Clemson Sweeps Hokies At Home

While the annual Orange and White Spring football game garnered most of the buzz around Clemson this weekend, the Tigers baseball team took care of business in a three game tilt with the Virginia Tech Hokies. Friday night featured a late offensive explosion as the Tigers plated six runs in the bottom of the eight to earn a 12-1 win. The Tigers were able to take advantage of multiple wild pitches from Hokie pitching and a pair of passed balls to advance runners. Clemson pitching was solid as Charlie Barnes went 7.2 innings to get the win, holding the Hokies to just four hits and one run, when VT catcher Joe Feiday Jr homered off of him in the third inning.

In Saturday’s post Spring Game matchup, Clemson had to come from behind after VT jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Reed Rohlman got the fourth inning going with a homer to right field. Chris Williams would later double to advance Seth Beer to third. Beer scored off of Logan Davidson’s sacrifice fly. Williams would also be brought home when Jordan Greene hit an outfield singled to give the Tigers the 3-2 lead. Beer knocked a leadoff homer in the seventh, and Drew Wharton and Davidson would execute a double steal to score Davidson. Alex Eubanks went seven innings to move to 5-2 on the year. Riley Gilliam came in to pitch a shutout ninth to earn his third save of the year and secure Clemson’s 6-3 win in front of a packed house of 6,104 fans.

Sunday once again saw Clemson rally from behind to knock off Virginia Tech. The Hokies had an opportunity to do some big damage early on in the second, but on “Superhero Sunday” Chase Pinder made a superhuman catch at the wall to rob Jack Owens of a grand slam and in the inning. A four run fourth inning gave pulled Clemson out of the two run whole they found themselves in to put the Tigers up 4-2. The Tigers added four more runs en route to an 8-3 win and a series sweep Pat Krall moves to 5-0 on the year with a 5.2 inning performance that held the Hokies to five hits and two runs.

The Tigers move to 28-5 (13-2 ACC) on the year. Clemson returns to action Tuesday night at Doug Kingsmore stadium as they host the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. First pitch is slated for 6:30 and the game is available on ACC Network Extra. Virginia Tech’s record drops to 17-17 (6-9 ACC). The Hokies will head to Radford, Va for a Tuesday night tilt with the Randford Highlanders before returning to Blacksburg to host a three game weekend series with their instate rival, the #18 Virginia Cavaliers.