Wake Forest University
Clemson
Deacs Drop 1-0 Pitcher's Duel to Clemson
4/13/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 13, 2013
Final Stats | Final Stats
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By Steven Wright, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
CLEMSON, S.C. - Justin Van Grouw and Aaron Fossas combined to not allow an earned run, but an unearned run in the fifth inning was the difference, as No. 17 Clemson defeated Wake Forest 1-0 on Saturday night at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Van Grouw (3-5) suffered the loss but went 6.2 innings and scattered five hits. The start was the longest outing of his career without giving up an earned run, while he was able to strike out three batters. Fossas then pitched the final 1.1 innings and retired all four batters he faced, including two strikeouts.
Clemson starter Matthew Crownover earned the win to go to 5-0 by pitching 5.1 innings and striking out four. Scott Firth recorded his second save of the season by pitching the final 2.0 innings. The Tigers are now 25-11 on the year and 11-6 in the ACC, as the Demon Deacons drop to 19-19 overall and 4-13 in conference play.
Wake Forest outhit Clemson 7-5 on the night but was unable to push a run across the board. Mark Rhine was the only Demon Deacons with two hits, while Matt Conway, Brett Armour, Kevin Conway, Conor Keniry and Joey Rodriguez each had one hit apiece.
Steven Duggar led off the fifth by reaching on an error, moved to third and back-to-back ground ball outs and scored what proved to be the game-winning run on a single up the middle by Tyler Krieger.
Clemson nearly took a lead in the second inning after a leadoff triple by Shane Kennedy and a fly ball to center by Steve Wilkerson, but Rodriguez made the catch and fired the ball to Armour who was able to make the tag at the plate for the double play.
The Tigers then recorded two hits in the fourth inning, but Van Grouw was able to pick off one base runner and another was thrown out trying to steal by Armour.
The Demon Deacons had a chance in the sixth but were unable to capitalize. Rhine singled and Blair walked with one out, and two batters later Armour loaded the bases with a single of his own. Charlie Morgan came on as a pinch hitter and hit a ball sharply on the ground, but it happened to be right at Krieger at shortstop who fielded and flipped to Wilkerson at second to get the force out.
To lead off the top of the seventh, Keniry battled through an 11-pitch at bat and came out victorious with a double to center field, but he was not able to come home.
Clemson loaded the bases with two outs looking for insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Foassas came on and got Garrett Boulware to pop up to Blair at shortstop to get out of the inning. He then began the eighth with a pair of strikeouts and ended it with a ground ball to Keniry at second.
Firth was up to the challenge over the final two innings himself, though, as he retired all six batters he faced.
Wake Forest will try to win the series finale tomorrow against Clemson at 1 p.m. at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
