Wake Forest Falls Late at High Point

HIGH POINT, N.C. - The Wake Forest baseball team fell late, 11-9, at High Point Tuesday night at Williard Stadium.

The Demon Deacons (28-13, 10-11 ACC) hit five home runs, the second most of the season, in the first of a home-and-home set with the Panthers (14-27, 7-8 Big South). The Deacs came into the contest ranked top-15 nationally in home runs.

Wake Forest clawed back from a two-run deficit behind the combination of four-straight scoreless relief innings and runs in the fifth, eighth and ninth inning.

Pierce Bennett led Wake Forest at the plate with a career-high tying four hits, highlighted by his third home run of the season in the fifth inning as well as an RBI-single to push the Demon Deacon lead to two in the ninth (9-7).

In the inning prior to Bennett's two-bagger, Danny Corona broke a 7-7 tie with an RBI-double to left center field.

Adam Cecere blasted a pair of solo home runs to extend his hit streak to seven games. The two long flies matched a career high set by Cecere this season against VCU.

Brendan Tinsman also extended his hit streak to a team-high 11 games as the redshirt junior launched his 16th home run of the season to open a four-run first inning. Tinsman's 16 long flies rank fourth in the ACC.

Tommy Hawke was the fourth and final Demon Deacon to hit one out of the park, hitting a solo shot with two outs in the fourth inning for his second home run of the season.

Reed Mascolo made his sixth start of the season, tossing three innings with four strikeouts while allowing four earned runs.

Golob threw the next four innings, blanking the Panthers with a pair of strikeouts while allowing just one hit. Golob retired eight-straight batters over the fifth, sixth and seventh innings to keep the contest tied.

Wade, who made his 19th appearance out of the Wake Forest bullpen, tallied a trio of punchouts in the bottom of the eighth.

How It Happened

Wake Forest jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to back-to-back home runs from Brendan Tinsman (three-run) and Adam Cecere (solo).
- Brock Wilken singled to center field before advancing to third base on a Michael Turconi single to right field. The duo scored on Tinsman's 16th long fly of the season.
- Immediately following Tinsman's home run, Cecere launched a solo shot over the batter's eye in center field.
Reed Mascolo tossed a zero in the bottom of the first, highlighted by a pair of punchouts.
- Mascolo allowed a one-out double before retiring the next two Panther batters to end the frame.
High Point got on the scoreboard with a two-out RBI-double, scoring a base runner from first base. Mascolo stranded the runner at second with his fourth strikeout of the game as Wake Forest took a 4-1 advantage to the third.
- Mascolo opened the bottom of the second with his third punchout of the game.
Cecere (walk) and Pierce Bennett (single) reached base for the second time of the contest with two outs, but a groundout stranded the pair.
High Point trimmed Wake Forest's lead to one (4-3) with an RBI-single before an error plated their second run of the bottom of the third.
- Mascolo fielded a grounder right back to the mound and turned two to end the inning, tossing the ball to Michael Turconi before the shortstop fired the ball to first.
Tommy Hawke got a hold of a pitch in the top of the fourth, firing his second home run of the season to push Wake Forest's lead to 5-3.
The Panthers took their first lead (7-5) of the game with four runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Wake Forest blasted back-to-back home runs for the second time of the game to tie the game at seven in the top of the fifth.
- Cecere launched his second homer of the game off the scoreboard in right field before Bennett homered over the left field wall.
Gabe Golob blanked the Panthers in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by Gio Cueto throwing a runner out trying to take third base before Golob fanned his first batter of the game.
Danny Corona walked to open the sixth inning, but a double play and ground out ended the top of the inning.
Golob tossed his second-straight scoreless inning, retiring the Panthers in order as the game remained tied at seven through six full frames.
- Golob induced a ground out and fly out before striking out his second batter.
Golob came back in the bottom of the seventh and retired the Panthers in order for the second-straight inning as the teams remained tied at seven.
An RBI-double from Danny Corona gave Wake Forest a one-run lead (8-7) in the top of the eighth inning.
- Bennett was scored on Corona's two-bagger as the outfielder advanced all the way to third base on a fielding and throwing error.
Crawford Wade tossed a zero in the bottom of the eighth, punching out three batters in the inning to preserve Wake Forest's one-run lead.
Bennett doubled to left center field to plate Michael Turconi, who walked to lead off the inning, and push Wake Forest's lead to 9-7 in the top of the ninth.
- This marked Bennett's fourth hit of the game.
High Point clinched the midweek victory, 11-9, with a walkoff grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning.

On Deck
The Deacs close out their five-game road swing tomorrow, April 27 at Gardner-Webb.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+ with a paid subscription.

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Players Mentioned

Pierce Bennett

Adam Cecere

Danny Corona

Gio Cueto

Gabe Golob

Tommy Hawke

Reed Mascolo

Brendan Tinsman

Michael Turconi

Crawford Wade

Brock Wilken