Gavin Sheets and Stuart Fairchild combined for three homers, three doubles and seven RBIs, leading an offense that totaled 18 hits.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The bats came to life as No. 20-ranked Wake Forest roped eight extra-base hits in a series-clinching 13-7 victory over Notre Dame at David F. Couch Ballpark on Saturday evening.
Gavin Sheets and Stuart Fairchild combined for six of the Demon Deacons (27-10, 11-6 ACC) extra-base hits. Sheets went 3-for-5 with two longballs and a double, while Fairchild chipped in with two doubles and a homer.
Bruce Steel added a homer while Johnny Aiello went 3-for-4 with a double. Ben Breazeale (3-for-5) and Jake Mueller (2-for-5) also had multi-hit efforts as Wake Forest totaled 18 hits in the game.
The Fighting Irish (15-19, 7-10 ACC) scored two in the first and plated runs in five different innings, but the Deacs answered back each time.
Steel hit a three-run blast in the bottom of the second to erase the early deficit and put Wake Forest in front, 3-2.
Notre Dame answered with a sac fly, but Wake Forest again responded with three runs, as Fairchild (two-run) and Sheets (solo) hit back-to-back jacks to make the score 6-3.
Matt Vierling hit a two-run double for the Irish in the fourth, but again the Deacs responded, as Sheets hit a three-run longball for his second multi-homer game of the year, making the score 9-5.
In the sixth, the Irish brought the potential tying run to the plate with nobody out, loading the bases on a walk and two singles. Reliever Drew Loepprich limited the damage, forcing a popout, RBI groundout and flyout to keep the Deacs in front, 9-6.
Keegan Maronpot and Logan Harvey delivered RBIs in the seventh to push the lead to 11-6. After an RBI fielder's choice for Notre Dame, a Sheets RBI double and a run-scoring wild pitch put the game out of reach.
Wake Forest's bullpen was effective, allowing two runs (one earned) in 5.1 innings after Donnie Sellers was chased from the game in the fourth. John McCarren (4-3) picked up the win with 1.1 shutout frames, then Loepprich surrendered one before escaping a jam. Carter Bach added a scoreless seventh, and Morgan McSweeney closed out the final 2.0 innings, allowing an unearned run to score.
Kyle Fiala led Notre Dame with three hits, while Vierling was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs, a walk and hit by pitch.
THREE'S COMPANY
• The middle of the Wake Forest order packed a punch Saturday, with each of the 3-6 hitters - Stuart Fairchild, Gavin Sheets, Ben Breazeale and Johnny Aiello - recording three hits apiece.
• Those four hitters also combined for 10 runs scored and seven RBIs, as well as a walk and a hit by pitch.
IRON MAN
• Wake Forest senior captain John McCarren made his 94th career appearance, a mark that ranks third in program history behind only Dave Bush (142) and Josh Ellis (98).
• In his team-leading 19th appearance this year, McCarren picked up his 12th career victory. He also has four career saves and more than 100 strikeouts out of the pen.
• This year, he now has wins over UNCG, NC State, Elon and Notre Dame.
SWEEP SUNDAY?
• Despite having previously won four ACC series, Wake Forest will be heading into a Sunday game with a chance to sweep for the first time this season when the teams square off at 1 p.m.
• In the series wins over NC State, Duke, Georgia Tech and Miami, the teams split the first two games before Wake Forest claimed the deciding Sunday contests.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- The bats came to life as No. 20-ranked Wake Forest roped eight extra-base hits in a series-clinching 13-7 victory over Notre Dame at David F. Couch Ballpark on Saturday evening.
Gavin Sheets and Stuart Fairchild combined for six of the Demon Deacons (27-10, 11-6 ACC) extra-base hits. Sheets went 3-for-5 with two longballs and a double, while Fairchild chipped in with two doubles and a homer.
Bruce Steel added a homer while Johnny Aiello went 3-for-4 with a double. Ben Breazeale (3-for-5) and Jake Mueller (2-for-5) also had multi-hit efforts as Wake Forest totaled 18 hits in the game.
The Fighting Irish (15-19, 7-10 ACC) scored two in the first and plated runs in five different innings, but the Deacs answered back each time.
Steel hit a three-run blast in the bottom of the second to erase the early deficit and put Wake Forest in front, 3-2.
Notre Dame answered with a sac fly, but Wake Forest again responded with three runs, as Fairchild (two-run) and Sheets (solo) hit back-to-back jacks to make the score 6-3.
Matt Vierling hit a two-run double for the Irish in the fourth, but again the Deacs responded, as Sheets hit a three-run longball for his second multi-homer game of the year, making the score 9-5.
In the sixth, the Irish brought the potential tying run to the plate with nobody out, loading the bases on a walk and two singles. Reliever Drew Loepprich limited the damage, forcing a popout, RBI groundout and flyout to keep the Deacs in front, 9-6.
Keegan Maronpot and Logan Harvey delivered RBIs in the seventh to push the lead to 11-6. After an RBI fielder's choice for Notre Dame, a Sheets RBI double and a run-scoring wild pitch put the game out of reach.
Wake Forest's bullpen was effective, allowing two runs (one earned) in 5.1 innings after Donnie Sellers was chased from the game in the fourth. John McCarren (4-3) picked up the win with 1.1 shutout frames, then Loepprich surrendered one before escaping a jam. Carter Bach added a scoreless seventh, and Morgan McSweeney closed out the final 2.0 innings, allowing an unearned run to score.
Kyle Fiala led Notre Dame with three hits, while Vierling was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs, a walk and hit by pitch.
THREE'S COMPANY
• The middle of the Wake Forest order packed a punch Saturday, with each of the 3-6 hitters - Stuart Fairchild, Gavin Sheets, Ben Breazeale and Johnny Aiello - recording three hits apiece.
• Those four hitters also combined for 10 runs scored and seven RBIs, as well as a walk and a hit by pitch.
IRON MAN
• Wake Forest senior captain John McCarren made his 94th career appearance, a mark that ranks third in program history behind only Dave Bush (142) and Josh Ellis (98).
• In his team-leading 19th appearance this year, McCarren picked up his 12th career victory. He also has four career saves and more than 100 strikeouts out of the pen.
• This year, he now has wins over UNCG, NC State, Elon and Notre Dame.
SWEEP SUNDAY?
• Despite having previously won four ACC series, Wake Forest will be heading into a Sunday game with a chance to sweep for the first time this season when the teams square off at 1 p.m.
• In the series wins over NC State, Duke, Georgia Tech and Miami, the teams split the first two games before Wake Forest claimed the deciding Sunday contests.
