McKenzie Clark makes incredible game-saving catch vs. Duke in ACC Softball Tournament
Clemson star outfielder McKenzie Clark made an incredible game-saving catch to keep the Tigers alive in the ACC Softball Tournament against Duke.
Clark robbed Duke second baseman Aminah Vega of a walk-off home run in the ninth inning that would’ve ended the game. Instead, Clemson got out of the inning and the game remained 3-3 heading to the 10th.
You can watch the play below.
The catch by McKenzie Clark kept Aminah Vega from recording a walk-off home run for the second consecutive day as she hit one Friday against Boston College to lift the Blue Devils to a 2-0 win in 10 innings.
Unfortunately for Clemson, Duke ended up getting a walk-off win the next inning.
The Blue Devils beat Clemson 4-3 on a bloop infield single with two outs in the 10th. Amiah Burgess scored the winning run from second on the play, just beating the tag from Clemson catcher Aby Vieira.
Burgess was originally called out, but the call was overturned to end the game.
“I wasn’t stopping. I wasn’t stopping,” Burgess told the ACC Network. “I did see her catch the ball. I did know that the ball did beat me. But I knew if I threw my body at it – I didn’t even feel her tag me, so as soon as they said out I said, ‘Nah uh, you’ve gotta review that.’
“I’ve never slid that hard, like I’ve never thrown my body that hard in my life, but I’ve been diving in the outfield all day. It was pretty similar.”
Lillie Walker earned the win for the Blue Devils, pitching the final 2 2/3 innings, without allowing a run. She improved to 12-2 on the year.
Up next, Duke will face the winner of Florida State and Georgia Tech in the ACC Championship game on Saturday.
“I play for the seniors, absolutely. I’m a freshman. I just got here. So everything I do is for them,” Burgess said. “They deserve an ACC Championship. They deserve to raise that trophy one more time before they go out. So if I’m in the lineup, I’m out there, that’s what I’m aiming for – for those seniors to raise that trophy one more time.”
First pitch on Saturday is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Clemson dropped to 34-17 on the year with the loss. The Tigers will now wait to find out who they will face in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Duke improved to 46-6 with the win and will look to continue to help its NCAA Tournament seeding on Saturday.