Wake Forest University
Florida State
Deacons End No. 18 FSU's Streaks in Upset Win
3/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
By Jay Garneau, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Wake Forest used clutch pitching and timely hits to upset No. 18-ranked Florida State, 4-1, snapping the Seminoles' 11-game winning streak and 14-0 home mark at Dick Howser Stadium on Friday night.
Florida State (15-3, 3-1 ACC) brought the potential tying run to the plate in each of the last four innings, but Matt Pirro and Parker Dunshee combined to four-hit the Seminoles for the Wake Forest (13-6, 3-1 ACC) victory.
Pirro remained perfect in 2015 by tossing 5.2 innings, allowing one run on two hits to pick up the win and improve to 5-0.
Dunshee, previously slated to start Saturday's game, entered in relief and struck out seven batters over 3.1 scoreless innings to earn his first save.
The Deacons stole seven bases, including a career-high three by Jonathan Pryor, for the most bags swiped in a game since 2011.
In the second inning, Ben Breazeale reached on an error and stole his first-career base to advance to second. He scored on a Justin Yurchak single to give Wake Forest a 1-0 lead.
The next inning, Nate Mondou hit a leadoff, two-strike double and promptly stole third. Will Craig drove him in with a double of his own, eventually scoring on a Joe Napolitano sacrifice fly.
A Mondou double again started a sixth-inning rally. After his two-bagger, he scored on a Breazeale RBI single to make the score 4-0.
Florida State scored its only run in the bottom of the inning. The Seminoles used a walk, infield single, hit by pitch and walk to plate a run, but Dunshee struck out Josh Delph to leave the bases loaded.
In the seventh, two walks again brought the tying run to the plate. This time, Dunshee made DJ Stewart whiff on three pitches to end the inning.
A single and walk again put runners on first and second for the Seminoles in the eighth. This time, Dunshee needed eight pitches to strike out pinch hitter Gage West.
Dunshee closed it out in the ninth, striking out two and forcing a groundout to again leave two runners on.
Pryor finished the game 3-for-5, while Mondou, Yurchak and Stuart Fairchild recorded two hits apiece.
Florida State's originally-scheduled starter, Mike Compton, was scratched with an oblique injury in warm-ups. Ed Voyles started in his place and took the loss, allowing an unearned run in 1.2 innings. Quincy Nieporte went 2-for-3 with a walk and RBI to lead FSU.
The Demon Deacons are now expected to start Connor Johnstone tomorrow.
SWIPED
• Jonathan Pryor became the first Deacon to steal three bases in a game since Mac Williamson did so in 2011.
• Wake Forest is 30-for-31 in stolen-base attempts, good for 97 percent. The Deacs lead the ACC in most stolen bases, and fewest runners caught stealing.
• Stuart Fairchild leads the way with eight.
TIMELY HITTING
• Wake Forest finished the game with four hits with runners in scoring position; Florida State was 0-for-8.
• The Deacons were also 6-for-20 with runners on, compared to 2-for-17 for the Seminoles.
TWO, PLEASE
• Wake Forest entered the game leading the nation with 50 doubles. The Deacs drilled three more to bring the total to 53.
• Will Craig blasted one of them to continue leading the ACC with 10. By hitting two, Nate Mondou is now tied for second with eight.
ON DECK
• The Deacs and Seminoles have two more games in the series. Tomorrow, the squads square off at 6 p.m. again on ESPN3. Sunday's contest is slated for 1 p.m.
