DURHAM, N.C. -- Aidan Knaak pitched 6.0 effective innings and Dominic Listi had four RBIs in No. 12 Clemson’s 6-1 victory over Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament at Durham Bulls Athletic Park on Wednesday afternoon.
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The Tigers, who upped its tourney record to 1-0, improved to 42-15, while the Hokies dropped to 31-25.
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Knaak (9-1) earned the win by allowing just four hits, one run and one walk with six strikeouts. He became the first Tiger with nine wins in a season since 2019 (Mat Clark).
Hokie starter Brett Renfrow (3-7) suffered the loss, as he yielded eight hits, six runs and two walks with 10 strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.
Ben Watson led off the game with a homer, then Cam Cannarella led off the bottom of the first inning with a double to extend his hitting streak to 16 games and scored on a wild pitch. Later in the frame with two outs, Listi hit a two-run homer, his fifth of the year. Listi doubled Clemson’s lead in the fifth inning with a two-out, two-run double, then Cannarella lofted a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.
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Clemson outhit Virginia Tech 10-4.
Jarren Purify added a game-high three hits. T.P. Wentworth tallied two hits.
Jacob McGovern (2 IP, 1 BB, 3 K) saw relief action for the Tigers, as did Joe Allen (1 IP, 1 K).
The Tigers advance to play No. 4 seed NC State in the quarterfinals on Thursday at 7 p.m. on the ACC Network. Clemson is the designated visiting team and occupies the first-base dugout.
