Pitt
Wake Forest
No. 20 Wake Forest Defeats Pitt in Finale
5/20/2017 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
PITTSBURGH – A big fifth inning for No. 20 Wake Forest pushed the Demon Deacons past Pitt in the season finale Saturday afternoon at David F. Couch Ballpark in Winston-Salem, N.C., as the Panthers fell 14-4.
"Today was not the way we scripted it, but we came out swinging and took a 3-0 lead and had opportunities to extend it, but that did not happen," said head coach Joe Jordano. "We are all hurting that this season has ended, it was very emotional in the clubhouse after the game. Going into the last game of the season realizing that it means something was tremendous, but we obviously ran out of steam. The positive piece I take away is that we had seven freshmen and sophomores play at times this weekend, and they need to understand the intensity and pace of the ACC, especially when the season is on the line. That experience certainly makes us better in the future.
"With the players we have returning and the incredibly talented recruiting class we having signed, along with four significant players on our roster returning from injury who were sidelined for the entire year, the work for next season is already underway."
The Panthers struck first for the third straight time in the series, as a leadoff homer by Jacob Wright put Pitt up 1-0 early. A single through the left side by Alex Amos and a triple off the bat of Frank Maldonado followed, as Amos came around to make it 2-0 in favor of the Panthers. Manny Pazos would attempt a sacrifice bunt, reaching safely on the fielder's choice, and Maldonado was safe at the plate, as the Panthers posted a 3-0 lead in the opening frame.
Pitt starter Dan Hammer cruised through the opening two innings, retiring five of the first seven batters he faced. The Panthers would get into a bit of trouble in the third after a leadoff walk and a dropped fly ball in right field put two on with no outs. Hammer would get the first out of the frame on a fly ball before an infield single cut Pitt's lead to 3-1.
Chris Gomez would enter the game in relief of Hammer, facing men on first and second with just one out. A walk to Gavin Sheets would load the bases before Gomez recorded the inning's second out on a swinging strikeout. Wake would tie the game at 3-3 after a double up the middle before an infield popup ended the Demon Deacons' threat.
A huge fifth inning for the Demon Deacons gave them a large lead, as Wake Forest plated nine runs off seven hits and an error. Three straight singles got it going for the Demon Deacons, as reliever Matt Pidich was replaced by Sam Mersing. Wake would add a single and fielder's choice before Mersing would get the first out of the inning on a swinging strikeout. A grand slam and hit by pitch concluded Mersing's day as Wake grabbed a 9-3 advantage.
RJ Freure would relieve Mersing, allowing a two-RBI single before a walk loaded the bases once again. A hit batter plated the Demon Deacons' ninth of the frame in the first batter faced by TJ Pagan, before the sidewinder would strike out Bruce Steel to end the inning with Wake on top 12-3.
The two teams exchanged home runs in the sixth as Caleb Parry smacked his seventh of the season. Wake would add another on a fielder's choice in the eighth, putting the lead at 14-4 in its favor.
With the loss, Pitt falls to 23-30 (9-21 ACC) while Wake Forest improves to 38-17 (19-11 ACC). Pidich earns the loss, dropping to 4-5 on the season. The Panthers' 2017 season comes to an end as they loss officially eliminates them from ACC Tournament contention.
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