Clemson, S.C. – No. 18 Clemson belted three home runs en route to a 9-1 victory over Furman in non-conference softball action Wednesday evening at McWhorter Stadium.
The Tigers drew eight walks and got roundtrippers from Jamison Brockenbrough, Kiley Channell, and Maria Collins to claim the five-inning victory and improve to 4-2 on the season.
Brockenbrough led off the bottom of the first inning with a solo blast to right-center and Channell reached base ahead of Collins' two-run clout to left-center field. Sophomore
Katie Peeler got Furman on the board in the top of the second with a long solo blast, her second homer of the season, to center field to cut the Clemson lead to 3-1. The Tigers answered in the bottom of the inning by scoring three more runs with the help of five bases on balls, including three walks with the bases loaded.
Julia Knowler's RBI single highlighted a two-run frame for Clemson in the bottom of the third inning and Channell triggered the mercy rule with a solo blast in the bottom of the fifth to close out the 9-1 verdict.
Channell and Collins each registered a homer and two walks to reach base three times while Sarah Breaux went 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles. Three Tiger pitchers combined on the one-hit performance with reliver Abby Dunning (3-1) retiring all five batters she faced to earn the win.
Freshman
Kristyn Embler (0-3) took the loss for the Paladins after giving up eight runs on four hits and six walks in two-plus innings in the circle. Fellow freshman
Jamison Noonan limited Clemson to one run on three hits over 2.1 innings of relief.
NOTE: Furman's Purple & White Classic, scheduled for this weekend at Pepsi Stadium, will now start on Thursday due to the chance of inclement weather later in the weekend. The Paladins will open the tournament with a 4 p.m. doubleheader versus Bowling Green on Thursday. The rest of the weekend schedule is listed below. Admission is free to all games at Pepsi Stadium.
PURPLE & WHITE CLASSIC
Thursday
4:00 p.m. - Bowling Green at Furman
6:30 p.m. - Bowling Green at Furman
Friday
11:00 - Lipscomb vs. Towson
1:30 - Towson vs. Bowling Green
4:00 - Lipscomb vs. Bowling Green
Saturday
10:00 - Bowling Green vs. Towson
12:30 - Lipscomb vs. Towson
3:00 - Lipscomb vs. Furman
* - all times eastern
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