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DURHAM N.C. – No. 5 Clemson scored seven runs with two outs in the sixth inning, capped by Caden Grice’s grand slam, in its 14-5 victory over Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Wednesday night. The Tigers, who won their 13th game in a row, improved to 40-17, while the Hokies fell to 30-23.
After the Hokies scored a run in the first inning, Benjamin Blackwell lined a two-out single to tie the score in the top of the second inning. Virginia Tech regained the leading in the bottom of the second inning with a run. Clemson answered again in the third inning on Will Taylor’s sacrifice fly and Billy Amick’s two-out, run-scoring double to extend his hitting streak to 10 games and to give Clemson a 3-2 lead. In the fourth inning, Carson DeMartini flared a two-out, two-run single to give Virginia Tech the lead and pinch-hitter Sam Tackett followed with a run-scoring single to give the Hokies a 5-3 lead.
Clemson put together a two-out rally in the sixth inning to take the lead with seven two-out runs. Jacob Jarrell’s pop up fell in shallow left-center to score two runs, then Cam Cannarella ripped a single to score Jarrell. Three batters later, Grice crushed a grand slam, his 15th long ball of the year. It was also his third grand slam of the season, setting a school record.
The Tigers tacked on a run in the eighth inning on Riley Bertram’s single and three runs in the ninth inning, highlighted by Amick’s run-scoring single.
B.J. Bailey (2-2) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. Hokie starter Drue Hackenberg (5-8) suffered the loss, as he yielded seven runs (four earned) on seven hits in 5.2 innings pitched.
The Tigers play No. 6 seed Boston College on Friday at 11 a.m. on ACC Network to determine the winner of Pool C. Clemson is the designated home team and will occupy the third-base dugout.
Photos By Brian Hennessy
