Nine days after Clemson’s softball team arrived in sunny Boca Raton and later in Clearwater, Fla., to open its season with two tournaments, they returned home with a disappointing 3-6 record, making for a long eight-hour trip back to Clemson.
All six of the Tigers’ losses came at the hands of Power Four programs, while two of the wins came against Missouri State and Georgia State, members of the Missouri Valley and Sun Belt conferences, respectively. After eight months away from competition, this was not the start they hoped for against stiff competition.
Despite the rocky beginning, head coach John Rittman remained confident in his team’s talent and potential.