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Clemson falls in first round of ACC Tournament to North Carolina
TL;DR
Clemson's softball team lost to North Carolina 4-2 in the first round of the ACC Tournament, marking their first failure to reach the semifinals in program history. The Tigers struggled with offensive opportunities, going 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Key points
- Clemson lost to North Carolina 4-2
- First time Clemson failed to reach ACC semifinals
- Clemson went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position
- Taylor Pipkins hit a solo home run for Clemson
- Clemson left 10 runners on base
Clemson TigersNorth Carolina Tar HeelsACC Tournament
Clemson softball’s stay in the ACC Softball Tournament was much shorter than it was a year ago.
The seventh-seeded Tigers fell to 10th-seeded North Carolina, 4-2, on Wednesday at Palmer Park in Charlottesville, ending their run in the opening round. It marked the first time in program history Clemson failed to reach at least the ACC Tournament semifinals.
The Tigers struggled to capitalize offensively, finishing 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position while leaving 10 runners on base. Clemson cut a 3-0 deficit to one run in the third inning after Taylor Pipkins launched a solo home run, her eighth of the season and seventh in the last 14 games, before Jamison Brockenbrough later scored on a UNC error.
However, the Tar Heels answered in the fourth when Sanaa Thompson hit a solo homer to extend the lead back to 4-2.
Clemson starter Sierra Maness allowed three runs before exiting in the third inning, while Abby Dunning kept the Tigers within striking distance by allowing just one earned run over 4 2/3 innings of relief.
The Tigers had chances late, including a deep fly ball from Kiley Channell in the sixth inning that was caught at the warning track, but Clemson could not come up with the tying hit.
Clemson (32-20) will now wait for Sunday’s NCAA Tournament selection show to learn its postseason destination.
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This article originally appeared on Clemson Wire: Clemson softball falls in first round of 2026 ACC Tournament
Q&A
What was the score of the Clemson vs North Carolina ACC Tournament game?
Clemson lost to North Carolina 4-2 in the first round of the ACC Tournament.
Why did Clemson softball fail to reach the ACC Tournament semifinals?
Clemson failed to reach the semifinals for the first time in program history due to poor offensive performance, leaving 10 runners on base.
Who hit a home run for Clemson in the ACC Tournament game against North Carolina?
Taylor Pipkins hit a solo home run for Clemson, her eighth of the season.
