The Demon Deacons battled back from 4-0 and 5-3 deficits, but the Tigers scored three in the ninth, including a walk-off walk.
CLEMSON, S.C. -- No. 17 Wake Forest dropped a back-and-forth series-opener to No. 3 Clemson, 8-7, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday night.
Due to inclement weather in the forecast for Sunday, the Demon Deacons (28-12, 12-7 ACC) and Tigers (32-7, 15-4 ACC) will now play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.
Wake Forest battled back from 4-0 and 5-3 deficits to eventually take a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning, but Clemson plated three in the bottom of the ninth to win the game.
Johnny Aiello hit a career-high three doubles to lead Wake Forest. After allowing four runs in the top of the first, Parker Dunsheesettled in to surrender just one unearned run over his final six innings to get the Deacs back in the game.
After a strikeout to start the bottom of the ninth, Jordan Greene snuck a chopper up the middle. Weston Jackson was hit by a pitch and Chase Pinder walked to load up the bases, then Reed Rohlman hit an RBI single to cut the margin to 7-6. A Logan Davidson sacrifice fly tied the game at 7-7, then back-to-back walks to Seth Beer and Chris Williams gave the Tigers the victory.
With the game tied at 5-5 heading into the eighth, Ben Breazeale singled and Aiello hit his third double to put runners on second and third. Clemson drew its infield in and Bruce Steel roped a go-ahead RBI single through the left side. Jonathan Pryor added a bases-loaded walk later in the inning to put the Deacs ahead by two before the ninth-inning drama.
Earlier in the game, Clemson jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead. A bloop single, infield single and walk set the stage for a Beer two-run bloop double to make it 2-0, then back-to-back sacrifice flies pushed the margin to 4-0.
Wake Forest responded in the third inning. Stuart Fairchild knocked an RBI single, followed by a two-run blast by Gavin Sheets, his team-leading 14th homer of the season, to cut the deficit to 4-3.
After Clemson scored thanks to a wild pitch and passed ball in the fourth, a Breazeale RBI single in the fifth and Maronpot RBI groundout in the sixth knotted the score at 5-5 heading into the last three innings.
Griffin Roberts (1-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing four free bases via walk and HBP in the ninth after retiring the side on just seven pitches in the eighth. Jacob Hennessy (2-1) earned the win for the Tigers.
All nine Deacons in the lineup reached base safely. In addition to Aiello's three hits, Pryor, Fairchild and Breazeale added two-hit games.
CLEMSON, S.C. -- No. 17 Wake Forest dropped a back-and-forth series-opener to No. 3 Clemson, 8-7, at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Friday night.
Due to inclement weather in the forecast for Sunday, the Demon Deacons (28-12, 12-7 ACC) and Tigers (32-7, 15-4 ACC) will now play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.
Wake Forest battled back from 4-0 and 5-3 deficits to eventually take a 7-5 lead in the eighth inning, but Clemson plated three in the bottom of the ninth to win the game.
Johnny Aiello hit a career-high three doubles to lead Wake Forest. After allowing four runs in the top of the first, Parker Dunsheesettled in to surrender just one unearned run over his final six innings to get the Deacs back in the game.
After a strikeout to start the bottom of the ninth, Jordan Greene snuck a chopper up the middle. Weston Jackson was hit by a pitch and Chase Pinder walked to load up the bases, then Reed Rohlman hit an RBI single to cut the margin to 7-6. A Logan Davidson sacrifice fly tied the game at 7-7, then back-to-back walks to Seth Beer and Chris Williams gave the Tigers the victory.
With the game tied at 5-5 heading into the eighth, Ben Breazeale singled and Aiello hit his third double to put runners on second and third. Clemson drew its infield in and Bruce Steel roped a go-ahead RBI single through the left side. Jonathan Pryor added a bases-loaded walk later in the inning to put the Deacs ahead by two before the ninth-inning drama.
Earlier in the game, Clemson jumped out to a 4-0 first-inning lead. A bloop single, infield single and walk set the stage for a Beer two-run bloop double to make it 2-0, then back-to-back sacrifice flies pushed the margin to 4-0.
Wake Forest responded in the third inning. Stuart Fairchild knocked an RBI single, followed by a two-run blast by Gavin Sheets, his team-leading 14th homer of the season, to cut the deficit to 4-3.
After Clemson scored thanks to a wild pitch and passed ball in the fourth, a Breazeale RBI single in the fifth and Maronpot RBI groundout in the sixth knotted the score at 5-5 heading into the last three innings.
Griffin Roberts (1-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing four free bases via walk and HBP in the ninth after retiring the side on just seven pitches in the eighth. Jacob Hennessy (2-1) earned the win for the Tigers.
All nine Deacons in the lineup reached base safely. In addition to Aiello's three hits, Pryor, Fairchild and Breazeale added two-hit games.
