A four-run first inning was all the Deacs needed behind a strong pitching effort from Parker Dunshee and Griffin Roberts.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- No. 20-ranked Wake Forest plated four first-inning runs and held off Notre Dame in a 4-3 win at David F. Couch Ballpark on Friday night.
The Demon Deacons (26-10, 10-6 ACC) took advantage of a strong combined pitching effort by Parker Dunshee and Griffin Roberts. Dunshee (7-1) struck out eight over 6.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks. Roberts retired all seven batters he faced for a 2.1 inning save in relief.
The Fighting Irish (15-18, 7-9 ACC) recovered from a sluggish start to the game by Brandon Bielak on the mound and scored a run in the third and two in the sixth to pressure the Deacs.
In the bottom of the first inning, the first six Deacons reached base. Jonathan Pryor walked and Jake Mueller tallied a bunt single, setting up an RBI double by Stuart Fairchild.
After a Gavin Sheets walk, Ben Breazeale roped an RBI single and Johnny Aiello was hit by a pitch to make it 3-0. Sheets came home on a double-play ball to push the lead to 4-0.
Bielak (2-5) and reliever Peter Solomon didn't allow more than one Deacon to reach base in any of Wake Forest's final seven innings as the Irish chipped away at the lead.
Nick Podkul tomahawked a high pitch into left-center on a hit-and-run, scoring Daniel Jung from first base to cut the margin to 4-1.
Jake Johnson hit a one-out homer in the sixth to make the score 4-2, and he was followed by singles by Kyle Fiala and Matt Vierling and a Ryan Lidge walk. Cole Daily reached on an RBI fielder's choice to make the deficit 4-3. With the bases loaded, Dunshee forced a strikeout and popout to escape the threat.
In the seventh, Podkul walked and stole second before Roberts entered to record the inning-ending flyout. Roberts forced all three batters in the eighth to ground out and then struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his fourth save of the year on just 21 pitches.
Offensively, Breazeale and Mueller led the Deacs with two hits apiece.
DUNSHEE IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• Wake Forest senior Parker Dunshee continued his climb in the Wake Forest record books. He is now alone in fourth all-time with 26 career wins.
• With 287 career strikeouts, he's one behind Mike MacDougal (288) for second place and 25 behind John Hendricks (312) for the career lead.
THE DUNSHEE-ROBERTS SHOW
• For the third-straight Friday, the Demon Deacons have one a game behind the arms of just Parker Dunshee and Griffin Roberts.
• In 2-1 victories at Miami (March 31) and Louisville (April 7), Dunshee tossed the first 7.0 before handing the ball over to Roberts for the save. Tonight, Dunshee went 6.2 frames with Roberts throwing 1.2.
• The pair also combined for a 6-4 win over NC State on March 10 (Dunshee 6.0, Roberts 3.0). They were joined by John McCarren in the series-opening win over Duke on March 17 (Dunshee 7.0, McCarren 1.0, Roberts 1.0).
ON DECK
• Wake Forest is set to hold its annual Pink Game on Saturday against Notre Dame, with a 4 p.m. first pitch. Fans who wear pink will receive free admission to the game.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- No. 20-ranked Wake Forest plated four first-inning runs and held off Notre Dame in a 4-3 win at David F. Couch Ballpark on Friday night.
The Demon Deacons (26-10, 10-6 ACC) took advantage of a strong combined pitching effort by Parker Dunshee and Griffin Roberts. Dunshee (7-1) struck out eight over 6.2 innings, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks. Roberts retired all seven batters he faced for a 2.1 inning save in relief.
The Fighting Irish (15-18, 7-9 ACC) recovered from a sluggish start to the game by Brandon Bielak on the mound and scored a run in the third and two in the sixth to pressure the Deacs.
In the bottom of the first inning, the first six Deacons reached base. Jonathan Pryor walked and Jake Mueller tallied a bunt single, setting up an RBI double by Stuart Fairchild.
After a Gavin Sheets walk, Ben Breazeale roped an RBI single and Johnny Aiello was hit by a pitch to make it 3-0. Sheets came home on a double-play ball to push the lead to 4-0.
Bielak (2-5) and reliever Peter Solomon didn't allow more than one Deacon to reach base in any of Wake Forest's final seven innings as the Irish chipped away at the lead.
Nick Podkul tomahawked a high pitch into left-center on a hit-and-run, scoring Daniel Jung from first base to cut the margin to 4-1.
Jake Johnson hit a one-out homer in the sixth to make the score 4-2, and he was followed by singles by Kyle Fiala and Matt Vierling and a Ryan Lidge walk. Cole Daily reached on an RBI fielder's choice to make the deficit 4-3. With the bases loaded, Dunshee forced a strikeout and popout to escape the threat.
In the seventh, Podkul walked and stole second before Roberts entered to record the inning-ending flyout. Roberts forced all three batters in the eighth to ground out and then struck out the side in the ninth to pick up his fourth save of the year on just 21 pitches.
Offensively, Breazeale and Mueller led the Deacs with two hits apiece.
DUNSHEE IN THE RECORD BOOKS
• Wake Forest senior Parker Dunshee continued his climb in the Wake Forest record books. He is now alone in fourth all-time with 26 career wins.
• With 287 career strikeouts, he's one behind Mike MacDougal (288) for second place and 25 behind John Hendricks (312) for the career lead.
THE DUNSHEE-ROBERTS SHOW
• For the third-straight Friday, the Demon Deacons have one a game behind the arms of just Parker Dunshee and Griffin Roberts.
• In 2-1 victories at Miami (March 31) and Louisville (April 7), Dunshee tossed the first 7.0 before handing the ball over to Roberts for the save. Tonight, Dunshee went 6.2 frames with Roberts throwing 1.2.
• The pair also combined for a 6-4 win over NC State on March 10 (Dunshee 6.0, Roberts 3.0). They were joined by John McCarren in the series-opening win over Duke on March 17 (Dunshee 7.0, McCarren 1.0, Roberts 1.0).
ON DECK
• Wake Forest is set to hold its annual Pink Game on Saturday against Notre Dame, with a 4 p.m. first pitch. Fans who wear pink will receive free admission to the game.
