Wake Forest University
5-7, 2-5
Georgia Tech
10-6, 7-4
Deacs Late Rally Falls Short vs. Georgia Tech
3/20/2021 7:50:00 PM | Baseball
William Fleming struck out six, gave up just two hits in 7.2 innings.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest baseball was able to get the winning run to first base, but a ninth inning rally fell short as the Deacs lost 3-1 to Georgia Tech on Saturday evening at David F. Couch Ballpark.
Wake Forest (5-7, 2-5 ACC) allowed just five base runners all afternoon, behind the strong start from William Fleming. The junior struck out six while giving up just two runs and two hits across 7.2 innings of work.
Brennen Oxford pitched perfectly in relief, retiring all three batters that he faced in 1.1 innings after his inherited runner was caught stealing to end the top of the eighth.
Georgia Tech (10-6, 7-4 ACC) held the Deacs to just two hits and zero runs prior to the bottom of the ninth, where a pair of lead-off walks started a rally for Wake Forest. Chris Lanzilli earned the Deacs' lone RBI with a single to center field that scored Bobby Seymour. But a bases-loaded double play ended Wake Forest's threat.
Seymour reached base three times thanks to a pair of walks and a hit. Shane Muntz matched Seymour's production, also reaching base three times with a hit and a pair of walks.
How It Happened
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In his fourth start of the season, William Fleming made quick work of the top of Georgia Tech's lineup, forcing a pop up and a pair of strikeouts to retire the visitors in order.
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Georgia Tech struck first with a two-run home run to right field with one out in the second. Fleming sat down the next two batters (strike out and pop up) to end the top half of the inning.
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Shane Muntz reached base after being walked with one out and moved into scoring position after a Chris Lanzilli bunt. The Yellow Jackets induced a ground out to end the scoring threat to keep their 2-0 lead.
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The Deacs knocked in their first base hits of the evening in the bottom of the fourth after Bobby Seymour and Shane Muntz both singled. Georgia Tech struck out the next two Deacs to maintain their 2-0 advantage.
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Fleming pitched a perfect top half of the fifth, highlighted by his fifth strikeout of the outing. Additionally, it was his third-straight inning without allowing a hit.
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Seymour reached base for the second time in the contest in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Yellow Jackets forced a double-play and a ground out to get out of the inning unscathed.
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Fleming another three up, three down (strike out and two groundouts) frame in his final full inning of work in the top of the seventh.
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Georgia Tech tacked on an unearned run in the top of the eighth frame to extend their lead to 3-0. Muntz threw out a Yellow Jacket trying to steal second to end the inning.
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Brennen Oxford entered the game with two outs in the seventh, relieving Fleming after 7.2 innings of game action.
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Fleming finished his start on the mound with six strikeouts, two hits allowed and two earned runs.
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Oxford pitched a perfect ninth inning, forcing a pair of fly outs to the outfield and a ground out to keep it a 3-0 contest.
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Seymour and Muntz were both walked to begin the Deacs' last batting appearance. A Chris Lanzilli single to center field on an 0-2 pitch would plate Seymour from second, moving Muntz into scoring position. After a pop up from Cole McNamee, Lucas Costello would load the bases with a single through the 5-6 hole to move the winning run to first and the tying run to second.
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James Broderick grounded to second in the next at-bat, inducing a double play that would end the Demon Deacons' rally, and the game.
In the Spotlight
Georgia Tech entered the series leading the ACC in total runs with an average of 8.7 runs per game. Through two games, Wake Forest has held the Yellow Jacket lineup to just 2.5 runs per game. Georgia Tech is batting .118 against Wake Forest's pitching staff, after entering the series batting .328 as a team.
Words from Walter
"Obviously really pleased with Willam Fleming's outing. Made the one bad pitch, hung a slider to (Tres) Gonzalez with two strikes, and that was kind of the difference in the game. But just really pleased with the way he threw the ball. He got his change up going and located his fastball well, and then (Brennen) Oxford came in and did what he did. I thought the run in the eighth inning was obviously a big run. An error cost us there and then they stole a base and didn't hit it hard but managed to squeeze it through. So that ended up being a big run in the game. But certainly the story today was offensively we just couldn't get anything going. We had a couple big at-bats with situations with men on base and just couldn't get the clutch hit. I'm sure we'll come back strong tomorrow with Rhett Lowder on the mound and get after a good series win."
On Deck
Wake Forest plays Georgia Tech in a rubber match on Sunday at David F. Couch Ballpark. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm. on ACC Network Extra.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Andy Archer (3-1)
L: Fleming, William (1-2)
S: Zach Maxwell (2)
Batting:
HR: Tres Gonzalez 1
RBI: Tres Gonzalez 2 ; Austin Wilhite 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Drew Compton 1 ; Tres Gonzalez 1 ; Jake DeLeo 1
SB: Jake DeLeo 1
CS: Austin Wilhite 1
Batting:
RBI: Lanzilli, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Seymour, Bobby 1
HBP: Bennett, Pierce 1
