Blacksburg, VA - Jeff Schaus went 2-for-2 with two RBIs, two walks, and a hit-by-pitch to lead #16 Clemson to a 7-2 win over Virginia Tech in the first game of a doubleheader at English Field on Saturday. The Tigers, who took a 1-0 series lead and won their seventh game in a row, improved to 35-15 overall and 14-11 in the ACC. The Hokies dropped to 28-22 overall and 9-16 in ACC play.Starter Dominic Leone (5-1) earned the win for the Tigers in 6.0 innings pitched. He allowed six hits, two runs, and two walks with seven strikeouts.
Hokie starter Joe Mantiply (5-7) suffered the loss, as he gave up nine hits, six runs, and five walks with two strikeouts in 4.2 innings pitched.
In the first inning, John Hinson led off with a flyball that fell for a single in shallow right-center and Phil Pohl lined a single to center. Two batters later, Richie Shaffer drew a one-out walk to load the bases, then Will Lamb reached on a fielder’s choice as Hinson scored.
Chris Epps led off the second inning with a walk on seven pitches, then Spencer Kieboom executed a hit-and-run on the next pitch when he singled through the right side to advance Epps to third base. Hinson followed with a sacrifice fly to deep right-center on an 0-2 pitch to plate Epps. Pohl hit a soft liner on an 0-2 pitch for a single to right-center, but he was retired at second base on Brad Miller’s fielder’s choice. With two outs, Kieboom scored on a passed ball to give Clemson a 3-0 lead.
In the third inning, Chad Morgan led off with a double to left field and advanced to third on Johnny Morales’ sacrifice bunt. Jake Atwell followed with a single to right-center to score Morgan, then Michael Seaborn hit a double to right-center on a 1-2 pitch to score Atwell.
In the top of the fifth inning, Miller lined a one-out single to center and Shaffer walked. After Lamb’s infield single to first loaded the bases, Schaus grounded a single through the right side to score Miller and Shaffer. Jason Stolz then lined a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Lamb.
The Hokies threatened to cut into Clemson’s lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. Atwell lined a one-out single off Stolz’s glove at second and Seaborn was hit-by-pitch. Ronnie Shaban’s four-pitch walk loaded the bases, but Leone struck out Tim Smalling and Andrew Rash to end the inning and keep the Tigers ahead by four runs.
In the top of the ninth inning, Lamb lined a one-out single to right, Schaus lined a single to center, and Stolz lined a single to center to load the bases. Epps’ groundout to first scored Lamb.
In the bottom of the ninth inning as steady rain fell, Tyler Horan led off with a double to right-center and went to third on Morgan’s single to left-center. With a 2-1 count on Morales, the horn went off to halt play due to inclement weather. After the 122-minute delay, Scott Weismann took the mound for the Tigers and threw two straight strikes to strike out Morales. Atwell popped up to Hinson for out #2, then Seaborn struck out to end the game.
Pohl and Lamb both went 3-for-5 to lead Clemson’s 14-hit attack. Lamb also extended his hitting streak to 25 games, the fifth-longest in Tiger history and the longest by an ACC player in 2011.
Atwell and Morgan had two hits apiece to lead Virginia Tech, who totaled eight hits in the contest.
Clemson and Virginia Tech will play the second game of the doubleheader at approximately 4:10 PM.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH