Florida Atlantic Defeats No. 25 Clemson; 4-0 on the Season

Friday, February 7

Boca Raton, Fla.

6 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

3-0

Clemson

1-2

Clemson

Florida Atlantic

Photo by: Ryan Tran

2/8/2025 2:20:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

By: Ben Paul

BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Florida Atlantic softball team rolled through day two of the Paradise Classic on Friday, taking down No. 25 Clemson with a comfortable 6-2 victory before defeating Georgia State by a score of 5-1.

Following the wins, the Owls move to 4-0 on the season, their best start since 2016. Both victories over the ranked Tigers (1-2) and Panthers (0-1) were keyed by masterclass pitching performances, with juniors Jaden Martinez and Autumn Courtney making starts in the circle.

With delayed starts to the preceding neutral site games, FAU exited the field well past midnight with a pair of wins in hand as they continue their momentum from their 2024 championship season.

GAME 1

Martinez made early work of Tiger batters with three strikeouts in the first four at-bats. Martinez finished her six-inning outing with 10 total strikeouts, a new career high.

In the first pitch of her first plate appearance at the bottom of the second inning, Kiley Channell launched a booming bomb to center field to put the Owls on the board. Later in the frame, freshman OF Bella Foran tacked on a run, the second RBI of her young career.

The fourth inning saw Florida Atlantic pull ahead further by capitalizing on three errors in four plate appearances to score three runs to build a 6-0 lead. Two Tiger runs in the fifth were not enough as the Owls came away with the 6-2 victory.

GAME 2

Courtney picked up right where she left off 24 hours prior, retiring the first five Panther at-bats via strikeout.

On the offensive side, a double steal set the tone for an Owls team looking to capitalize on a fast start. Junior Chloe Yeatts opened scoring by driving in the lead-off walker, freshman Destiny Johns, in the bottom of first.

A pair of substitutes got in on the scoring fun in the sixth, with junior Yani Guzman driving in pinch runner freshman Sophia Camacho.

QUOTABLE

🎤 Late night thoughts from Head Coach Jordan Clark after two more victories#WinningInParadise pic.twitter.com/zPjoiPXwHD
— Florida Atlantic Softball (@FAUSoftball) February 8, 2025

NOTES/NOTABLE

Head Coach Jordan Clark now has a career record of 80-36 and is 11-9 when facing opponents from the Big 10, Big 12, SEC, and ACC
Courtney is now 2-0 on the season and has totaled 25 strikeouts in two games while allowing a .087 batting average
Channell hit the first Owl home run of the season and the second of her collegiate career
Yeatts has totaled six hits in 11 at-bats
Four Owls have recorded multiple RBI on the season. Channell leads the way with five, followed by Foran, Hammonds, and Yeatts with two each

UP NEXT

Day three of Paradise Classic will see Florida Atlantic will take on Missouri State (0-2), with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.

TICKETS

Tournament passes are on sale and can be purchased with an all-tournament pass for $30 or a day pass at $10 at Ticketmaster.

UP NEXT

For the Owls' complete schedule, click HERE. To follow the team socially, visit @fausoftball, or for the most up-to-date information go to www.fausports.com.