Wake Forest University
Clemson
Wake Forest Falls to Clemson after Walk-Off Homer
4/14/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 14, 2013
Final Stats | Final Stats
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By Steven Wright, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
CLEMSON, S.C. - Steven Duggar launched a two-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to give Clemson a 6-4 win in the series finale over Wake Forest on Sunday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The Tigers swept the Demon Deacons over the weekend to move to 26-11 overall and 12-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Wake Forest dropped to 19-20 and 4-14 ACC.
Connor Kaden pitched the 11th for the Deacs and gave up a leadoff walk before getting a strike out and a fly ball to center field for two outs in the inning. Then on a 2-1 pitch, Duggar connected and sent the ball over the right field wall to give Clemson the win.
Jack Fischer was rock solid out of the bullpen for Wake Forest, taking over with two outs and the bases loaded in the fifth inning and keeping the Tigers off the scoreboard all the way through the 10th. Fischer pitched 5.1 innings, gave up two hits and two walks and struck out two batters.
In two career appearances against Clemson, Fischer has now pitched 13.0 innings without giving up a run and has surrendered just six hits to Tiger batters.
Scott Firth pitched the final three innings of the game for Clemson to earn the win and move to 4-4. Kaden drops to 0-3.
Offensively, Matt Conway led the way with a 3-for-4 performance at the plate, including three singles and a walk. Evan Stephens also reached base four times by going 2-for-3 with a single, a double and two walks.
Wake Forest never had the lead in the game but was able to come from two runs down on two different occasions. Clemson scored two runs in the first before the Deacs answered with two in the third. The Tigers then scored two in the bottom of the third, and after three scoreless innings, Wake Forest tied the game at 4-4 with a pair of runs in the seventh.
Mark Rhine began the rally in the third with a one-out, bunt single down the third base line. Stephens was the next batter and doubled down the line to score Rhine all the way from first. After Conor Keniry walked, Pat Blair hit a grounder to third. The Clemson third baseman stepped on the bag, but his throw across the diamond went wild and Keniry was able to score the tying run.
Kevin Conway and Andrew Williams reached base in the seventh with a single and a walk, respectively. Rhine then sacrificed them both into scoring position with a bunt, and Stephens walked to load the bases. Blair came up big for the Demon Deacons, singling through the left side to score Conway and Williams and make the game 4-4. That is where the game stood until Duggar's home run in the 11th.
Wake Forest will head to UNCG on Tuesday to wrap up the season series with the Spartans at 6 p.m. at UNCG Baseball Stadium.
