Wake Forest University
Clemson
No. 20 Clemson Holds Off Deacs to Even Series
3/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest's comeback attempt came up short as No. 20-ranked Clemson held the Demon Deacons off on Saturday evening at David F. Couch Ballpark.
Drew Freedman led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort and pair of runs scored and stolen base, while Jonathan Pryor and Nate Mondou added two hits apiece.
On the mound, Griffin Roberts and Donnie Sellers recorded scoreless outings out of the pen.
The Demon Deacons (11-5, 1-1 ACC) used a three-run third inning to grab an early 3-1 lead and chase Clemson starter Clate Schmidt, but Clemson (10-3, 1-1 ACC) scored the next five runs of the game to take a 6-3 advantage.
Wake Forest started a two-out rally in the eighth. Johnny Aiello singled to center, Freedman dropped down a bunt single and Pryor had an infield single. Then, Joey Rodriguez drilled a two-run single into the right-field corner before an inning-ending groundout stranded a pair of Deacs in scoring position.
In the ninth, Stuart Fairchild was hit by a pitch to start the inning and advanced to second on a grounder, but a strikeout and groundout ended the contest.
The Tigers were led by freshman Seth Beer, who hit two longballs and added a sacrifice fly, recording four total RBIs. Lefty Pat Krall was crucial in relief for the Tigers, stranding the bases loaded after entering in the third and firing 5.0 innings of five-hit ball to earn the win, not allowing a run until his fifth inning of work.
Reigning ACC Player of the Year Will Craig was held out of the lineup after tweaking an oblique on the mound Friday night, and is day-to-day.
Right-hander Connor Johnstone (1-2) surrendered three of his four runs in the fifth and sixth innings. Overall, Johnstone lasted 5.2 innings, allowing seven hits, while also recording 10 groundouts.
Roberts struck out three over 1.1 innings in relief and keeping the Demon Deacons within striking distance, and Sellers fired a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
After Clemson started the scoring with a solo homer in the second, the Deacs countered with a three-run third inning in which they sent nine batters to the plate and loaded the bases twice.
Fairchild got the Deacs on the board with a sacrifice fly, Gavin Sheets added an RBI single up the middle, and Ben Breazeale drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Demon Deacons a 3-1 lead after three.
The Tigers took control of the game in the middle innings, scoring two runs in the fifth, one in the sixth, and two more in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead.
After Wake Forest cut the margin to one, Clemson lefty Alex Bostic tossed 1.1 scoreless frames to earn his second save.
Wake Forest and Clemson play the rubber match of the series on Sunday at noon at David F. Couch Ballpark. The game was pushed an hour earlier due to the threat of inclement weather in the evening.
