Virginia Tech hits six homers, routs Clemson in ACC tourney

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Nick Biddison and Carson Jones both hit two of Virginia Tech's six home runs, combining for nine runs batted and powering top-seeded Virginia Tech to an 18-6 romp over No. 12 seed Clemson during pool play of the ACC Tournament on Thursday night.

Virginia Tech (41-11) will close out pool play against No. 8 seed North Carolina in the nightcap on Friday.

It didn't take long for the Hokies to take control, putting on a two-out third-inning power display that wasn't over until seven runs had scored.

Cade Hunter singled with one out and and Jones followed with a two-out two-run shot to put Virginia Tech up 5-2. That spelled the end for Tigers starter Billy Barlow (2-4). Austin Gordon entered and walked Lucas Donion before yielding a single to Carson DeMartini. Biddison, Gavin Cross and Tanner Schobel — the first three hitters in the batting order — followed with back-to-back-to-back home runs for a 10-2 lead and the Hokies never looked back.

Biddison finished with three hits and five RBIs — adding a run-scoring double in the second inning and a solo shot in the seventh. He also walked twice. Jones capped his night in the ninth with his second two-run homer. Cross had three hits, three RBIs and scored three runs.

Clemson (35-23) showed some power of its own, scoring its runs on a two-run home run by Blake Wright in the second inning, a two-run shot by Max Wagner in the third and a two-run homer by Camden Troyer in the fourth.

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