![Clemson starting pitcher Valerie Cagle is emotional after being removed in Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., during the Tuscaloosa Regional Championship between Alabama and Clemson Sunday, May 23, 2021. Alabama won the game 5-0. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Tuscaloosa Regional Championship Alabama Vs Clemson](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/7ecabec3c42309d27dbab0596a67282ee0df7f9000d3be877423b0a9ae63da04.jpg "Clemson starting pitcher Valerie Cagle is emotional after being removed in Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., during the Tuscaloosa Regional Championship between Alabama and Clemson Sunday, May 23, 2021. Alabama won the game 5-0. [Staff Photo/Gary Cosby Jr.]Tuscaloosa Regional Championship Alabama Vs Clemson")
The Clemson softball team didn’t exactly get the result that we all were hoping for in the Tuscaloosa Regional in the NCAA Tournament this past weekend, but no one can complain about the success that was seen the entire season.
The two-seeded Tigers won their first game against three-seeded Troy Friday afternoon through the mercy rule and advanced to the Winner’s Bracket. They fell short to the one-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide (No. 3 overall in the nation) and then beat Troy again on Saturday to advance to the Regional Finals.
Needing to beat Alabama twice on Sunday seemed nearly impossible and the Crimson Tide proved to be too deep as they came away with a 5-0 win over the Tigers to advance to the NCAA Super-Regionals.
It’s a shame that the NCAA Selection Committee didn’t give Clemson softball the respect it deserved
In the end, Clemson proved just what we knew to be true.
The Tigers were unable to beat Alabama, but let’s be honest here: How many two-seeds in this tournament were going to? There were times during both matchups with the Tide where they had an opportunity to compete and just weren’t able to come away with that key hit in the moment to get back in the game.
It’s a shame that the NCAA Selection Committee didn’t give this team a fair shake.
Just like College Football, College Softball is very top heavy. You’re simply not beating programs like Oklahoma and Alabama. As a matter of fact, the Tide have never lost a Regional at home.
If you put Clemson matched up with any of the hosting seeds 10-16, you’re talking about a competitive regional in which the Tigers would’ve had a legitimate chance at winning and certainly would’ve competed.
So what did the Tigers prove this past weekend? They proved that they are undoubtedly a top-20 team and that they are absolutely on the right track as a program.
We all knew that there was a major gap between the top and where Clemson currently sits in the national landscape, but what we learned this season is that they are making the right steps towards advancing.