GREENSBORO, N.C. - Wake Forest put up 12 runs in the top of the first inning before UNC Greensboro even had time to touch a bat as the Spartans fell to the Demon Deacons, 22-9, on Wednesday evening at the UNCG Baseball Stadium. It was the final midweek game for the Spartans this season.
Zach White picked up his first win for the Demon Deacons (13-35) as he went 5 2/3 innings, while allowing five runs on five hits and striking out six. UNCG starter Alex Shelton suffered the loss after giving up three runs on one hit and walking two without recording an out.
The Deacs were led by Matt Conway and Mac Williams who each had six RBI in the game, while Steven Brooks and Mike Murray each chipped in three RBI apiece. Conway had three doubles in the game and Williams had a triple and two home runs for Wake Forest.
Drew Gehringer helped lead the way for the Spartans (20-27) as he went 3-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Kris Richards added a pair of hits and three RBI and Zach Leach had two hits and two RBI.
The Demon Deacons had an incredible first inning that lasted 38 minutes as they sent 16 batters to the plate to score 12 runs on just eight hits. Brooks and Mike Lubanski led off the game with back-to-back walks before Conway and Murray followed with back-to-back RBI singles to make it 2-0.
Ryan Smeniuk then walked to load the bases before Williamson hit a sacrifice fly to right field for the first out in the inning. A walk to Carlos Lopez loaded the bases again as Mark Rhine followed with an RBI single to make it 4-0. Pat Blair then hit an RBI single of his own before Brooks came up again in the inning and hit a two run single to put the visitors up 7-0.
Lubanski was hit by a pitch to load the bases once more and Coway then delivered a double to left center to score two more runs. Murray followed with his second RBI single of the inning and Williamson capped off the scoring two batters later as he hit a two-run triple to center field to put the Deacs ahead, 12-0.
Once the Spartans were able to come to bat, they were able to put together some offense. With one out, Chris Barker reached on a fielding error before stealing second base. Later in the inning, Lloyd Enzor hit a single to center field to score Barker and make it a 12-1 game.
The Deacs responded though in the top of the second as Rhine hit a leadoff single to center field before moving to second on a walk and later scoring on a RBI single by Brooks.
The Spartans added another run in the bottom of the second as Gehringer hit a one-out double down the left field line and then scored as Richards hit a double off the wall in right field to make it a 13-2 ballgame.
UNCG had no answer though for the Deacs offense all night as Semeniuk led off the third inning with a walk and Williamson followed with a home run to left field. Blair added a home run of his own later in the inning to make it 16-2.
The Deacs added an RBI single and a two-run double by Conway in the top of the fifth to extend their lead to 19-2.
The Spartans kept on fighting though as they put up three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a two-out rally. John Cucchiarella got it started with a walk before scoring on a triple into the right field corner by Leach. Gehringer followed with a triple of his own to center field to score Leach. He went on to score later in the inning on a groundout by Richards to pull the Spartans within, 19-5.
Wake Forest added two more runs in the seventh inning and another one in the eighth inning on a solo home run by Williamson to take a 22-5 lead.
The Spartans scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth on RBI singles by Leach, Gehringer and Taylor Schwarz and another on a groundout to make the final score, 22-9.
The Spartans will return to action this weekend as they travel to face The Citadel for a three-game series beginning Friday at 4 p.m.
AGATE
Wake Forest 22, UNC Greensboro 9
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Wake Forest......... (12)13 030 210 - 22 20 4 (13-35)
UNC Greensboro...... 1 10 003 004 - 9 14 0 (20-27)
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Pitchers: Wake Forest - Zach White; Brandon Johnson(6); Ryan Bouton(9) and Mike Lubanski. UNC Greensboro - Alex Shelton; Zach Furl(1); Matt Parish(1); Greg Smith(1); Blake Hassebrock(4); Wes McBride(5); Tyler Hollstegge(8); Colby Hyatt(9) and Zach Leach.
Win-Zach White (1-1) Loss-Alex Shelton (1-1) T-3:12 A-297
HR WF - Mac Williamson 2; Pat Blair.
Weather: 81 and cloudy
Shelton faced 3 batters in the 1st.
Parish faced 5 batters in the 1st.
- UNCG -
