Clemson blows ninth-inning lead in 2-1 loss to Virginia Tech
BLACKSBURG, Va. — Virginia Tech scored two runs in the ninth inning to rally for a 2-1 victory over Clemson at English Field on Friday afternoon.
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The Hokies, who took a 2-0 lead in the series, improved to 29-22 overall and 15-14 in the ACC. The Tigers dropped to 30-25 overall and 9-20 in ACC play. Virginia Tech clinched a series win, its first over Clemson in the last nine series.
Jacob Jarrell flared a two-out single in the third inning to score the game’s first run.
In the ninth inning, Virginia Tech put its first leadoff batter on base when Ethan Ball hit a double off the glove of Jackson Moore at the wall in right field. Ball later scored on Nick Locurto’s single with one out.
After Pete Daniel’s infield single, a wild pitch allowed Locurto to advance to third base. Nick Savoie’s throw to second base put Daniel in a rundown. The Tigers retired Daniel, but Locurto raced home to score the walkoff run.
Ethan Grim (4-4) pitched 3.0 scoreless innings in relief of two-hit ball to earn the win. Hokie starter Logan Eisenreich gave up seven hits, one run and two walks with a career-high nine strikeouts in a career-high 6.0 innings pitched. The two combined to allow only one of 13 baserunners to score.
Hayden Simmerson (1-2) suffered the loss, as he allowed three hits and two earned runs in 1.2 innings of relief. Drew Titsworth and Ariston Veasey both tossed 3.0 scoreless innings in relief for the Tigers. Michael Sharman (1 IP, 1 H, 2 K) got the start, but was on a limited pitch count (13 total pitches) ahead of next week’s ACC Tournament.
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The Tigers outhit the Hokies 9-5.
The series concludes Saturday at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
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