Clemson softball upset by Southeastern Louisiana, loses 6-2 in NCAA Tournament opener
No. 3 seed Southeastern Louisiana upset No. 2 seed Clemson softball, winning 6-2 in the opening game of the Tuscaloosa Regional in the NCAA Tournament on Friday at Rhoads Stadium.
The Lions (46-13) scored three runs in the third inning in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, after two scoreless innings. Maria Detillier hit a two-run single and Bailey Krolczyk added a crucial RBI single to highlight the five-hit inning.
SLU stifled the Tigers (34-18), limiting their potent offense with runners in scoring position. Clemson's pitching and fielding also struggled, allowing the Lions to get extra at-bats and chances to score.
Clemson's Maddie Moore went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and McKenzie Clark was 1-for-3 with a walk. Valerie Cagle and Millie Thompson allowed 10 hits, six runs and two walks combined over five innings.
Valerie Cagle struggles in Game 1 of Tuscaloosa Regional
After two solid innings to start the game, the reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year gave up three runs on five hits in the third inning. The Lions recorded multiple base hits in the outfield against Cagle to take an early lead, which caused Millie Thompson to replace Cagle after 2 2/3 innings.
Cagle had a critical miscue playing first base, too. SLU's Audrey Greely hit a two-out chopper to Cagle in the fifth inning, but the ball bounced off her glove and allowed the Lions to score two runs. Offensively, Cagle was 0-for-4.
Clemson softball's bats go cold in NCAA Tournament opener
The Tigers got two hits in the first two innings then went hitless until the fifth. Backed by impressive fielding, SLU's Ellie DuBois kept Clemson's hitters under wraps, getting out of jams with runners on second and third base in the first and second innings, then retiring 10 consecutive batters.
Clemson hit 7-for-27 and left nine runners on base. It went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Up next for Clemson softball at Tuscaloosa Regional
After losing their first NCAA Tournament opening round loss in program history, the Tigers will face the loser between No. 14 overall seed Alabama and USC Upstate at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
The loser will be eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson softball falls to SE Louisiana in NCAA Tournament opener
