The Clemson Insider looks back at No. 15 Clemson’s 6-4 win at Virginia Tech on Friday evening at Union Park.

What happened?
The Tigers (20-6, 7-3 ACC) got things going in the second inning as Elijah Henderson picked up his first career hit on a two-out, two-run single for a 2-0 lead. Clemson extended the lead in the third as Grayson Byrd hit a two-out solo homer for 3-0 score. The Hokies (16-10, 4-6 ACC) pushed a run across in the fourth to cut the lead to 3-1, but Clemson answered right back. The Tigers scored three more two-out runs in the fifth on a wild pitch and RBI singles by Byrd and Bryar Hawkins for a 6-1 advantage. Virginia Tech chipped away with a run in the sixth and two runs in the seventh to cut the lead to 6-4, but Carson Spiers tossed 2.1 scoreless innings out of the bullpen to close out the Clemson win.

Game-Changing Moment:
The game changed in the fifth inning. The Hokies appeared to be out of the inning with a 3-1 deficit, but an error kept the inning alive. Kyle Wilkie, Byrd, and Hawkins followed through three consecutive singles (along with a wild pitch) that turned the 3-1 hole into a 6-1 deficit.

What went right?
Davis Sharpe had another solid outing, earning his fourth win with 6.0 innings of two-run ball. Spiers picked up his eighth save of the season with 2.1 scoreless innings. Offensively, Byrd was 3-for-3 while Hawkins had two hits to pace Clemson’s nine-hit attack. Byrd and Henderson each had two RBI as well.

What went wrong?
The Tigers had one error that led to a unearned run while later in the game two walks came in to score. Clemson stranded eight runners in the game while striking out eight times.