4) None 1,842 17–6 – Mar 13 6:00p.m. No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 8–0 (5) Thompson (3–0) Lyon (8–3) None 1,702 18–6 – Mar 15 6:00p.m. No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 5–0 Spencer (4–0) Harris (5–3) None 1,826 19–6 3–1 Mar 16 1:00p.m. North Carolina No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 4–1 Thompson (4–0) Dark (4–1) None 1,916 20–6 4–1 Mar 17 7:00p.m. North Carolina No. 12 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 9–1 (5) McCubbin (6–2) Rogers (8–1) None 1,769 21–6 5–1 Mar 20 6:00p.m. No. 23 South Carolina* No. 11 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC (Rivalry) L 4–6 (12) Vawter (8–4) Thompson (4–1) None 1,867 21–7 – Mar 22 5:00p.m. at No. 11 L 4–6 Marris (5–1) Cagle (7–5) Eigham (2) 702 21–8 5–2 Mar 23 1:00p.m. at Virginia No. 11 Palmer Park • Charlottesville, VA W 5–1 Spencer (5–0) Bigham (7–6) None 1,122 22–8 6–2 Mar 24 12:00p.m. at Virginia No. 11 Palmer Park • Charlottesville, VA L 0–3 Harris (6–1) Thompson (4–2) None 1,019 22–9 6–3 Mar 26 5:00p.m. No. 16 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC Cancelled^[2] Mar 28 6:00p.m. No. 16 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 10–2 (5) Spencer (6–0) Dunning (9–6) None 1,764 23–9 7–3 Mar 29 1:00p.m. Boston College No. 16 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC L 0–4 Dunning (10–6) Thompson (4–3) None 1,914 23–10 7–4 Mar 30 12:00p.m. Boston College No. 16 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 10–0 (5) McCubbin (7–2) Pappion (7–4) Spencer (1) 2,116 24–10 8–4 April (9–6) Date Time (ET) Opponent Rank Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record ACC Record Apr 2 6:00p.m. No. 17 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC L 3–4 L. Scott (7–2) Thompson (4–4) None 1,819 24–11 – Apr 6 4:00p.m. at No. 17 W 13–2 Spencer (7–0) Hendrix (7–3) None 153 25–11 9–4 Apr 7 10:00a.m. at Syracuse No. 17 Softball Stadium at Skytop • Syracuse, NY W 10–1 Thompson (5–4) Lewinski (2–6) None 174 26–11 10–4 Apr 7 12:00p.m. at Syracuse No. 17 Softball Stadium at Skytop • Syracuse, NY W 7–1 McCubbin (8–2) Knight (3–5) None 27–11 11–4 Apr 9 6:00p.m. at No. 23 South Carolina* No. 19 Beckham Field • Columbia, SC (Rivalry) W 7–0 Spencer (8–0) Mardjetko (6–6) Thompson (1) 2,055 28–11 – Apr 12 6:00p.m. No. 3 No. 19 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC L 9–13 Walker (10–1) Spencer (8–1) None 1,915 28–12 11–5 Apr 13 1:00p.m. No. 3 Duke No. 19 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC L 3–4 Wright (13–1) Thompson (5–5) Walker (3) 2,116 28–13 11–6 Apr 14 12:00p.m. No. 3 Duke No. 19 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC L 1–6 Curd (8–2) Spencer (8–2) Wright (1) 1,940 28–14 11–7 Apr 16 6:00p.m. No. 21 McWhorter Stadium • Clemson, SC W 4–0 McCubbin (9–2) Basinger (9–13) None 1,592 29–14 – Apr 19 5:00p.m. at No. 21 W 8–5 McCubbin (10–2) Kastor (8–8) None 438 30–14 12–7 Apr 20 1:00p.m. at Notre Dame No. 21 Melissa Cook Stadium • Notre Dame, IN W 11–6 Cagle 8–5 Laudenslager (9–7) None 534 31–14 13–7 Apr 21 6:00p.m. at Notre Dame No. 21 Melissa Cook Stadium • Notre Dame, IN L 5–6 Becker (7–5) Spencer (8–3) None 312 31–15 13–8 Apr 26 6:00p.m. at No. 22 W 6–5 Thompson (6–5) Zabala (18–13) None 356 32–15 14–8 Apr 27 1:00p.m. at Louisville No. 22 Ulmer Stadium • Louisville, KY L 3–6 Booe (3–3) Cagle 8–6 None 389 32–16 14–9 Apr 28 12:00p.m. at Louisville No. 22 Ulmer Stadium • Louisville, KY W 11–5 Spencer (9–3) Zabala (18–14) None 446 33–16 15–9
Postseason
(1–1) Date Time (ET) Seed Rank Opponent Opponent Seed Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record May 9 1:30p.m. 5 No. 23 vs. Virginia 4 W 8–1 Spencer (10–3) Layne (3–2) None 327 34–16 May 10 1:00p.m. 5 No. 23 at No. 4 Duke 1 Duke Softball Stadium • Durham, North Carolina L 3–4 Walker (12–2) Spencer (10–4) None 726 34–17
(1–2) Date Time (ET) Seed Rank Opponent Opponent Seed Site/Stadium Score Win Loss Save Attendance Overall Record May 17 2:00p.m. 2 No. 23 3 L 2–6 DuBois (15–5) Cagle (8–7) None 2,184 34–18 May 18 2:00p.m. 2 No. 23 vs. 4 Rhoads Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama W 8–0 Spencer (11–4) Drerup (10–10) None 2,217 35–18 May 18 9:00p.m. 2 No. 23 vs. Southeastern Louisiana 3 Rhoads Stadium • Tuscaloosa, Alabama L 2–6 DuBois (16–5) McCubbin (10–3) None 2,217 35–19

Note: All rankings shown are from the NFCA/USA Today poll.

Rankings

See main article: 2024 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: 2023-24 Softball Schedule. clemsontigers.com. December 28, 2023.
2. Web site: Tuesday’s Baseball & Softball Games Canceled. clemsontigers.com. Clemson University Athletics. March 26, 2024. March 27, 2024.