
The Tigers were ranked in the top 5 all season but went in a bit of a tailspin to end the season. I was the only one in the media who thought the Tigers would still host an NCAA Regional even before they lost 2-0 to No.6 Duke in the ACC Semifinal, and the Selection Committee gave Clemson the last regional site on Sunday night.
The Tigers will host Auburn for the second straight year, along with Fullerton and UNCG, who they beat twice this season. The committee didn't do Clemson any favors, though, because if they advance, they will have to go to 51-1 Defending Champ Oklahoma for the Super Regional. The Tigers should have been at least a couple seeds higher. UGA, for example, is the No.14 seed, despite a worse record and losing 7-1 to the Tigers this season. There were 4 SEC teams with a worse record seeded higher than the Tigers, and both Alabama and Arkansas had twice as many losses. The Tigers were 3-1 against the SEC this season, losing only 1-0 to SEC Champ Tennessee away from home. The Tigers swept the Gamecocks, who were SEC Tournament runners-up! It's just more of the typical SEC bias from the Selection Committee that has once again put the Tigers in an unfair difficult spot.
The Tigers will open regional play UNCG on Friday.
CLEMSON, S.C. – For the second-consecutive year, the Clemson softball team will host an NCAA Regional after being selected as one of the 16 host sites for the 2023 postseason. The Tigers were selected as the No. 16 national seed and will host games at McWhorter Stadium beginning on Friday, May 19.
The Tigers (46-9) were the one seed in the Clemson Regional and are set to face UNC Greensboro (37-20) in their opening game of the double-elimination regional. The Auburn Tigers (40-17) will play Cal State Fullerton (33-19) as the number two and three seeds in the regional at McWhorter Stadium.
The winner of the Clemson Regional will advance to a best-of-three NCAA Super Regional against the winner of the Norman Regional between May 25-28. The Women’s College World Series will be playing in Oklahoma City, Okla., June 1-9.
Clemson has been selected to the NCAA Tournament for the third-straight season and made a postseason appearance in every year eligible. The Tigers are coming off the ACC Tournament, where they advanced to the semifinals for the third time in three years.
Clemson was one of six ACC schools selected to the NCAA Tournament, joining No. 3 Florida State, No. 8 Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame and Virginia Tech.
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