Wake Forest Takes Opener 3-1 over Duke

Thursday, May 14

Durham, N.C. (Jack Coombs Field)

6:00 PM

Duke University

Wake Forest

Wake Forest Takes Opener 3-1 over Duke

5/14/2015 10:15:00 PM | Baseball

By: Duke Sports Information

DURHAM, N.C. – Wake Forest broke a 1-1 tie with two runs in the sixth and held on to defeat Duke, 3-1, in the ACC series opener Thursday evening at Jack Coombs Field.

Duke (29-22, 8-19 ACC) had its chances, stranding 12 runners in the contest. The Blue Devils were 1-for-18 with runners on and 0-for-7 with a runner in scoring position. Wake Forest (27-24, 12-16 ACC) came up with just one hit in eight chances with a runner in scoring position, a Stuart Fairchild two-run single in the sixth, but that proved to be the difference in the game.

Both teams plated a run in the first. The Demon Deacons' Jonathan Pryor led off with a base hit and scored on Joey Rodriguez's 15^th double of the season.

Duke countered with a run in the bottom half. Senior Andy Perez drilled a single through the left side on the first pitch. Perez promptly swiped second and stole third, bringing his ACC-leading total to 32 stolen bases this season. Perez is now one stolen base shy of tying the school single season record of 33 set by Quinton McCracken in 1992. Freshman Peter Zyla then lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Perez and knot the score at one-all.

The Blue Devils had at least one runner on in each of the next eight frames, but were unable to push another run across. After allowing the lone run in the first, senior Andrew Istler (5-5) pitched effectively over the next four innings before encountering trouble in the sixth.

Nate Mondou singled to start the sixth and Will Craig drew a walk to put the first two batters aboard. Ben Breazeale laid down the bunt to advance the runners and Fairchild laced a base hit up the middle to plate Mondou and Craig, giving Wake Forest the 3-1 lead.

Istler exited following the Fairchild single. The senior right-hander allowed three runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. Istler struck out six and walked four in the loss.

The Demon Deacons' Parker Dunshee threw 2.1 scoreless innings to close out the contest and earn his fourth save of the season. Right-hander Matt Pirro (7-4) earned the win, working 6.2 innings of one-run ball. Pirro yield four hits, struck out seven and walked seven in the outing.

Duke and Wake Forest return to Jack Coombs Field Friday, May 15 at 6 p.m. The Blue Devils' Dillon Haviland takes the mound opposite the Demon Deacons' Craig.

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