CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Clemson won its 10th straight game Sunday thanks to an 8-1 victory over Virginia at Palmer Park in Charlottesville, Va.
The win completed a four-game sweep of the Cavaliers and marked the Tigers’ seventh win in a row in ACC play, all on the road. Clemson swept Georgia Tech three weeks ago in Atlanta.
Shortstop Ansley Gilstrap went 4-for-4 at the plate, including a triple and a double, and a game-high three RBIs to lead the Tigers in their third consecutive series sweep. The Tigers swept Elon last week.
With the win, the Tigers improved to 13-2 overall and 8-2 in ACC play, while Virginia fell to 6-9 overall and 2-7 in league games.
After Virginia took a 1-0 lead in the first, the Tigers responded with a three-run inning in the top of the third. Catcher JoJo Hyatt evened the score on a solo shot to left field, her first career home run.
Gilstrap’s second hit of the day was an RBI single to score outfielder McKenzie Clark, who was on third after registering her third triple of the season. Grace Mattimore then extended the Clemson lead to 3-1 with her third career sacrifice fly, which scored Gilstrap from third.
Gilstrap continued her hitting performance in the top of the fifth on a two-run triple. Gilstrap touched home for the second time of the day when Alia Logoleo laid down her first career sacrifice bunt to give the Tigers a 6-1 lead in the top of the seventh.
Later in the inning, Morgan Johnson’s two-run single up the middle was the exclamation point on the victory, and the series.
Making her fourth appearance in the circle in the series, righty Valerie Cagle improved to 8-1 on the season after going the distance for the second this weekend. Cagle recorded six strikeouts and no earned runs.
Virginia’s Mikayla Houge suffered the loss (2-2).
Clemson returns to McWhorter Stadium on Friday against Furman. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
—photo and story courtesy of Clemson Athletics Communications