Wake Forest has won three-straight ACC series to open the year for the first time since 2002.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest clinched a series victory over Georgia Tech by winning the rubber game, 8-4, at David F. Couch Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
The Demon Deacons (18-7, 6-3 ACC) have now won the first three ACC series of the season for the first time since 2002, which was also the last time hosting a regional.
Connor Johnstone (3-0) posted another strong start to earn the victory on the mound. He struck out a career-high seven batters over 6.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a pair of walks.
Offensively, Jake Mueller, Gavin Sheets and Ben Breazeale tallied two hits apiece, while Johnny Aiello added a solo homer in the late innings.
Georgia Tech (13-9, 3-6 ACC) got on the board first in the second inning when Chase Murray hit an RBI double after an error for an unearned run.
Breazeale responded with an RBI double the next inning to knot the score at 1-1.
The Yellow Jackets reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth on an Austin Wilhite RBI single, but Wake Forest pulled in front for good in the bottom of the inning.
Stuart Fairchild drilled a game-tying RBI single, followed by a two-run double by Sheets to push the Deacs ahead, 4-2.
Wake Forest scored a run on a balk in the fifth and Murray had an RBI groundout for Tech in the sixth to make the score 5-3.
In the top of the seventh, John McCarren entered the game with two runners on and got an inning-ending strikeout as the Yellow Jackets stranded two in scoring position.
The next half inning, Wake Forest scored a pair of runs on a wild pitch via a dropped third strike. The ball got to the backstop and allowed Pryor to score from third and Mueller to sprint home from second to make the score 7-3.
Georgia Tech loaded the bases with one out against Griffin Roberts in the top of the eighth. After a mound visit, he settled down to record a fielder's choice and strikeout to limit the Yellow Jackets to one run, which cut the lead to 7-4.
Aiello quickly earned that insurance run back, as he led off the bottom of the eighth with a home run inside the right-field foul pole for his ninth longball of the season.
Roberts stayed in to toss a 1-2-3 ninth inning, including his third and fourth strikeouts of the game.
RBI RACE
• After falling behind Florida State's Quincy Nieporte and being tied by Virginia Tech's Sam Fragale in the league and national RBI race, Sheets reclaimed the top spot this weekend.
• Sheets totaled seven RBIs over the three weekend games, including one Friday, four Saturday and two on Sunday to bring his 2017 total to 40 RBIs.
• Nieporte had two for Florida State to reach 36 RBIs, while Fragale was limited to one RBI over the weekend and is sitting at 34.
BEST START SINCE...
• Wake Forest's 18-7 start is the program's best start through 25 games since opening the 2006 season with a 19-6 record.
• The 19th victory by that 2006 squad was earned by current student assistant coach Eric Niesen, as the 24th-ranked Deacons defeated 21st-ranked Virginia, 3-2. Niesen threw 5.0 innings of two-hit, shutout ball with seven strikeouts.
• Wake Forest was ranked 19th in the country shortly thereafter.
ON DECK
• Wake Forest hits the road for four straight and eight of the next nine, beginning with a Tuesday contest at App State at 6 p.m.
• Next weekend, the Deacs head south to take on ACC foe Miami in a three-game series.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest clinched a series victory over Georgia Tech by winning the rubber game, 8-4, at David F. Couch Ballpark on Sunday afternoon.
The Demon Deacons (18-7, 6-3 ACC) have now won the first three ACC series of the season for the first time since 2002, which was also the last time hosting a regional.
Connor Johnstone (3-0) posted another strong start to earn the victory on the mound. He struck out a career-high seven batters over 6.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and a pair of walks.
Offensively, Jake Mueller, Gavin Sheets and Ben Breazeale tallied two hits apiece, while Johnny Aiello added a solo homer in the late innings.
Georgia Tech (13-9, 3-6 ACC) got on the board first in the second inning when Chase Murray hit an RBI double after an error for an unearned run.
Breazeale responded with an RBI double the next inning to knot the score at 1-1.
The Yellow Jackets reclaimed the lead in the top of the fourth on an Austin Wilhite RBI single, but Wake Forest pulled in front for good in the bottom of the inning.
Stuart Fairchild drilled a game-tying RBI single, followed by a two-run double by Sheets to push the Deacs ahead, 4-2.
Wake Forest scored a run on a balk in the fifth and Murray had an RBI groundout for Tech in the sixth to make the score 5-3.
In the top of the seventh, John McCarren entered the game with two runners on and got an inning-ending strikeout as the Yellow Jackets stranded two in scoring position.
The next half inning, Wake Forest scored a pair of runs on a wild pitch via a dropped third strike. The ball got to the backstop and allowed Pryor to score from third and Mueller to sprint home from second to make the score 7-3.
Georgia Tech loaded the bases with one out against Griffin Roberts in the top of the eighth. After a mound visit, he settled down to record a fielder's choice and strikeout to limit the Yellow Jackets to one run, which cut the lead to 7-4.
Aiello quickly earned that insurance run back, as he led off the bottom of the eighth with a home run inside the right-field foul pole for his ninth longball of the season.
Roberts stayed in to toss a 1-2-3 ninth inning, including his third and fourth strikeouts of the game.
RBI RACE
• After falling behind Florida State's Quincy Nieporte and being tied by Virginia Tech's Sam Fragale in the league and national RBI race, Sheets reclaimed the top spot this weekend.
• Sheets totaled seven RBIs over the three weekend games, including one Friday, four Saturday and two on Sunday to bring his 2017 total to 40 RBIs.
• Nieporte had two for Florida State to reach 36 RBIs, while Fragale was limited to one RBI over the weekend and is sitting at 34.
BEST START SINCE...
• Wake Forest's 18-7 start is the program's best start through 25 games since opening the 2006 season with a 19-6 record.
• The 19th victory by that 2006 squad was earned by current student assistant coach Eric Niesen, as the 24th-ranked Deacons defeated 21st-ranked Virginia, 3-2. Niesen threw 5.0 innings of two-hit, shutout ball with seven strikeouts.
• Wake Forest was ranked 19th in the country shortly thereafter.
ON DECK
• Wake Forest hits the road for four straight and eight of the next nine, beginning with a Tuesday contest at App State at 6 p.m.
• Next weekend, the Deacs head south to take on ACC foe Miami in a three-game series.
