Tigers Win Series With 10-8 Victory Over No. 23 Demon Deacons
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Clemson Tigers hit five home runs, including two by Caden Grice, in their 10-8 win over No. 23 Wake Forest at David F. Couch Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. With the victory, Clemson (22-13, 4-10 ACC) won its sixth series in a row over the Demon Deacons (27-9, 10-8 ACC) and improved to 15-4 against them dating to 2016.
The Demon Deacons scored three runs in the first inning, capped by Nick Kurtz’s two-run homer. Grice lined an opposite-field solo homer in the second inning. Two batters later, David Lewis hit an opposite-field solo homer, the first of his career, on an 0-2 pitch, then Max Wagner tied the score 3-3 with a squeeze bunt in the third inning.
Wake Forest regained the lead when Kurtz led off the fourth inning with his second long ball of the game, then Tyler Corbitt belted a two-run homer, his sixth of the year, in the sixth inning to give Clemson a 5-4 lead. Wagner added to the lead with a three-run homer, his 11th of the year, in the top of the seventh inning. Two batters later, Grice crushed a two-run homer, his second of the game and sixth of the year, to up Clemson’s lead to 10-4.
The Demon Deacons fought back with four two-out runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, highlighted by Brendan Tinsman’s solo homer and Jake Reinisch’s two-run homer.
Tiger reliever Geoffrey Gilbert (3-1) earned the win by tossing 2.0 hitless and scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Jackson Lindley pitched 2.1 innings to record his first career save. Wake Forest starter Teddy McGraw (3-2) suffered the loss, as he gave up eight hits, six runs and two walks with five strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched.
The Tigers travel to Athens, Ga. to play Georgia on Tuesday at 6 p.m. on SEC Network+.
