Box Score

Clemson 10, VT 2

 

CLEMSON, S.C. - In a contest that was started three hours early at 10 a.m. due to an oncoming rainstorm, the Virginia Tech offense didn't wake up until late in the game and the Hokies wound up falling 10-2 in the final meeting of a three-game ACC series at Clemson's Kingsmore Stadium.

Tech (18-26, 4-20 ACC) managed just six hits against the Tigers (24-20-1, 10-13-1 ACC), who got an excellent performance out of starting pitcher D.J. Mitchell. The right-hander improved to 5-3 on the season after striking out 10 batters in 7.1 innings, the most that any current Clemson pitcher has tallied in one game during his career.

Tech starter Jesse Hahn (Groton, Conn.) picked up the loss to fall to 2-5. The freshman righty allowed six runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. At the dish, the Hokies were led by left fielder Jose Cueto (Miami, Fla.), who went 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Leadoff hitter and second baseman Mike Freeman paced Clemson's 13-hit attack with three hits, three runs and two RBI.

Clemson opened up the game's scoring with a four-run third inning. After Doug Hogan led off with a double down the left field line and Stan Widmann was hit by a pitch, Matt Sanders advanced them each a base with a sacrifice bunt. Freeman followed with a two-run single to right field, and two batters later, Wilson Boyd homered to right to score Freeman.

The Tigers added two more runs in the fifth, though both were unearned. After Sanders led off with a single, Freeman dropped down a sacrifice bunt but was safe on a fielding error by Hahn. Jeff Schaus was the next batter and laid down another bunt, but Hahn threw Sanders out at third to leave runners on first and second for Andrew Wells (Alexandria, Va.), who came on to take the mound in relief. Wells immediately fanned Boyd and got Kyle Parker to lift a high pop-up to shallow right field, but a miscommunication between the Tech fielders allowed the ball to drop to the ground untouched, resulting in a two-RBI double for Parker.

Clemson increased its lead to 9-0 in the bottom of the seventh. Sanders started the frame with a single and Freeman then recorded a bunt single. After Schaus walked, back-to-back fielder's choices to shortstop by Boyd and Parker plated Sanders and Freeman, respectively.

Tech tallied its first run of the game in the top of the eighth after Matt Blow (Richmond, Va.) got things started with a pinch-hit single up the middle. He advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a groundout to short by shortstop Tony Balisteri (Lexington, Va.). After a Sean O'Brien (Chappaqua, N.Y.) walk, center fielder Sean Ryan (Ashburn, Va.) brought Blow home with an RBI base knock to make it 9-1.

Clemson added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth before Cueto doubled home second baseman Austin Wates (Richmond, Va.) - who also doubled - in the ninth to set the final score.

The Hokies return to the field on Wednesday when they visit VMI for their last road game of the season. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.