Virginia Tech Baseball Gears Up for Pivotal ACC Finale vs. Clemson

The Hokies have won three straight ACC series heading into their regular season-ending three-game set with the Tigers.

Ethan Ball swings at a pitch during Virginia Tech's game against UNC Greensboro on May 10, 2026. | Virginia Tech Athletics

BLACKSBURG, Va. — Coming off a two-game split with UNC Greensboro, Virginia Tech baseball now readies for its final series of the regular season, playing against Clemson in a three-game set that serves as one of the determinants for its NCAA Tournament ambitions.

The Hokies' series split came via an 18-13 Game 1 loss that was followed by an 11-9 victory. The Spartans blitzed Virginia Tech on May 9, tagging the Hokies for their second-most runs this season, behind only Miami on April 3 (19). In game two, however, Virginia Tech bounced back, finishing its non-conference portion of the regular season with a 14-8 mark. The Hokies finished with eight home runs across the two-game weekend slate -- a season-high.

𝙃𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 💥

Eight weekend home runs - highest output of season!#Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/NdHp6U60yp

— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) May 12, 2026

The Tigers (30-23, 9-18 ACC) have little to play for, with the only road to an NCAA Tournament berth coming through the ACC Tournament, which starts May 19 in Charlotte, N.C. The Clemson Insider's Jason Priester reported Monday that Clemson may rest starting pitchers Michael Sharman and Aidan Knaak for this weekend's series to safeguard them ahead of the ACC tourney.

Some of the other options in Clemson's pool include freshman right-hander Danny Nelson (17 appearances, one start, 3.71 ERA), freshman right-hander Dylan Harrison (12 appearances, five starts, 3.86 ERA), junior right-hander Drew Titsworth (14 appearances, five starts, 5.57 ERA) or redshirt freshman Dane Moehler (nine appearances, nine starts, 6.14 ERA).

For Virginia Tech, a series victory not only grants it its fourth straight series win, but it also elevates the Hokies to the 15- or 16-win mark — typically the threshold for an ACC team to qualify for the NCAAs. Tech currently ranks No. 9 in the ACC standings, the first team outside the margin for a single-round bye.

Brett Renfrow is likely to start Thursday's game for the Hokies. The junior right-hander was held to a low pitch count in the series opener against UNC Greensboro, throwing for only one frame (26 pitches). He allowed three hits and a run, though he has been far more effective over the past month.

In his last three outings (Pitt on April 17, NC State on April 24 and California on May 1), Renfrow threw 25 frames, allowing 10 runs and three runs while amassing 27 strikeouts. Including just the NC State and Cal games, that total becomes 15 frames of seven-hit, one-run ball with 18 K's.

Griffin Stieg likely mans the mound for Friday's middle contest. In 13 appearances, he holds a 6.67 ERA, though that is in part due to his last two outings. Against California and UNC Greensboro on May 3 and May 10, respectively, he was tagged for 10 hits and 11 runs (all earned) for a 16.23 ERA this month. In April (four games), he threw for a 4.91 ERA, allowing 12 runs in 22 innings pitched. Logan Eisenreich (7.11 ERA) or Ethan Grim (6.94 ERA) could be in line for a Sunday start, though Virginia Tech has swapped the order around before, starting Renfrow on several Saturdays and starting Stieg on a Sunday.

At the dish, three Tigers with over 100 at-bats are swinging at a .300 batting average. Nate Savoie leads the charge with a .332 rate that includes 770 hits, 13 doubles and 16 home runs for a team-best .621 slugging percentage.

Then, there's Luke Gaffney, who's hitting at a .328 rate wth eight homers, 12 doubles and 61 total hits. Behind him, there's Jarren Purify. Purify has played in only 36 of the Tigers' 53 games, but he has compiled four homers and eight doubles for 42 hits on 116 at-bats.

Clemson opened its ACC slate with a series loss to Georgia Tech that included a 10-0 Game 1 shellacking. The Tigers lost their next sseries to Miami, though they bounced back with a series win over Stanford. Clemson lost its next three series to North Carolina, Virginia and Louisville, being swept by the Cardinals (13-10, 11-6, 7-5).

Clemson then took down then-No. 23 Boston College, eviscerating the Eagles 14-4 (seven innings) in the second game of the series and claiming the rubber match 4-3. The Tigers supplanted then-No. 8 Coastal Carolina but lost two of three to Florida State (8-4 FSU, 4-3 Clemson, 6-3 FSU). At the time of writing, the Tigers rank No. 38 in the NCAA's RPI, one spot ahead of the Hokies.

Virginia Tech struggled en route to a 5-9 start in league play, losing four of its first five ACC series to Georgia Tech, Virginia, Stanford and Miami. However, the Hokies avoided sweeps by picking up the series finales against the Yellow Jackets, Cavaliers and Hurricanes while run-ruling the Cardinal 10-2 in Game 2 of the set. Virginia Tech has won 11 of its last 15 entering Thursday's tilt, and it has won its last three ACC series, toppling Pitt, NC State and Cal.

Meanwhile, Virginia Tech currently has three hitters batting at a .300-plus average: shortstop Pete Daniel (.321), first baseman Ethan Gibson (.311) and second baseman Ethan Ball (.308). Ball currently leads the team in home runs with 13.

Seven of the Hokies' nine main starters hold a batting average above .288, with right fielder Sam Grube (.297) and infielder Hudson Lutterman (.296) right under the .300 mark — though Lutterman has missed the last three games. After an early-season slump, catcher Henry Cooke — who was hitting .063 after February — now sits at a .289 clip at the plate, bolstered by a team-best .365 mark in league play and a .440 mark so far in May.

The series opens Thursday, May 14, at 6 p.m. ET at English Field; Friday and Saturday's first pitches are set for 3 p.m. ET and 1 p.m. ET, respectively. All three games of the set will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.