CLEMSON, S.C. – The final non-conference outing of 2026 is going to be a big one for the Presbyterian College softball team, headed to last year's Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament champion Clemson in a game that will get started at 6:00 PM tomorrow.

Tuesday's visit will be Presby's first game against a "Power 4" institution (ACC, SEC, Big Ten, or Big 12) since a doubleheader at NC State two years ago. The action will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.

While not 100 percent guaranteed at the moment, the Blue Hose are in solid shape to qualify for the postseason thanks to a series victory over Charleston Southern at home. PC is currently a half-game behind Longwood for the #4 seed in the upcoming Big South bracket.

It will certainly be a challenge for head coach David Williams' roster against an opponent that has eclipsed 40 wins in three of the last four campaigns, playing Clemson for the first time since the Tigers' inaugural season in 2020.

That game six years ago was a 5-0 shutout for Clemson, coincidentally the last matchup before the season was canceled nationwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


 
GAMEDAY INFO – TUESDAY, APRIL 21

Presbyterian (19-27, 7-8) at Clemson (30-17, 12-9)

WHERE / WHEN: Clemson, S.C. | 6:00 PM

WATCH: ACC Network Extra

LIVE STATS: Stat Broadcast


 
SCOUTING THE TIGERS

 
- John Rittman (formerly the head coach at Stanford and later the associate head coach at Kansas) has been the Tigers' one and only director in their seven seasons of existence.

- Clemson has been doing a lot of winning throughout their brief history, snatching the 2025 ACC Tournament title for the first time against Florida State 2-1. They were also the 2021 regular season champs in the ACC, their first full year.

- The Tigers have been on the doorstop of the NCAA Women's College World Series three times already, coming extremely close last spring in a Super Regional series at Texas where all three games were decided by three runs or fewer.

- Clemson started that run in the big dance with a 10-2 mercy rule over Big South Tournament champion USC Upstate, also beating Northwestern and Kentucky in the regional round.

- ACC Pitcher of the Year Reese Basinger has since graduated, although the Tigers are still hovering around the upper half of the league and just pulled out a sweep over #18 Virginia by combined scores of 21-6.

- Receiving votes in last week's ESPN.com / USA Softball top 25 poll, Clemson has also obtained conference series wins opposite Georgia Tech, Louisville, Notre Dame, and Pitt.

- The Tigers' top two hitters – Mac Pavese and Marian Collins – have deposited 21 doubles and 10 homes runs between them. Clemson ranks 12^th nationally with 11 shutouts this spring, anchored by USC Upstate transfer Sierra Maness who holds a 2.90 ERA in 157 innings.


 
PC vs. THE ACC

 
- Presbyterian has played six current ACC members since turning Division I in the late 2000's, with the NC State doubleheader in 2024 being the most recent example.

- The Blue Hose nearly picked up their first-ever win over an ACC school back in 2018, falling to Virginia Tech on a neutral field in Jacksonville 5-4. PC managed two runs apiece in the 6^th and 7^th innings to flirt with a five-run comeback, but ended up stranding two with a grounder to third.

- Below is a list of each ACC matchup that PC has taken part in, displayed in chronological order:
 

• 2008: Lost to Virginia Tech, 9-0
• 2013: Lost to Notre Dame, 8-5
• 2013: Lost to Florida State, 8-0
• 2018: Lost to Virginia Tech, 5-4
• 2018: Lost to Georgia Tech, 5-1
• 2020: Lost to Clemson, 5-0
• 2024: Lost to NC State, 10-0 & 9-0 (DH)

 

LAST TIME OUT
 

- PC took a big step toward their postseason aspirations over the weekend, getting two straight victories against Charleston Southern by respective margins of 7-5 and 6-2.

- The Scotsmen were unable to complete the sweep, although they now sit one game away from officially clinching that Big South Tournament ticket.

- Currently two games ahead of Gardner-Webb in the league standings (who they defeated two-games-to-one with a dramatic nine-inning comeback), all that Presbyterian needs to advance to the postseason is for G-W to drop just one game in their upcoming series with Longwood.

- If the Runnin' Bulldogs do pull off three straight wins, then PC will be required to win one out of three at USC Upstate in the Big South finale on either May 1 or 2.

- The Charleston Southern series win was the last home appearance for six Blue Hose seniors. One of those future grads – pitcher Peyton Duncan – picked up both wins on nine total innings, not allowing any earned runs and giving up just four hits combined.

- Rookie infielder Hali Duke has quickly become one of the most well-rounded players in the conference, leading the roster in batting average (.403), runs scored (28), hits (56), doubles (13), RBI (33), and slugging percentage (.554). She has successfully reached base in 26 consecutive contests.

- PC possess the second-best staff ERA in the Big South (4.28). Duncan and Avery Robinson have totaled 16 complete games between them with 151 total strikeouts.