Frank McRae, Bob Waggoner
West Virginia Rally Forces Game 3 for Deacon Baseball
5/30/2020 4:45:00 PM | Baseball
West Virginia 9, Wake 7
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia trailed by six runs before going wild and scoring eight times in the top of the ninth inning today (May 30, 1955) to defeat Wake Forest 9-7 in the NCAA District 3 baseball semifinal.
West Virginia's victory pushes the best of three series to a deciding game on May 31. Wake Forest won the May 28 opener by a score of 5-1.
Wake Forest starter Lowell "Lefty" Davis had the game under control with a 7-1 lead and was throwing a three-hitter when the Mountaineers, serving as the visiting team on their home field, came to bat in the top of the ninth inning. Davis retired the lead-off hitter before Vic Rabbits hit a 370-foot triple into left center. A ground ball by Ed Lenart took a bad hop in the infield and went for a single to score Rabbits. Davis retired the next hitter, leaving the Deacons one out from victory and a series sweep.
West Virginia's Don Firestone singled to center to score Lenart. Pinch-hitter Jim Baliker singled to left, and Glenn Higgins singled off the glove of shortstop Harold Moore to load the bases. Pitcher Jim Heise was sent up to pinch-hit and Davis walked him on four pitches and followed that with a four pitch walk to pinch-hitter Rod Shafer. The two walks forced in two more runs leaving Wake Forest with a 7-5 lead.
At this point, Wake Forest head coach Taylor Sanford brought in sophomore righthander Buck Fichter. He immediately walked Ed Dayoob on five pitches to force in a run to make it 7-6.
On his second at-bat of the inning, Rabbits lined a shot over Frank McRae's head in left-center to drive in the final three runs of the inning and provide WVU with a 9-7 lead.
After the rally, West Virginia head coach Steve Harrick sent his ace pitcher, Heise, who had started just two days earlier, to the mound to close out the game. After two pop-ups, Linwood Holt reached on an error before Heise fanned Tommy Cole to end the game.
WVU's Tommy Cook was credited with the win. The sophomore southpaw pitched three innings in relief to earn his third win of the year.
Wake Forest jumped to a quick lead with a five-run first inning, all scoring with two outs. West Virginia starter Don O'Haver barely survived the rocky first. Harold Moore walked to open the inning and was forced at second by Luke McKeel. Linwood Holt popped up for the second out before McKeel stole second and took third on an overthrow. After a walk to Tommy Cole, Frank McRae doubled to left-center to score two runs. Bill Barnes drew a walk and Jack Bryant's single to right brought home McRae. With two men on, WVU catcher Olan Carter tried to pick off Bryant at first but the throw got away from first baseman Don Firestone allowing both runners to score.
Davis had carried a shutout into the sixth inning when Chris Kaltenecker hit a two-out single and Rabbits followed Charley McKown's walk with an RBI single.
"It's unbelievable," said Wake Forest head coach Taylor Sanford. "I never have seen anything like this happen before."
The winner-take-all game is set for May 31 at Hawley Field.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia trailed by six runs before going wild and scoring eight times in the top of the ninth inning today (May 30, 1955) to defeat Wake Forest 9-7 in the NCAA District 3 baseball semifinal.
West Virginia's victory pushes the best of three series to a deciding game on May 31. Wake Forest won the May 28 opener by a score of 5-1.
Wake Forest starter Lowell "Lefty" Davis had the game under control with a 7-1 lead and was throwing a three-hitter when the Mountaineers, serving as the visiting team on their home field, came to bat in the top of the ninth inning. Davis retired the lead-off hitter before Vic Rabbits hit a 370-foot triple into left center. A ground ball by Ed Lenart took a bad hop in the infield and went for a single to score Rabbits. Davis retired the next hitter, leaving the Deacons one out from victory and a series sweep.
West Virginia's Don Firestone singled to center to score Lenart. Pinch-hitter Jim Baliker singled to left, and Glenn Higgins singled off the glove of shortstop Harold Moore to load the bases. Pitcher Jim Heise was sent up to pinch-hit and Davis walked him on four pitches and followed that with a four pitch walk to pinch-hitter Rod Shafer. The two walks forced in two more runs leaving Wake Forest with a 7-5 lead.
At this point, Wake Forest head coach Taylor Sanford brought in sophomore righthander Buck Fichter. He immediately walked Ed Dayoob on five pitches to force in a run to make it 7-6.
On his second at-bat of the inning, Rabbits lined a shot over Frank McRae's head in left-center to drive in the final three runs of the inning and provide WVU with a 9-7 lead.
After the rally, West Virginia head coach Steve Harrick sent his ace pitcher, Heise, who had started just two days earlier, to the mound to close out the game. After two pop-ups, Linwood Holt reached on an error before Heise fanned Tommy Cole to end the game.
WVU's Tommy Cook was credited with the win. The sophomore southpaw pitched three innings in relief to earn his third win of the year.
Wake Forest jumped to a quick lead with a five-run first inning, all scoring with two outs. West Virginia starter Don O'Haver barely survived the rocky first. Harold Moore walked to open the inning and was forced at second by Luke McKeel. Linwood Holt popped up for the second out before McKeel stole second and took third on an overthrow. After a walk to Tommy Cole, Frank McRae doubled to left-center to score two runs. Bill Barnes drew a walk and Jack Bryant's single to right brought home McRae. With two men on, WVU catcher Olan Carter tried to pick off Bryant at first but the throw got away from first baseman Don Firestone allowing both runners to score.
Davis had carried a shutout into the sixth inning when Chris Kaltenecker hit a two-out single and Rabbits followed Charley McKown's walk with an RBI single.
"It's unbelievable," said Wake Forest head coach Taylor Sanford. "I never have seen anything like this happen before."
The winner-take-all game is set for May 31 at Hawley Field.
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