Immediately following one of the more disappointing losses of their season on Tuesday, the Wake Forest baseball team turned things around yesterday with a statement win over the Clemson Tigers.
With the game taking place at the gorgeous Truist Park in downtown Charlotte, the Demon Deacons took advantage of playing in the nearby neutral site. While fan showings for both sides seemed even, the Wake Forest faithful made their presence felt almost instantly.
After a scoreless first frame from starter Rhys Bowie, the offense wasted no time in getting on the board. Powered by RBI singles from Luke Costello and Boston Torres, the Deacs found themselves with an early 3-0 cushion.
Bowie, who has spent most of the year in the bullpen, was tasked to make the start against the Tigers on Wednesday. Despite the Sophomore southpaw getting only two innings of work in, he showed some serious flashes in his short stint.
Bowie consistently sat 96 with his sinker and made quick work of most of the Clemson hitters he came across. Up until the third inning, in which he ran into some trouble, Bowie looked very solid.
It was in this third inning, though, that freshman Marcello Harsch came on to put out the fire. After allowing a run-scoring groundout, Harsch struck out Clemson slugger Jacob Jarrel to leave two runners stranded.
Soon after, the Wake offense struck again. With contributions from up and down the lineup, the Demon Deacons were able to take a 7-1 lead heading into the fourth. From then on out, it was no contest.
“What a great team win,” coach Tom Walter said. “That’s the best complete baseball game we’ve played all year.”
Even with Clemson attempting to keep things close, a sixth-inning outburst put things away for good. While the majority of the frame was dominated by walks and singles, it was a Javar Williams grand slam that served as the dagger for the evening.
Not only did this Williams home run give the Demon Deacons an 11-run lead, but it gave this entire fanbase something to remain hopeful for. After a hot start that has given Williams a .367 average on the season, he, along with the rest of the top of the lineup, showed out against the Tigers.
“Offensively, we had a great day all day,” Walter said. You can’t point out any one person, because up and down the lineup, we had great at-bats all day.”
The ACC matchup was closed out by another freshman, Grant Nicolson, a Charlotte native. Nicholson, who pitched in just his third outing of the season, looked exceptionally sharp. Despite it being a rather low-pressure situation, Nicholson emulated the performances of most Wake youngsters this season.
“I’m really proud of Grant Nicholson there at the end, coming out in front of his hometown, and getting those last two outs for us. I was pumped for him. I was just pumped with the way he threw the baseball.”
This 15-4 victory against an ACC rival was massive for the Demon Deacons. With several big-time opponents coming up in the schedule, this win will surely deliver a massive boost of confidence in the clubhouse.
Next up for Wake Forest will be another ACC weekend series, this time against Pitt. With the Panthers rolling offensively, the Demon Deacons will surely be in for a major test in Pennsylvania.
