Why Clemson softball is embracing its trip to NCAA tournament Tuscaloosa Regional
CLEMSON — Clemson softball is in unfamiliar territory for the first time since its first NCAA tournament appearance in 2021.
Despite making the tournament for the fourth straight season, the Tigers (34-17) are not home to a regional. Instead, they will travel to the Tuscaloosa Regional, hosted by No. 14 overall seed Alabama (33-17) at Rhoads Stadium as the No. 2 seed.
"Our body of work did not give us that opportunity this year," coach John Rittman said. "We kind of knew that. Probably our best chance (to land a top-16 overall seed was) to win the tournament."
Clemson will face No. 3 seed Southeastern Louisiana (45-13) on Friday (2 p.m. ET, ACC Network), and No. 4 seed USC Upstate (30-21) will face the Crimson Tide (4:30 p.m., ESPN+).
Despite not having home-field advantage, the Tigers are embracing their return to Tuscaloosa, the destination where they made their inaugural appearance in the NCAA tournament in just their second season of existence. They failed to reach the super regional, falling to Alabama in the regional finals.
Clemson made the super regionals the past two seasons, but its goal of hosting a regional fell short after losing in the ACC tournament semifinals on a walk-off RBI single to Duke.
"We've been put in some tough situations — extra innings, long games — now it's postseason," outfielder McKenzie Clark said. "We've dealt with the battles, we've licked our wounds and now we're just ready to get back after it this year."
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Clemson won six of its eight ACC series and tied for fourth in the conference standings. It has veteran experience with a roster that includes nine seniors, five of them with All-ACC honors, including Clark and the reigning USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, Valerie Cagle.
The Tigers are 10-5 on the road and 7-2 record at neutral sites. Against nonconference opponents, they are 18-7, including wins against teams that also made the tournament, like Ole Miss, Oregon and South Carolina.
Clemson is confident it can reach the super regional for the third straight season.
"It's a good thing in a way for us to be traveling for a regional just because it gives us a change of scenery," second baseman Maddie Moore said. "I like change. A lot of people like change, so hopefully this change will spark something in us, and it will get us all the way through to (the Women's College World Series)."
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 embrace return to NCAA tournament Tuscaloosa Regional
