No. 7 Coastal Carolina (26-10, 13-2 SBC) dropped the midweek series finale to Wake Forest (25-13, 9-9 ACC), falling 10–5 in Winston-Salem, N.C., as the Deacs’ bats broke out for 15 hits in the win.
After two scoreless innings to start the game, Wake Forest erupted for five runs in the bottom of the third.
First baseman Kade Lewis singled to center in his second at-bat to score junior Blake Schaaf from second, who reached on a hit-by-pitch and swiped second base to get in scoring position.
Dalton Wentz then singled up the middle to move Lewis to second with one out in the inning. Luke Costello followed with a third straight single to center for the Deacs, scoring Lewis from second as Wake Forest began to find a rhythm against Chanticleer starter Jackson Smallets and took a 2–0 lead.
Boston Torres reached on a five-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs and force Coastal to pull Smallets.
Smallets finished his night tossing 2.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out two, as he started to lose his command towards the end.
Senior Conner Kane entered the game in a tough spot with the bases loaded and two outs.
On a 2-0 count, Andrew Costello hit a bloop single just past the glove of Chanticleer second baseman Blake Barthol, scoring Wentz and his brother Luke, and extended the lead to 4-0.
Javar Williams, who normally hits leadoff for the Demon Deacons but was batting sixth in this game, singled down the left field line to score Torres from third, capping the five-run frame.
Chanticleer slugger Rex Watson led off the top of the fourth with a double over the center fielder’s head, setting up Jordan Taylor to bring home Coastal’s first run on a sharp grounder to Lewis at first that was misplayed and rolled into right field, allowing Watson to score from second.
Freshman Jackson Winer then followed with a no doubt two-run homer to right field in his fifth plate appearance on the season to chip away at the deficit for Coastal, 4-3.
In the bottom of the fourth, Wake Forest shortstop JD Stein singled to center and Lewis followed with a walk, putting two runners on with one out and putting Kane in a jam.
Kane then struck out Wentz and Luke Costello back-to-back to escape the jam.
Coastal put two runners on in the top of the fifth with two outs, but left them stranded as Taylor grounded out to second to end the inning.
Boston Torres led off the bottom of the fifth with a solo shot over the right field wall on a low-inside cutter from Kane to extend the lead to 6-3.
Later in the inning with two outs, Jackson Miller homered to right for the second blast of the frame. Blake Schaaf followed with a single to left, prompting a mound visit from the Chanticleers, but Stein lined out to end the inning and limit the damage to two runs.
In the top of the sixth, Wake Forest left-hander Rhys Bowie came in relief for starter Duncan Marsten, who finished his night allowing just four hits on three runs while striking out seven.
On the first pitch he saw from Bowie, Winer reached first on an infield single, but was then picked off at first base for the first out.
Catcher Brice Estep followed with a walk, and sophomore Texas transfer Cole Chamberlain pinch hit for Colby Thorndyke but struck out swinging.
With Ty Barrango up at the dish, Estep was gunned down trying to steal second on Andrew Costello, with a nice pick by Schaaf at second to end the top half.
Chanticleer reliever Darin Horn replaced Kane in the bottom of the sixth. Kane ended his night allowing six hits and a pair of solo home runs through 2.1 innings of work.
Lewis led off the inning with his second single of the night, but Horn retired three straight batters to end the frame.
In the top of the seventh, Mihos doubled down the third base line on a full count and advanced to third as Barthol reached first on a dropped third strike wild pitch.
Wake Forest then turned to right-hander Marcelo Harsch with one out and runners on the corners.
After a strikeout by third baseman Walker Mitchell, Watson beat out an infield chopper to second, scoring Mihos from third and moving Barthol from first to third to cut the deficit to 7–4.
Watson then stole second, but Taylor froze on a three-pitch strikeout, as he failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position for the fourth time in the game.
Freshman Colby Richardson replaced Horn in the bottom of the seventh and did his job to escape the inning, allowing no runs despite issuing a free pass and surrendering a single.
Winer came through once again in the top half of the eighth as he launched his second home run of the night to left center for his third hit of the ball game. The freshman made his second start of the season and helped Coastal chip into the deficit 7-5, to keep Coastal within distance.
In the bottom half of the eighth, Coastal turned to their reliable closer, Graduate Ryan Lynch. Still, the Wake Forest bats were all over him and added three runs in the inning on a trio of solo home runs from Wentz, Luke Costello and Jimmy Keenan, to put the game out of reach and extend the lead to 10-5.
Senior right-hander Will Ray closed out the game in the top of the ninth to give Wake Forest their second win of the season against a top-10 team.
The Demon Deacons’ bats came alive Tuesday night, as they tallied 15 total hits in the win and doubled their run total from the first two games against the Chanticleers.
Five Wake Forest hitters turned in multi-hit performances, and each of their nine starters recorded a hit.
Marsten (2-3) earned the win in his second start of the season against Coastal, as he tossed 5.0 innings, allowing four hits and three runs.
Winer led the Coastal offense, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs; Barthol and Watson each had a pair of hits as well.
Smallets (0-1) was credited with the loss for the Chanticleers as he exited after allowing five runs on 45 pitches.
The Chanticleers will return home and take on Georgia State in a three-game series beginning on Friday, April 17, as they look to continue dominance in conference play.
Wake Forest will remain at home and face NC State (25-12, 8-7 ACC) in a three-game series starting on Friday as they look to keep their bats hot.
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