CLEMSON, S.C. – A five-run fifth inning for No. 10 Clemson (48-9) was the deciding factor in Saturday's winner's bracket contest at McWhorter Field, as No. 16 Auburn softball (41-18) fell 7-0 in its second game at the Clemson Regional.
Lindsey Garcia tallied Auburn's lone hit of the game in the second inning. Auburn's only other base runners reached on a walk and Clemson error in the early frames.
In another heated pitching duel between Maddie Penta and Clemson's Valerie Cagle, the two aces kept the game scoreless until the bottom of the third. Clemson broke the stalemate with a solo home run from McKenzie Clark. Clemson's 1-0 lead held until the fifth as the host Tigers used a two-out rally to plate five runs. Clemson added a run in the sixth off a pair of hits.
Penta suffered the loss to fall to 26-6 on the season. She struck out four in the start. Annabelle Widra tossed 1.1 innings of relief for Auburn.
Auburn returns to McWhorter Stadium at 5 p.m. CT to face the winner of Cal State Fullerton versus UNCG in the last elimination game of the day. The winner will move on to face Clemson on Championship Sunday. The elimination contest will be available on ESPN+. Any additional television assignment will be announced later today.