Wake Forest University
USC
No. 21 USC Hands Deacs First Loss
2/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Final Stats | Final Stats (PDF) 
Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
LOS ANGELES -- No. 21-ranked USC started strong and peppered 16 hits en route to handing Wake Forest its first defeat of the season, 9-4, at Dedeaux Field on Friday night.
The Trojans (3-2) scored the first five runs of the contest, and after the Demon Deacons (4-1) plated four in the fifth, USC finished with four unanswered runs.
Nate Mondou led the Wake Forest offense, finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Jonathan Pryor also added a pair of hits, while Kevin Conway had a hit and RBI.
USC totaled seven hits over the first three innings, scoring two runs in the first, one in the second and two more in the third.
Wake Forest tried to battle back in the fifth, as five straight Deacs reached base to start the inning.
Johnny Aiello doubled, Joey Rodriguez was hit by a pitch and Pryor had a bunt single to load the bases.
Conway reached on a fielder's choice, and the throw to first to attempt a double play was off target as Aiello and Rodriguez scored, then Mondou singled home Conway and eventually scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 5-4.
The Trojans answered right back with two in the bottom of the fifth, and single runs in the seventh and eighth.
Parker Dunshee (1-1) took the loss, allowing five runs in 4.0 innings. Kyle Davis (1-1) earned the win for USC, striking out six and allowing four runs over 7.0 frames.
For USC, Lars Nootbaar recorded four hits and Jeremy Martinez tallied three hits, including a solo homer.
Game two of the three-game series is set for Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. PT.
