ELON, N.C. – Playing its seventh game of the year against a top-25 opponent, the Elon University baseball team dropped a 13-1 decision to 20th-ranked Wake Forest at Latham Park on Wednesday night.
Elon (16-18) recorded just three hits on the night, including a James Venuto homer.
Wake Forest (25-10) got three RBI apiece from Stuart Fairchild and Gavin Sheets in the victory.
Phoenix starter Owen Lorenz (0-2) took the loss after giving up two runs on two hits in 3.0 innings in his second career start, both of which have come against Wake Forest.
John McCarren (3-3) struck out two in a scoreless relief inning to garner the win.
How It Happened: With a runner on first and one out in the top of the third inning, Jonathan Pryor doubled to left-center to put two in scoring position for Wake Forest. Jake Mueller’s ground out would drive home the game’s first run before Fairchild singled home another to give the Deacs a 2-0 lead.
The Phoenix cut its deficit in half when Venuto led off the last of the fourth with his fourth home run of the season, the shot clearing the tall wall in leftfield.
The Deacs loaded the bases with a pair of walks and an infield single for Sheets who delivered two runs with a two-out single through the left side of the Phoenix infield. Ben Breazeale followed with a double off the wall in right-center to drive home two more and give Wake Forest a 6-1 advantage. Logan Harvey would be the third Deacon to pick up two RBI in the frame by doubling home two with a shot down the leftfield line.
Wake would add another two runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh to finish the scoring.
Notes: Ryne Ogren has now reached base safely in 22 consecutive games, while Kyle Jackson’s streak was snapped at a career-best 18 games.
On Deck: The Phoenix will get back to CAA action this weekend with a three-game series at Towson. The series will get underway with a 3 p.m. game on Friday, April 14.