No. 13 Virginia Tech tops Clemson to even weekend series

CLEMSON, S.C. – No. 13 Virginia Tech totaled 15 hits and scored in six different innings in its 11-3 victory over Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Hokies, who evened the series 1-1 and snapped their seven-game losing streak in the series, improved to 10-7 overall and 6-5 in the ACC. The Tigers fell to 7-9 overall and 2-6 in ACC play.

Cade Swisher laced a solo homer and Dayne Leonard added a squeeze bunt in the second inning, then Fritz Genther lofted a solo homer in the top of the fourth inning to up Virginia Tech’s lead to 3-0. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Jonathan French’s run-scoring single put the Tigers on the scoreboard, then the Hokies took advantage of a two-out error to score a run in the sixth inning.

Virginia Tech capitalized on more Tiger miscues in the seventh inning to score four runs, then they added two runs in the top of eighth inning. James Parker blasted a solo homer, his fourth of the year, in the bottom of the eighth inning, then pinch-hitter Tanner Thomas belted a solo homer in the ninth inning.

Starter Chris Gerald tossed 3.0 hitless and scoreless innings. Reliever Jaison Heard (2-0) earned the win by pitching the final 5.1 innings. Hokie pitchers combined to allow only two Tigers to reach base with less than two outs, both on one-out singles. Clemson starter Ty Olenchuk (1-3) suffered the loss.

The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. on ACCNX.