Clemson Beats No. 9 Virginia 5-1 in ACC Baseball

Tigers even series behind strong pitching and two home runs from Nate Savoie

Apr. 18, 2026 at 12:55am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the action of a college baseball game, with sharp, overlapping planes of Clemson orange and Virginia blue colors.Clemson's victory over the ninth-ranked Cavaliers sets up a pivotal rubber match in this ACC baseball series.Charlottesville Today

Clemson's Nate Savoie hit two home runs and Michael Sharman pitched 8.0 strong innings to lead the Tigers to a 5-1 victory over No. 9 Virginia in ACC baseball action on Friday night. The win evened the series at 1-1 as the teams prepare to conclude the series on Saturday.

Why it matters

This ACC baseball matchup between Clemson and Virginia features two highly ranked teams battling for position in the conference standings. The outcome could have implications for NCAA tournament seeding and the teams' postseason aspirations.

The details

Savoie belted a solo homer in the third inning to give Clemson an early lead. Virginia tied it in the fifth on an RBI fielder's choice. In the seventh, Savoie crushed a two-run homer to put the Tigers back on top, and they added two more runs in the frame. Sharman (5-1) earned the win, allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts over 8.0 innings.

  • The series opener was played on Friday, April 18, 2026.
  • The series concludes on Saturday, April 19, 2026 at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

The players

Nate Savoie

Clemson outfielder who hit two home runs to lead the Tigers to victory.

Michael Sharman

Clemson pitcher who earned the win by allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts over 8.0 strong innings.

Joe Tiroly

Virginia player who drove in the Cavaliers' lone run with an RBI fielder's choice.

Kevin Jaxel

Virginia pitcher who suffered the loss.

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What’s next

The series concludes on Saturday, April 19, 2026 at 1 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.

The takeaway

Clemson's victory over the ninth-ranked Cavaliers evens the series and demonstrates the Tigers' ability to compete with top teams in the ACC. The outcome sets up an important rubber match on Saturday that could impact the conference standings and postseason outlook for both programs.