BRIGHTON, Mass. — Second-seeded and 15th-ranked Clemson scored eight runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally past third-seeded and 13th-ranked Virginia Tech 10-9 in an ACC semifinal on a rainy, cold, windy Friday afternoon.
The game was moved up three hours in an unsuccessful attempt to beat the rain. It began pouring during the game, making it difficult for pitchers and fielders.
Tech pitchers walked 13 batters and hit another, while Clemson pitchers walked only three batters. Clemson (43-12) committed five errors and Tech (41-11) made four.
Virginia Tech led 9-2 midway through the sixth, but the Tigers rallied. Julia Knowler reached base on an error by second baseman Rachel Castine, with two runners scoring. Marian Collins later hit a two-RBI, two-out double, cutting the lead to 9-6.
Emma Lemley then entered the game in relief of starter Emma Mazzarone. Lemley walked the first two batters she faced, loading the bases. Jamison Brockenbrough and Alex Brown each walked, cutting the lead to 9-8. Lemley hit Maddie Moore with a pitch, tying the game at 9.
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Sophie Kleiman entered in relief of Lemley but walked Knowler, enabling Clemson to take a 10-9 lead.
Tech first baseman Michelle Chatfield, an All-ACC first-team pick who injured her wrist Sunday, missed her second straight game.
Cori McMillan belted a two-run homer for Tech, becoming the first ACC player to hit 30 homers in a season. She had already broken the Tech and ACC single-season marks.
Jordan Lynch had three hits for Tech. Emily LeGette had two hits and one RBI. Kylie Aldridge had a three-RBI double, while Lyla Blackwell had an RBI single.
On Thursday night, Lemley pitched a one-hit shutout to help Tech beat sixth-seeded North Carolina 4-0 in the quarterfinals.
Tech scored all of its runs in the bottom of the sixth. Nora Abromavage had a pinch-hit, two-RBI single and McMillan had a two-RBI double.
The NCAA tournament selection show will air at 7 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2.
SOFTBALL
Radford eliminated
The top-seeded Highlanders (30-26) won only one of their two elimination games Friday in the Big South tournament in Clinton, S.C., and saw their season come to an end.
In its first game of the day, Radford beat second-seeded Longwood 3-1.
Radford’s Rachel Smith homered in that game, while Isabel Harrison had an RBI single.
Fourth-seeded Winthrop then beat Radford 1-0 in the losers’ bracket final to earn a berth in Saturday’s finals.
Lonna Addison homered in the top of the seventh inning. She also threw a two-hitter.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
UVa 20, Long Island 6
Madison Alaimo had two goals and a school-record nine assists Friday to help No. 5 overall seed and seventh-ranked UVa (12-6) beat visiting Long Island (12-7) in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Alaimo tied the record for the most assists by a player in an NCAA tournament game.
Jenna DiNardo and Kate Galica each had four goals for UVa.
UVa will host Duke, a 17-10 winner over James Madison, in the second round Sunday.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Tennessee 4, UVa 0
Catherine Aulia and Elza Tomase won in doubles and singles to help No. 10 overall Tennessee (20-7) knock off No. 7 overall seed UVa (22-6) in the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament Friday in Charlottesville.
