Wake Forest University
Clemson
Deacs Drop Slugfest To No. 14 Clemson
4/22/2018 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest and No. 14 Clemson combined for six home runs on Sunday, but it the Tigers who came out on top of the slugfest, 9-4, at David F. Couch Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
Michael Ludowig led the offense with three hits and two RBIs, while Patrick Frick and Chris Lanzilli left the yard for the Demon Deacons (18-23, 10-11 ACC).
The Tigers (29-11, 14-7 ACC) received solo shots from Chris Williams, Grayson Byrd, Kyle Wilkie and Drew Wharton, but it was a sloppy defensive inning for the Deacs which allowed Clemson to pull in front.
After a single, walk and wild pitch put two in scoring position, Wilkie hit a two-run double to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Then a walk was issued to Patrick Cromwell, who scampered to second as the pitch went to the backstop. Wilkie scored when the ball was thrown to second in an attempt to retire Cromwell. An ensuing safety squeeze by Jordan Greene pushed the lead to 4-0.
Williams and Byrd homered in the fifth to extend the Tiger advantage to 6-0 before the Deacs battled back in the sixth.
Lanzilli led off the inning with his second homer of the weekend, a line-drive shot over the left-field wall to put the Deacs on the board. Johnny Aiello was hit by a pitch and Bruce Steel walked, and a balk moved them in scoring position for a two-run single from Michael Ludowig to cut the deficit to 6-3.
Frick drilled his third homer of the season to lead off the seventh and make the score 6-4. Lanzilli followed with a single and Shane Muntz walked to put the potential tying run aboard before a strikeout ended the threat.
Clemson pulled away in the eighth on Wilkie and Wharton homers and an RBI double by Logan Davidson.
Colin Peluse (6-1) suffered his first defeat of the season, allowing six runs in 5.0 innings. Jared Shuster, William Fleming, Bobby Hearn and Chris Farish recorded scoreless outings in relief.
Jake Higginbotham (6-1) earned the win for Clemson with 5.0 shutout innings. Ryley Gilliam earned his second save in as many days by striking out five Deacs over the final 2.2 innings.
Wake Forest has a pair of midweek games upcoming, traveling to Charlotte on Tuesday before returning home to play Liberty on Wednesday.
