Wake Forest University
25-3, 9-2
Clemson
16-12, 2-6
No. 2 Wake Forest Comes Back to Beat Clemson; Secures Fourth ACC Series Victory
3/31/2023 11:16:00 PM | Baseball
The Demon Deacons pushed across the final two runs of the game in the eighth and ninth innings to come from behind and claim its first series victory against Clemson since 2015.
CLEMSON, S.C. – The No. 2 Wake Forest baseball team came back in the final two innings on Friday night to secure its fourth ACC series victory of the season, defeating Clemson, 4-3, inside Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
Wake Forest (25-3, 9-2 ACC) has now won seven-straight games, highlighted by five-consecutive conference victories. Over the course of its current win streak, the Demon Deacons are outscoring opponents by a 62-11 mark.
After defeating the Tigers (16-12, 2-6 ACC) 8-3 last night, Wake Forest has now won its first series over Clemson since 2015 and has claimed its first four conference series for the first time since 2017, taking two out of three from Duke and Notre Dame before sweeping nationally-ranked Miami for the first time in program history last weekend.
In 11 conference contests, Wake Forest has held opponents to three runs or less nine times and has scored at least eight runs in four games.
In its last eight ACC games, Demon Deacon pitchers have shut down opposing offenses. Overall, eight arms have combined to allow just 49 hits and 10 earned runs while striking out 97 batters.
After pushing across the tying run in the eighth on a sacrifice bunt by Lucas Costello, Justin Johnson fired a go-ahead RBI-single up the middle to score Brock Wilken (hit by pitch) and give Wake Forest its first lead since the top of the fourth inning.
Camden Minacci once again slammed the door in the final frame to clinch the victory, earning his career-best seventh save of the 2023 season in the process
Costello was instrumental in Wake Forest's offensive attack on Friday, driving in the Demon Deacons' first three runs with a solo home run, RBI-single and the game-tying sacrifice bunt in the top of the eighth.
Seth Keener moved to 3-0 on the season after tossing three innings in relief, giving up just two hits and no runs. The Pilot Mountain, N.C. native took over with the bases loaded and no one out in the bottom of the sixth before retiring three-straight batters to keep Clemson's advantage at one.
Sean Sullivan made his sixth start of the season, tossing five innings with five strikeouts. The lefthander allowed just one earned run, marking his fifth appearance holding opponents to one earned run or less.
Gio Cueto, who scored the game-tying run in the eighth, joined Johnson with a multi-hit performance. Additionally, Cueto scored a team-high two runs.
How It Happened
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Wake Forest found the scoreboard first for the second-straight game against the Tigers as Lucas Costello launched a solo home run to left center field with one out in the top of the first.
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Nick Kurtz singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch, but consecutive strikeouts ended the opening half of the contest.
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Sean Sullivan opened his start with a shutdown inning, inducing a ground ball double play to Marek Houston before registering an inning-ending strikeout.
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Wake Forest loaded the bases with one out after a Chris Katz leadoff double and walks drawn by Marek Houston and Tommy Hawke. After a pitching change, back-to-back punchouts ended the scoring opportunity as Wake Forest took its one-run lead to the bottom of the second.
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Sullivan fanned the opening batter of the frame before working around a one-out single with another strikeout and a flyout to Pierce Bennett in right field.
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An RBI-single from Costello with two outs doubled the Demon Deacon advantage as the junior's second base knock of the game scored Gio Cueto (single) from second.
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Clemson tied the game at 2 in the bottom of the fourth with a two-RBI single with two outs.
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Cueto caught a Clemson base runner trying to stretch out the base hit at second base.
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After Wake Forest was retired in order, Sullivan returned the favor with a perfect inning on just five pitches.
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Hawke was hit by a pitch with two outs in the top of the sixth, but a strikeout stranded the sophomore.
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Clemson took its first lead (3-2) of the series with a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth. After the fly out, Seth Keener limited the damage with a groundout back to the pitcher's mound and a fly out to Costello in left field.
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Consecutive walks to Bennett and Justin Johnson with two outs placed the tying run in scoring position, but a deep flyout on the warning track stranded the pair.
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Keener came back in the seventh and tossed a zero with two strikeouts before working around a base knock with a groundout.
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Wake Forest tied the game at three in the top of the seventh as Costello laid down a sacrifice bunt to plate Gio Cueto (leadoff double).
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Hawke walked and advanced to second on Costello's third RBI of the game but a fly out stranded the sophomore.
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Keener kept the game tied at three through eight full innings as the righthander worked around a one-out double with a fly out and groundout.
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Wake Forest pushed across the winning run in the top of the ninth as Johnson notched an RBI-single, scoring Brock Wilken (hit by pitch).
