Elon Baseball Out-Slugs Wake Forest for 10-9 Victory

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A three-run seventh inning broke a 7-7 tie and propelled the Elon University baseball team to a 10-9 victory over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons from Couch Ballpark on Tuesday, March 27. The win snapped Elon’s brief three-game losing streak to the Deacs.

Box Score | Play-by-Play

Seven of Elon’s nine starters had at least one hit. The Phoenix (14-11) was paced by Ryne Ogren who went 3-for-5 with a double, run scored and two RBI. Elon also got home runs from Hayden Platt (2-for-4, two runs, one RBI) and Liam O’Regan (2-for-4, double, three runs, one RBI).

Picking up the win after 1.2 shutout innings was Robbie Welhaf (2-3). Welhaf allowed one hit and struck out one. Jared Wetherbee struck out three over the final 1.1 scoreless frames to earn his third save of the year.

For Wake Forest (11-14), both Bobby Seymour and DJ Poteet had two hits and one RBI. Poteet also scored three times.

Tyler Witt (0-1) allowed three runs on three hits and struck out three in an inning and was charged with the loss.

How It Happened: After Wake Forest took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, Elon went ahead 2-1 thanks to solo homers from Platt and O’Regan in the top of the second. The Deacons immediately knotted it back up at two in the bottom of the second.

In the fourth, the Phoenix grabbed a 4-2 advantage thanks to a two-out rally. After the first two hitters were retired, O’Regan and Zach Evers walked ahead of Ogren’s double to the gap in left-center that scored both runs. The lead reached 6-2 the next inning. Joe Satterfield led off the inning and reached first on a wild pitch on a third strike. After a walk and wild pitch put two in scoring position, Shawn Blake ripped a 3-2 pitch up the middle through the drawn in infield to drive home a pair.

Satterfield’s RBI double in the sixth gave the Phoenix a 7-2 advantage before Wake Forest rallied in the bottom half. Back-to-back singles from Johnny Aiello and Bobby Seymour were followed by a walk to load the bases. After a strikeout, a pair of walks forced home two runs to cut Elon’s lead to 7-4. Wake pulled within one after a wild throw to first on a ground ball left runners on the corners. The Deacs then tied it at seven on a wild pitch to cap a five-run frame. The maroon and gold was able to escape the inning thanks to a double play.

Elon had a quick answer, going in front for good in the seventh. Platt started things off with a single up the middle and moved to third on O’Regan’s one-out double to the gap in right. With two down, Ogren was plunked to load the bases before James Venuto picked up an RBI after also being hit by a pitch. Cam Devanneydelivered the final blow, ripping a 2-1 pitch up the middle for a two-RBI single to make it 10-7.

Wake did not go quietly, however. With runners on the corners and nobody out in the Deacons’ eighth, a wild pitch allowed one run to score and put another in scoring position. A pair of ground ball outs brought home a second run to make it 10-9 before Wetherbee struck out Aiello to end the inning.

The Deacs made one final push in the ninth. Wetherbee struck out the first hitter of the inning, but then issued a pair of walks. Another strikeout moved the Phoenix one out from victory, but the tying run moved to third on a stolen base. On a 3-2 offering Wetherbee induced a pop up down the right field line that Satterfield ran down to end the game and give the Phoenix the win.

Notes: Devanney and Satterfield have both reached safely in 15 straight contests… Elon has had 12 different players homer this season… This marked Elon’s 11th one-run game of the year… The Phoenix had seven two-out RBI and was 6-for-15 (.400) with two outs… Head coach Mike Kennedy is closing in on 700 career wins and now sits at 692 victories in his 22-year career… The two teams combined to use 16 pitchers in a game designated as a staff day by both squads.

On Deck: The Phoenix returns home to Latham Park for a key CAA series this weekend. Elon will play host to No. 30 College of Charleston in a three-game set that begins with a 6 p.m. first pitch on Friday, March 30.