Amazing, tremendous, unbelievable and magical are only a few adjectives that can describe the Wake Forest Baseball team’s 3-2 comeback win over the LSU Tigers last night.
On a night where the Demon Deacons (54-10) bats were not lively, Josh Hartle wasn’t consistent, and mistakes were costly, they showed the world that their number one ranking is well deserved.
Despite being erratic early in the game and not receiving any help from the home plate umpire, Hartle was still able to keep his team in the game pitching six complete innings allowing 4 hits, 2 runs, 4 walks, 9 strikeouts, including his 140th of the year which is a new Wake Forest single season record..
LSU (49-16) started the scoring in the top of the third inning, when walks came back to haunt Hartlle. After striking out Jordan Thompson to start the inning, Hartle then walked Josh Pearson before striking out Dylan Crews for the second out of the inning. Tommy White then singled to center scoring Pearson and went to second on an error by center fielder Tommy Hawke. The following batter Tre Morgan tripled to left, scoring White.
The score remained that way until the bottom of the sixth inning when it was LSU’s starting pitcher Ty Floyd who was victimized by walks. After walking the first three batters of the inning Floyd, who had pitched five innings, allowing 2 hits, while being responsible for two runners and striking out ten. Floyd was relieved by Thatcher Hurd.
Hurd immediately gave up a single to Brock Wilken, the ACC’s all-time homerun leader, scoring Hawke and moving Nick Kurtz to second. Justin Johnson then tied the score by grounding into a double play, scoring Bennett.
It wasn’t til the eight inning that player of the game Bennett Lee came to life . With runners on first and third and no one out, Cade Beloso hit a ground ball down the 3rd base line that was fielded by Wilken. Wilken, who grabbed the baseball, double pumped before throwing a short hop to Bennett at the plate which he miraculously scooped up and tagged Morgan for the out. Just an incredibly well concentrated play by him. The Deacons got out of the inning when reliever Camden Minacci got Gavin Dugas to ground into an inning ending double play.
In the bottom of the eighth it was Lee, offensively this time, making things happen. With one out, Danny Corona doubled to right. Lee then followed with what would be the game winning hit when he drove Corona in with a single to left.
To the bottom of the ninth we go and it was Minacci retiring the side in order, striking out the first two batters he faced before getting Pearson to ground back to the mound for the final out.
It was the bullpen which made this win possible as Cole Roland, Michael Massey and Minacci held LSU scoreless the last three innings. Minacci, who pitched one and a third innings, allowing no hits and no runs, picked up his first victory of the season.
Next up for Wake Forest will be the winner of the Tennessee vs LSU game. The winner of that will face the Demon Deacons on Wednesday at 7PM on ESPN.
Larry Frank is the host of Frankly Speaking Sports on Tobacco Road Sports Radio. Catch Frankly Speaking Baseball all Summer long every Friday on WTOB 980am/96.7fm (Winston Salem) at 6pm and Saturdays at 10am on WWBG 1470am
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