Hokie ClubCLEMSON, S.C. – Seventh-ranked Clemson University completed a three-game ACC series sweep of Virginia Tech on Saturday by winning both ends of a double-header, 5-2 and 13-8, at Kingsmore Stadium.
The pair of losses dropped the Hokies to 13-8 overall and 2-3 in the ACC, while the Tigers improved to 17-2 overall and 2-4 in the ACC.
GAME ONE
Clemson picked up four singles in the bottom of the first inning of game one to jump out to a 2-0 lead, with Mike Freeman scoring on a passed ball and Jeff Schaus coming home on a base hit by Wilson Boyd.
Clemson’s Kyle Parker pushed the Tigers’ lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the third by singling home shortstop Brad Miller.
The Hokies got on the board in the top of the fourth thanks to a pair of singles and a Clemson fielding error. Anthony Sosnoskie and Michael Seaborn produced back-to-back singles with one out to set the table. Tony Balisteri then hit a grounder to shortstop Brad Miller, whose misplay sent the ball shooting into left field and allowed Sosnoskie to race home for Tech’s first run.
Kyle Parker got that run back for Clemson in the bottom of the sixth with a solo home run to right field, his ninth round-tripper of the season.
A pinch-hit RBI single by Matt Blow in the top of the eighth scored Ronnie Shaban from second to cut Clemson’s lead to 4-2, which proved to be Tech’s final run of game one.
The Tigers’ Jeff Schaus scored on a sacrifice fly by John Hinson in the bottom of the eighth to set the final score at 5-2.
Tech starter Jesse Hahn took the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on a career-high 10 hits. He struck out two and walked one, while falling to 4-1 on the season.
Clemson starter Will Lamb was credited with the win and moved to 2-0 after surrendering just one unearned run on seven hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out two.
Steve Domecus tallied three of Tech’s 10 hits by going 3-for-5 with a double and steal. The Hokies tied a season-high by leaving 13 runners on base.
GAME TWO
An RBI groundout by Blow scored Shaban in the top of the second inning of game two to get Tech off to a 1-0 lead. Shaban had led off the inning with a single before moving to third on a double by Anthony Sosnoskie.
The lead didn’t last long, however, as Clemson’s Addison Johnson ripped a bases-loaded triple to the right-field corner in the bottom of the second to give the Tigers a 3-1 lead.
Tech got another run in the third courtesy of an RBI single by Buddy Sosnoskie, but Clemson added three more in the home half of the frame to take a 6-2 lead thanks to four singles off of Tech starter Joe Mantiply.
Mantiply exited after the fourth single of the inning and took the loss to fall to 2-1, having allowed six runs on seven hits in 2.2 innings of work. He walked two and struck out three.
Freeman added a sacrifice fly to score Johnson in the bottom of the fourth to extend the Tigers’ advantage to 7-2.
The Hokies were able to pick up a pair of runs on a two-out, bases-loaded single in the top of the seventh by Shaban. The Hokies’ first multiple-run producing hit of the series plated Austin Wates and Balisteri, who had both singled.
Clemson got both of those runs back plus one in the next at-bat to push the lead to 10-4. John Nester was hit by a Ben Rowen pitch with the bases loaded to score the first run, Parker scored the second run on a sacrifice fly by Hinson and Lamb touched home on a Tech fielding error.
Tech nabbed four runs in the top of the eighth to pull within two at 10-8. Michael Seaborn scored on a single by Buddy Sosnoskie, with Sean Ryan also crossing the plate on an error during the same play. Wates followed with a two-run homer, his second round-tripper of the year, to cap the scoring for the Hokies.
Clemson added three runs in the bottom of the eight to set the final score at 13-8.
Clemson starter Scott Weismann went six innings to stay undefeated and earn his third win of the year. He gave up two runs (one earned) on six hits and a walk, while striking out seven, to improve to 3-0. Jonathan Meyer entered in relief for Clemson when its lead shrank to two and he pitched 1.1 scoreless innings to record his second save.
Six Hokies collected two hits each for Tech, with Buddy Sosnoskie, Wates and Shaban each driving in two and Ryan scoring twice.
The Hokies are scheduled to return to action on Tuesday with a home game against Liberty University beginning at 5:30 p.m.