Who stepped up for Clemson softball during Valerie Cagle injury as ACC Tournament opens
Regan Spencer and her Clemson softball teammates will open play in the ACC Tournament on Thursday in pursuit of their first ACC Tournament title.
The No. 5 seed Tigers (33-16, 15-9 ACC) face fourth-seeded Virginia (32-17, 15-9) in a quarterfinal matchup (1 p.m., ACC Network) in Durham, North Carolina.
Clemson is unranked in the latest D1 Softball poll, but is ranked 21st in the latest ESPN/USA Softball poll, and could enhance its standing with a strong showing in the ACC Tournament. The Tigers are projected to be a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament's Tuscaloosa Regional that would include top seed Alabama, No. 3 seed Michigan and No. 4 seed USC Upstate.
Spencer, a senior right-handed pitcher, and the Tigers have averaged 45 victories over the previous three seasons, but an ACC Tournament title has eluded the Tigers each time.
It’s not like the Tigers didn’t give it a run. Clemson, which is in its fifth season, advanced to the championship game in 2021 and 2022, losing to Duke, 1-0, and Florida State, 8-6, respectively. Last year the Tigers fell to Duke, 2-0, in the semifinals.
“The ACC Tournament is something that we’ve been so close to winning in the past and just haven’t done it yet,” Spencer said. “Just being able to finally accomplish it and hold up that trophy at the end of the weekend would be huge for us, especially with the ups and downs we’ve had this year.”
Indeed, injuries and close defeats have defined Clemson’s season, so if the Tigers hope to find postseason success they'll have to stay healthy and reverse their trend of coming up short in tight contests.
Reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Valerie Cagle has missed 10 games, including a three-game series against No. 1 seed Duke in mid-April after suffering a concussion on April 7 at Syracuse. The Blue Devils swept the series.
The Tigers also have dropped eight games by either one or two runs, including four in extra innings.
“Every year there are injuries, so we’ve had adversity in that, but we’ve always found ways for people to step up in big ways,” Spencer said. “It’s been beneficial to get even more players in and get them experience as we go into the postseason. They’re ready to step up if they need to.”
Count Spencer among those who have stepped up.
Spencer (9-3) leads the Tigers in appearances (26), starts (15) and innings (98). She has held opponents to a team-low .229 batting average and has an ERA of 2.00.
If Clemson can top Virginia in Thursday’s opener, the Tigers will face Duke in the semifinals.
“We’ve shown glimpses of what we can be,” Spencer said. “Once it all clicks, it’s going to be something special to see. We all know that we’re capable of playing better than we have this year.
“The postseason is the perfect time to continue to push through, go out there and play and have fun and let the rest take care of itself.”
Scott Keepfer covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at skeepfer@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ScottKeepfer
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson softball: ACC Tournament impact on Tigers' NCAA Tournament
