Bobby Seymour became the 28th player in program history to record 200 career hits on Sunday.
CLEMSON, S.C. - Wake Forest fell in a ACC doubleheader against Clemson at Doug Kingsmore Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Deacs (13-20, 6-17 ACC) tied the opening contest at four in the top of the ninth after Brendan Tinsman launched a solo shot to left field. In the home half of the frame, the Tigers (18-18, 12-12) answered with a homerun of their own, taking the middle game of the series in walkoff fashion by a final score of 6-4. The Deacs' other runs came from a Chris Lanzilli three-run home run in the fourth inning, scoring Michael Turconi (single) and Bobby Seymour (single) to tie the game at three.
Seymour joined elite company with his first single as the St. Johns, Ind. native became the 28th player in program history to record at least 200 hits over the course of their collegiate careers.
In the series finale, Wake Forest held a 2-0 lead after four innings of play courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Tinsman and a solo home run by Lanzilli, the 39th of his career and second of the day. Clemson answered with a run in the fifth and a sac fly and a solo homer in the sixth inning to walk away with a 3-2 win. Lanzilli was joined by Turconi with two hits in the finale to lead Wake Forest at the plate.
Both Rhett Lowder and William Fleming tossed six innings in their starts on the mound. Lowder fanned nine Tigers, the second-most of his career, while allowing three earned runs and six hits. The Albemarle, N.C. native had three innings with at least two strikeouts, including a trio of punch outs in his final frame of action in the sixth.Fleming made his ninth start of the season and surrendered just two earned runs and four hits while fanning six Tigers.
In relief, Brennen Oxford saw 1.1 innings of work in the opener, striking out a pair without giving up any runs or hits. Cole McNamee replaced him and got out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth unscatched to keep the game in reach.
In the finale, Eric Adler tossed a hitless 1.2 innings, including a pair of strikeouts in the bottom of the eighth.
How It Happened (Game 1)
- The Deacs were retired in order in their first plate appearance of the game.
- A two-run home run with two outs highlighted a three-run opening frame for Clemson as they jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.
- Rhett Lowder fanned two Tigers in the inning.
- Clemson scored an unearned run after a wild pitch plated a runner from third base. After a walk, the runner advanced to second on a wild pitch and third base on a throwing error.
- After Wake Forest was sat down in order in the top of the second, Lowder tossed a scoreless second inning, fanning two Tigers to up his game total to four.
- Lowder struck out his fifth batter in the bottom of the third, keeping it a 3-0 game.
- Clemson knocked in a two-out single, but Lowder responded by forcing a pop up to Michael Turconi at second.
- The Wake Forest bats came alive in the top of the fourth inning as the Deacs tied the game at three with three hits, highlighted by a three-run HR from Chris Lanzilli with two outs.
- Lucas Costello became the Deacs' first base runner of the game with a leadoff walk. After Michael Turconi reached on a fielder's choice, Bobby Seymour recorded his 200th career hit. Lanzilli's 38th career home run scored Turconi and Seymour.
- Shane Muntz knocked in his third hit of the series following the home run.
- Clemson regained the lead (4-3) in the bottom of the fourth with a RBI-double with no one out. Lowder sat down three-straight Tigers to end the inning.
- James Broderick singled to right field with one out in the top half of the fifth, but was stranded as the next two Deacs were retired.
- A double play ended the bottom of the fifth as Lowder struck out his sixth batter of the game and Brendan Tinsman threw a runner out trying to steal second.
- A Tiger reached with one out after a fielding error.
- Brock Wilken tallied a leadoff single to open the sixth. With one out in the inning, the Tigers made a pitching change and proceeded to induce two consecutive fly outs to strand Wilken.
- Lowder struck out three batters in the home half of the sixth, increasing his total to nine on the game.
- The Tigers picked off Michael Ludowig for the second out in the top of seventh after the left fielder walked.
- Camden Minacci replaced Lowder in the seventh. He faced two batters as one outs was recorded after a Clemson baserunner was caught stealing. Brennen Oxford forced the final two outs of the inning, including one strikeout, to keep it a one-run game (4-3) heading into the eighth.
- The Deacs placed runners on the corners with two outs thanks to singles from Turconi and Seymour.The Tigers ended the scoring threat following a pitching change thanks to a leaping catch at the right field wall.
- Oxford and McNamee combined for a scoreless eighth on the mound, highlighted by a strikeout by each of the relievers.
- McNamee worked himself out of a bases loaded jam to keep it a one-run game.
- Brendan Tinsman tied the game at four in the top of the ninth with a solo home run to left field.
- Clemson responded with a two-run, walk-off homer to take the first game of the double header by a final score of 6-4.
- Michael Turconi got on base with a first inning single with one out. The next two Deacs were retired to end the inning.
- William Fleming tossed a perfect three up, three down first inning.
- Fleming started his outing with a leadoff strikeout.
- Wake Forest struck first, taking a 1-0 lead after the top half of the second after a Brendan Tinsman sac fly brought home Chris Lanzilli (single).
- Lanzilli advanced to second on his single after a field error and advanced to third with a single by Shane Muntz.
- A hitless home half of the second inning kept the finale a one-run ballgame.
- Fleming struck out his second batter for the second out of the frame.
- Chris Lanzilli's second HR of the doubleheader extended the Deacs' lead to 2-0 at the midway point of the fourth inning.
- Fleming fanned two more Tigers in the fourth inning, his third hitless frame, to keep Wake Forest's lead at 2-0.
- The Tiger added an unearned run to cut in the Demon Deacons' lead (2-1) after a throwing error on a fielder's choice.
- Fleming struck out his sixth batter of the game for the first out of the inning.
- Turconi tallied a leadoff single to left center field to open the sixth inning. The Tigers retired the next three Deacs to conclude the top of the frame.
- Clemson took a 3-2 lead after plating a pair of runs behind a sac fly and a solo home run.
- Camden Minacci took over pitching duties in the bottom of the seventh, facing three batters before Eric Adler replaced him with runners on first and second and one out.
- Adler returned to the mound in the bottom of the eighth after Wake Forest was sat down in order. The right hander pitched a hitless frame, including a pair of strikeouts.
- Clemson secured the 3-2 win after the Deacs were retired in order in the top of the ninth.
"Obviously made a couple bad pitches today that were the difference in the game. The three home runs, the Rhett Lowder home run in the first, the home run in the ninth off of (Hunter) Furtado, the home run off (William) Fleming. Those three pitches, we left fastballs middle and they didn't miss them. I thought we pitched okay up and down the day today, but clearly not enough to get a win. It's disappointing."
On Deck
The Deacs return home for the first time in 16 days as they hit the diamond in a non-conference clash against Davidson on April 27.Wake Forest will then host NC State at David F. Couch Ballpark on April 30-May 2.
On May 1, the Deacs will be hosting its first-ever Fight Against Pediatric Cancer Game, where fans will be given the opportunity to bid on special edition, game-worn jerseys with all proceeds being donated to Brenner Children's Hospital. Bid now.