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After Wilken was blunked to open the frame, Pierce Bennett moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt before Johnson registered the game-winning hit.
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Camden Minacci slammed the door in the ninth, forcing a groundout to open the inning. After a one-out single, Minacci struck out a batter. Clemson put runners on the corners after another base hit. Undaunted, Minacci induced a ground ball to second base where Johnson made an outstanding play to end the game.
Words From Walter
"We didn't have good situational at-bats early in the game, but late in the game, we executed all our situational at-bats. Gio Cueto doubles. Marek Houston gets him over to third. Lucas Costello pushes him home on a sac bunt. Then in the ninth inning there, Brock Wilken gets hit by a pitch. Pierce Bennett moves him over and JJ comes up with the clutch hit. The defense too. That play that JJ made to end the game, that's not a play we've made in years past. I'm just so proud of our club."
Standout Stat
Wake Forest has now won seven-straight games, highlighted by five-consecutive conference victories. Over the course of its current win streak, the Demon Deacons are outscoring opponents by a mark of 62-11.
Wake Forest has now claimed four series against ACC foes for the first time since 2017, taking two out of three from Duke and Notre Dame before sweeping nationally-ranked Miami for the first time in program history last weekend.
In its last eight ACC games, Demon Deacon pitchers have shut down opposing offenses. Overall, eight arms have combined to allow just 49 hits and 10 earned runs while striking out 97 batters.
Overall, Wake Forest's 25-3 record is the best start since 1949, who started 26-2 through its first 28 contests.
The 2023 Deacs started the year 13-0, also joining the 1949 ballclub, who hold the program's best open to a campaign at 20-0, as the only teams in school history to win its first 13 games.
Wake Forest has outscored opponents by double-digits in eight innings this season.
Wake Forest Scoring Summary by Inning (Wake Forest-Opponent)
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First Inning: 46-7
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Second Inning: 25-10
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Third Inning: 36-9
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Fourth Inning: 40-9
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Fifth Inning: 37-10
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Sixth Inning: 20-5
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Seventh Inning: 18-6
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Eighth Inning: 25-14
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Ninth Inning: 3-5
Overall, the Deacs are outscoring opponents by a 275-80 mark in 2023.
Much of Wake Forest's success has been fast starts as the Deacs have outscored opponents by a mark of 119-29 in the opening three innings.
Wake Forest has scored in the first inning in 15 games this season, posting a 15-1 record in those games. Additionally, the Deacs are 17-1 when they score first.
Additionally, tonight's 4-3 win helped Wake Forest move to 1-0 in one-run games this season.
A key to Wake Forest's early success has been the strong performances from its starting pitching.
The Demon Deacon weekend rotation of Rhett Lowder, Sean Sullivan and Josh Hartle has posted 15 wins with a combined ERA of 1.64 in 115.2 innings. Lowder, Sullivan and Hartle have combined to strike out 173 batters while allowing just 21 earned runs and walking just 22 batters.
All three rank in top 10 among ACC foes in almost every pitching category.
In The Spotlight
A staple out of Wake Forest's bullpen the last two seasons, Camden Minacci earned the seventh save of his junior season after inducing the final three outs of Friday's victory, setting a career high.
Over the course of his career, Minacci has registered 15 saves as the Tampa, Fla. native moved into a tie for the seventh-most saves by a Demon Deacon ever. Coming into the weekend, Minacci was 13th among active players in Division I baseball in saves.
Most Saves by a Demon Deacon
1. Dave Bush 1999-02 38
2. Michael Dimock 2009-12 19
3. Keith Ksansnak 1983-86 17
4. Ben Hunter 2006-08 16
Bret Wagner 1992-94 16
Buddy Jenkins 1987-91 16
7. Camden Minacci 2021-pres. 15
Frank Humber 1986-89 15
On Deck
The Deacs will look to sweep its second-straight ACC series on Saturday, April 1 at 2 p.m. inside Doug Kingsmore Stadium.
The game can be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Keener, Seth (3-0)
L: Jackson Lindley (1-3)
S: Minacci, Camden (7)
Batting:
2B: Katz, Chris 1 ; Cueto, Gio 1
HR: Costello, Lucas 1
RBI: Costello, Lucas 3 ; Johnson, Justin 1
SH: Costello, Lucas 1 ; Bennett, Pierce 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Costello, Lucas 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1 ; Cueto, Gio 2
HBP: Hawke, Tommy 1 ; Wilken, Brock 1
Batting:
2B: Will Taylor 1 ; Caden Grice 1
RBI: Blake Wright 1 ; Riley Bertram 2
SF: Blake Wright 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cooper Ingle 2 ; Caden Grice 1
SB: Cam Cannarella 2
HBP: Cooper Ingle 1 ; Caden Grice 1 ; Benjamin Blackwell 1
