Going into the final regular season ACC series, there was a lot at stake for both the Virginia Tech and Clemson baseball teams. However, one team played like their NCAA Tournament hopes were on the line, while one did not so much.
The ACC Tournament begins on Tuesday in Charlotte with all 16 teams there. As far as the Hokies went, this was a huge weekend in terms of their NCAA Tournament hopes, as well as seeding for the ACC Tournament. For the Tigers, it was all about lining up their pitching for the ACC Tournament as they would need to run the table to get a berth in the 64-team NCAA Tournament field later this month.
For the first time since 2009, Virginia Tech won a series over Clemson, winning the first two games on Thursday night and Friday afternoon to clinch the series. The Tigers took the final game on Saturday after falling behind 4-0 in the first inning; they rallied for a 10-8 win, but the Hokies did what they wanted: improved their NCAA Tournament chances while also earning a first-day bye in the ACC Tournament next week.
Virginia Tech baseball wins series over Clemson ahead of ACC Tournament
It was a strange weekend on the field, to say the least. The Hokies got a dominating performance from Brent Renfrow in likely his final start in Blacksburg, allowing one run in 7.1 innings. Then, on Friday, Virginia Tech picked up a walk-off win for the ages.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the ninth, the Hokies tied the game and then had runners on first and second with one out. A misplayed ball by the catcher allowed the runners to move up. However, the throw went to second base for the trail runner. Nick Locurto slid into third base with Pete Daniel stopping to get in a rundown between first and second. While the Tigers were chasing Daniel in a pickle, Locurto scooted home from third base with the game-winning run. It's not something you see that much at any level. You would have thought that a Division 1 baseball program would have handled it differently.
The Hokies will enter the ACC Tournament at 29-23 overall and an even 15-15 in the ACC. However, everyone has a clean slate, and the Hokies have a valuable bye on the first day to rest their pitching. Winning a game or two can solidify Virginia Tech's spot in the NCAA Tournament and bump up its seeding, possibly.
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