Clemson softball walks it off vs. North Carolina to advance to ACC Tournament semifinals

Clemson softball found itself in a pitcher's duel Thursday in the ACC Tournament quarterfinal against No. 6-seed North Carolina. Luckily for the No. 3-seed Tigers, they brought ACC Player of the Year Valerie Cagle.

Cagle struck out a season-high 12 in the 2-1, eight-inning win. She struck out four straight in the middle innings and sat down the final hitter she faced on three pitches. UNC countered with Lilli Backes, who held the Tigers to one run through seven innings.

Heads-up baserunning won the day for Clemson. The Tigers walked it off in the bottom of the eighth when Ally Miklesh scored from third on a passed ball. It was Clemson's second extra-inning win of the season.

The Tigers advance to face No. 2-seed Duke in the semifinal on Friday (1:30 p.m. ET, ACCN). The deeper Clemson goes in the conference tournament, the more it helps its case for an NCAA Tournament national seed. At No. 16 in RPI, the Tigers are fighting to be a regional host.

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Clemson's walk-off win

With no runs scored after the top of the fourth, Clemson (46-8, 19-6 ACC) and North Carolina (24-27, 13-11) went to extra innings tied at 1. After Cagle got out of the top of the eighth unscathed, Miklesh led off the bottom of the eighth with a double. It was the first extra base hit by either team.

Cagle was next to the plate, and Backes intentionally walked her. The fourth pitch, however, got past Tar Heels catcher Isabela Emerling, and Miklesh made it to third base.

With pinch-hitter Julia Bomhardt at the plate, another passed ball let Miklesh come home for the winning run.

Valerie Cagle vs. Lilli Backes

Clemson and UNC have been two of the league's top pitching teams this season. The Tigers and Tar Heels entered the game ranked second and third, respectively, in team ERA vs. ACC opponents. Both put their best pitchers in the circle for their first game at the ACC Tournament, and it went about how you might expect.

Cagle, who was named conference player of the year Wednesday, eclipsed 700 career strikeouts with her fifth of 12. She gave up three hits and one run with no walks before the game went to extra innings. She walked her first hitter in the eighth, but the baserunner was erased on an inning-ending double play to set up the walk-off opportunity.

Backes was dominant, too. She ceded four hits, one earned run and four walks while striking out seven. The winning run was unearned.

Christina Long covers the Clemson Tigers for the Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her on Twitter @christinalong00 or email her at clong@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson softball beats UNC, advances to ACC Tournament semifinals