VMI Baseball: #14 Clemson sweeps two from Keydets

The #14th-ranked Clemson University baseball team swept both ends of a non-conference doubleheader Saturday against visiting VMI, 8-6 and 8-2.

Game 1: Clemson 8, VMI 6

VMI took an early 2-0 lead off the bat of Nathan Loyd, as the sophomore designated hitter drove a two-run home run over the right-center field fence. Clemson scored three runs in the third to go ahead 3-2. The Keydets tied the score in the sixth as Josh Hollifield drove in Will Knight with a double down the left-field line.

The Tigers countered with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, but senior first-baseman Jake Huggins tied the game back up with a three-run blast. A Clemson home run in the bottom of the seventh provided the margin of victory.

VMI junior right-hander Jacob Menders scattered six hits and allowed three runs in his five innings on the mound. Hollifield doubled twice and Huggins finished with two hits.

Game 2: Clemson 8, VMI 2

Freshman Adam Jewell had a no-hitter going through three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. The Tigers scored four in the frame, and added one in the sixth and three in the seventh. VMI loaded the bases in the seventh with one out, and scored one run on a groundout but couldn’t cut any more into the lead. Huggins singled in the eighth to score Michael Diodato.

Callen Nuccio had a pair of hits in the nightcap, Knight walked twice and Huggins had a hit and a walk. Tiger pitchers struck out 17 Keydets, including 11 over six innings from starter Davis Sharpe, who allowed just one hit and two walks to earn the win.

The same two teams are scheduled to finish the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.