Wake Forest falls in regular-season finale
Wake Forest played its best baseball of the season in the last few weeks. But the Deacons are entering postseason play on a loss.
Wake Forest lost 7-3 at Duke on Saturday afternoon at Jack Coombs Field. It put a screeching halt on what was a 10-game winning streak.
The result, and others around the league, dropped Wake Forest (38-18, 16-14 ACC) to the No. 6 seed in next week’s ACC tournament. In a new, single-elimination format, the Deacons will play their first game at 9 p.m. Wednesday against the winner of Tuesday night’s game between No. 11 Louisville and No. 14 Pittsburgh.
Wake Forest was in control of the regular-season finale until Duke (25-30, 10-20) scored the last seven runs, all in the last four innings.
Duke’s Matthew Strand hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to cut Wake’s lead to 3-2. Those were the only runs against Deacons starter Cameron Bagwell, who went 5 1/3 innings and allowed five hits and two walks.
Freshman reliever Ryan Bosch retired all five batters he faced, finishing the sixth and pitching a 1-2-3 seventh. He gave way to Blake Morningstar (2-4), who faced three batters and gave up a double, got a sacrifice bunt for his only out, and allowed a walk.
Closer Will Ray entered with runners at the corners and gave up an RBI single, an RBI groundout, and then a three-run homer to Coltin Quagliano.
Wake’s runs were driven in by Dalton Wentz, Matt Conte and Boston Torres — the Nos. 4, 5 and 6 batters in the lineup, respectively. Javar Williams had the only multi-hit game for the Deacons, going 2-for-4.
