Morgan McSweeney doubled his career-high in strikeouts (10) out of the pen and Jake Mueller added three more hits.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest put the potential winning run on base in the bottom of the ninth, but UMass Lowell escaped David F. Couch Ballpark with a 5-3 win on Saturday evening.
Morgan McSweeney entered in relief in the third inning and set new career-highs with 6.0 innings pitched and 10 strikeouts to keep the Demon Deacons (4-7) in the game after an early 4-0 deficit. Jake Mueller (3-for-4, RBI, walk) and Bobby Seymour (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) led the Deacs offensively.
The River Hawks (3-6) hit four doubles in the first three innings to jump out to a 4-0 advantage, before Wake Forest cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third on a Johnny Aiello RBI groundout and Seymour RBI single.
UMass Lowell scored another with an RBI fielder's choice in the seventh, but the Deacs got that run back in the bottom of the inning on a Mueller RBI groundout.
After a strikeout started the bottom of the ninth, DJ Poteet and Patrick Frick walked on eight total pitches. Following a strikeout, Mueller executed a bunt single to load up the bases before Nick Rand recorded his third strikeout of the inning to complete the save.
Dan Cunico (1-0) earned the win in relief for UML with 2.2 hitless innings, while Luke Tomczyk struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
Carter Bach (0-1) took the loss for Wake Forest, surrendering four runs in 2.0+ innings, despite striking out four. Shane Muntz also tossed a scoreless inning for the Deacs.
Frick drew four walks for Wake Forest, becoming the first Deacon to accomplish the feat since Will Craigin 2016.
The rubber game of the series is set for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest put the potential winning run on base in the bottom of the ninth, but UMass Lowell escaped David F. Couch Ballpark with a 5-3 win on Saturday evening.
Morgan McSweeney entered in relief in the third inning and set new career-highs with 6.0 innings pitched and 10 strikeouts to keep the Demon Deacons (4-7) in the game after an early 4-0 deficit. Jake Mueller (3-for-4, RBI, walk) and Bobby Seymour (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) led the Deacs offensively.
The River Hawks (3-6) hit four doubles in the first three innings to jump out to a 4-0 advantage, before Wake Forest cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the third on a Johnny Aiello RBI groundout and Seymour RBI single.
UMass Lowell scored another with an RBI fielder's choice in the seventh, but the Deacs got that run back in the bottom of the inning on a Mueller RBI groundout.
After a strikeout started the bottom of the ninth, DJ Poteet and Patrick Frick walked on eight total pitches. Following a strikeout, Mueller executed a bunt single to load up the bases before Nick Rand recorded his third strikeout of the inning to complete the save.
Dan Cunico (1-0) earned the win in relief for UML with 2.2 hitless innings, while Luke Tomczyk struck out a pair in a 1-2-3 eighth inning.
Carter Bach (0-1) took the loss for Wake Forest, surrendering four runs in 2.0+ innings, despite striking out four. Shane Muntz also tossed a scoreless inning for the Deacs.
Frick drew four walks for Wake Forest, becoming the first Deacon to accomplish the feat since Will Craigin 2016.
The rubber game of the series is set for Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.
