CLEMSON — Clemson’s Kiley Channell and Taylor Pipkins each hit home runs and drove in an additional run each as the Tigers beat No. 18 Virginia, 6-1, Sunday at McWhorter Stadium to complete the sweep of the three-game series.
Clemson is now 16-2 all-time against the Cavaliers. The Tigers outscored Virginia 21-6 over weekend.
Sierra Maness earned the win in the circle to improve to 16-8 on the year. The righty allowed just one run on two hits with four strikeouts and four walks in a complete game victory. It is her ninth complete game this season.
Sunday marked the eighth time Maness held her opponents to one or fewer runs this year. Virginia was 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position.
Channell finished the afternoon with two hits to go with her home run and 2 RBIs, while Macey Cintron and Mac Pavese also had RBI hits.
The Tigers, who were 4-for-7 with runners in scoring position, wasted little time getting things rolling on Sunday. After Jamison Brockenbrough was hit by a pitch to lead off the Clemson first, Pavese doubled over the leftfielder’s head and off the wall to easily score the speedster from second base, who moved over on a Channell sac bunt.
Cintron made it 2-0 on the next at-bat after driving a ball up the middle and into centerfield, bringing Pavese home.
Clemson (30-17, 12-9 ACC) extended its lead in the bottom of the second when Pipkins smacked a two-run homer to leftfield with two outs for a 4-0 lead.
After Virginia’s Jade Hylton smashed a home run to right centerfield in the top of third, the Tigers answered back with a solo home run by Channell to lead off the bottom of the frame. She then sliced a ball through the right side with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the fourth for the Tigers final run of the day.
The RBI single scored Ariail Kennedy for a 6-1 advantage.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
Thanks to Sunday’s win, the Tigers earned their first ACC sweep of the season over an opponent. Clemson was previously 0-2 in sweep opportunities against conference foes. It lost to Georgia Tech on March 8 and then the next week to Louisville on March 15 when it had chances to earn sweeps.
RESUME BUILDER
Clemson continues to improve on its NCAA Tournament resume. Thanks to Sunday’s win, the Tigers earned their ninth win over a ranked opponent this season. They are 9-7 against ranked opponents this year.
Virginia (33-11, 10-10 ACC) came into the weekend series ranked No. 27 in the RPI rankings, while Clemson was No. 25.
Clemson is 14-11 vs. top 50 opponents this season.
UP NEXT
Clemson will host Presbyterian at 6 p.m., on Tuesday in the regular season home finale.