Deacons Dispose of Mountaineers
Deacons Win Opener vs. Mountaineers
5/28/2020 4:01:00 PM | Baseball
Wake Forest takes 1-0 lead in best of three series
This year marks the 65th anniversary of Wake Forest's 1955 College World Series Championship. GoDeacs.com will re-live that journey to the national championship by re-telling the story of each game on the corresponding date. The Deacons started on the road to Omaha with their first game at West Virginia on May 28, 1955.
May 28, 1955
MORGANTOWN, W.VA. – Wake Forest opened play today in the NCAA District 3 playoffs with a 5-1 win at West Virginia. Wake Forest took advantage of five West Virginia errors to score five unearned runs in the first game of the best-of-three series. Sophomore Jack McGinley scattered eight hits in a complete game to earn the win for Wake Forest. Mountaineer ace Jim Heise was saddled with the loss as his record fell to 10-3.
The Deacons' opened the scoring in the second inning when Bill Barnes reached base on a two-base error by Ed Lenart. Barnes then stole third and scored on an infield out.
Wake Forest added two runs in the fifth when shortstop Harold Moore hit a two-out smash to shortstop Ronnie Laneve who committed a two-base throwing error, allowing Moore to reach second base. Luke McKeel singled to move Moore to third before scoring on a passed ball. Catcher Linwood Holt followed with another single to score McKeel.
In the top of the eighth, Frank McRae reached on a single and scored after the West Virginia second baseman couldn't handle George Miller's two-out grounder.
West Virginia tallied its lone run in the eighth inning when Charley McKown doubled, moved to third on a single by Vic Rabbits and scored on Lenart's ground out.
The Deacons added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Tommy Cole doubled to drive home Moore.
Game two of the series is scheduled for May 30 at Hawley Field.
The winner of the series will advance to meet Rollins College which won its series against Alabama 2-0. The Crimson Tide fell 4-3 and 5-3 to Rollins in Winter Park, Fla.
The national finals are scheduled for June 10-14 at Omaha, Neb.
May 28, 1955
MORGANTOWN, W.VA. – Wake Forest opened play today in the NCAA District 3 playoffs with a 5-1 win at West Virginia. Wake Forest took advantage of five West Virginia errors to score five unearned runs in the first game of the best-of-three series. Sophomore Jack McGinley scattered eight hits in a complete game to earn the win for Wake Forest. Mountaineer ace Jim Heise was saddled with the loss as his record fell to 10-3.
The Deacons' opened the scoring in the second inning when Bill Barnes reached base on a two-base error by Ed Lenart. Barnes then stole third and scored on an infield out.
Wake Forest added two runs in the fifth when shortstop Harold Moore hit a two-out smash to shortstop Ronnie Laneve who committed a two-base throwing error, allowing Moore to reach second base. Luke McKeel singled to move Moore to third before scoring on a passed ball. Catcher Linwood Holt followed with another single to score McKeel.
In the top of the eighth, Frank McRae reached on a single and scored after the West Virginia second baseman couldn't handle George Miller's two-out grounder.
West Virginia tallied its lone run in the eighth inning when Charley McKown doubled, moved to third on a single by Vic Rabbits and scored on Lenart's ground out.
The Deacons added an insurance run in the top of the ninth when Tommy Cole doubled to drive home Moore.
Game two of the series is scheduled for May 30 at Hawley Field.
The winner of the series will advance to meet Rollins College which won its series against Alabama 2-0. The Crimson Tide fell 4-3 and 5-3 to Rollins in Winter Park, Fla.
The national finals are scheduled for June 10-14 at Omaha, Neb.
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