Virginia Tech Clinches Clemson Series With 2-1 Walk-Off Win

BLACKSBURG, Va. — From two hits in the first eight innings to three in the final, Virginia Tech baseball went scoreless for the first eight frames.

Then, it put together a two-run ninth — including a wild pitch turned double-steal into a run — to walk off Clemson and clinch the series — and likely an NCAA Tournament bid.

"I thought [Pete Daniel] did a great job of staying in the rundown as long as he did," Virginia Tech head coach John Szefc said about the final play. "Usually it’s a quicker catch-and-tag situation, but you’ve got the game on the line there. The bottom line is the winning run is on third base. You can’t let that guy score. Regardless of what happens with Pete, if the guy gets back to first, the game’s still going. If he doesn’t and the guy scores, that’s why we’re sitting here talking right now.”

𝙏𝙄𝙂𝙀𝙍 𝙆𝙄𝙉𝙂𝙎 👑

≫ @DeltaDentalofVA #Hokies 🦃⚾️ pic.twitter.com/IwsXS55w0e
— Virginia Tech Baseball (@HokiesBaseball) May 15, 2026

The game started rather quietly, with the first two innings going scoreless with Logan Eisenreich on the mound for the Hokies and a combination of Michael Sharman (1.0 IP, 2 K, 1 H, 0 ER) and Drew Titsworth on the hill for the Tigers.

Clemson struck in the top of the third on the Hokies' sophomore right-hander, though.

In that third, Eisenreich issued a pair of one-out, his only walks of the game, before Jacob Jarrell punched an RBI single to right field, putting runners on the corners. Eisenreich stayed poised from that point, escaping the two-out jam without allowing another run in the inning — or the afternoon.

The Hokies put together a two-out rally in the third, looking to get that run back. A single, a hit-by-pitch and a walk loaded the bases for Ethan Ball. But he couldn't keep the line moving, keeping Virginia Tech off the board and at a 1-0 deficit after the first three innings.

That score held for quite a while after that.

Drew Titsworth went one more inning after the bases-loaded jam, keeping the Hokies off the board before he was pulled in favor of Ariston Veasey.

Titsworth finished his outing with three scoreless innings, striking out five batters and allowing just four total baserunners.

Eisenreich entered cruise control, pitching the next three innings scoreless and finishing his day with six innings pitched. He allowed just one run and struck out a career high nine batters in what is undoubtedly the flamethrower's best appearance in a Virginia Tech uniform.

“He was outstanding," Szefc said after the game. I’m so happy for Logan. He made a great start at Cal and made a great start here. Between him and [Ethan Grim], they’re great reasons why we had a chance to win that game.”

Eisenreich had Tommy John surgery in his senior season of high school, which is typically a career-altering — if not ending — setback for such a young arm. Nonetheless, he bounced back from it and has defined himself as an ACC starter.

“It’s huge," Eisenreich said of the outing. "It’s another step forward. From now on, it’s just focusing on the next outing and the next week.”

In the meantime, Veasey entered cruise control, too. He faced nine batters in three innings, setting them all down and striking out three of them.

“[The Clemson pitching staff] did a really good job keeping us off balance," said left fielder Nick Locurto after the game. "They’ve got a lot of power to the fastballs, and they have good off-speed. So, they kept us off balance, and we couldn’t make adjustments, but we figured out a way to get a gritty win.”

After Eisenreich exited the game, Ethan Grim took over and gave the Hokies a gem of three scoreless frames to keep them in the game going into the bottom of the ninth.

“That dude works his tail off every single day," Eisenreich said about Grim. "Just watching him grow from being a brand new freshman to being one of our guys is huge.”

In the bottom of the ninth, with their backs to the wall, the Hokies offense did just what was needed to secure the seires.

The frame started with Ball, who was robbed of a game-tying home run. The Clemson right fielder couldn't corral the catch, though, so it dropped for a leadoff double.

Hudson Lutterman followed that up, nearly in a huge way, flying out to deep left-center field to a diving play by Clemson left fielder Jack Crighton.

That play moved Ball to third, and Locurto singled to the opposite field gap to tie the game.

Shortly thereafter, Pete Daniel knocked a 1-1 pitch for a single, putting the winning run on second.

At that point, things went haywire, for lack of a better term.

A wild pitch allowed both runners to advance, but Pete Daniel — in a very heads-up play — checked up, baiting the throw to second, and he got the throw.

“Pete does an absolutely amazing job staying in the rundown and giving me a chance to score," Locurto said. "It’s a testament to our team and just shows how tough we are. We love each other and play really hard for one another.”

He got himself in a rundown, and Clemson's infield chased him around.

It was scored the following: 1-6-3-4-6-1, with that final throw back to the catcher being to try and catch Locurto, who took off from third during the rundown, scoring the winning run with a play at the plate and securing the win.

“I’ve told you — these guys have developed into a bunch of winners," Szefc said. "It’s clear they’re a bunch of winners. They find ways to get stuff done sometimes. It’s not always pretty, but winners find ways to win.”

With that win, Virginia Tech is at 15 ACC wins and will likely be comfortably in the field after a very weak start to the season.

The series isn't over, though. Virginia Tech will take on Clemson in game three tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET, looking for its first ACC series sweep of the season.

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