Winston-Salem, N.C.- Despite an early 6-0 lead, the Elon Phoenix (2-6) were not able to hold the lead in their Tuesday loss to the #12 Wake Forest Demon Deacons (8-1). Elon fell to the Demon Deacons for the third straight season in Winston-Salem and dropped the first meeting of the season with the Demon Deacons, 9-6.
 
 
How It Happened

• The Phoenix jumped on the Demon Deacons early with a barrage of first inning runs. After a single from Kenny Mallory Jr., Ryan Sprock roped a double down the right field line, and after trouble in the corner, Mallory was able to score all the way from first.
• After back-to-back walks, Vince Fattore was hit by a pitch, which scored a run. Charlie Granatell returned to the lineup with a bang, lifting a ball deep into left field and off the top of the wall. The hit would be ruled a single with another runner coming home.
• Back-to-back hit by pitches would bring in two more runs before a passed ball brought in Granatell to grow the lead to 6-0 by the middle of the first inning.
• The Demon Deacons would respond in the bottom of the first with a run of their own, but Nolan Straniero would get out of a bases loaded jam to limit the damage.
• Straniero would settle in during the second and third innings, recording four punchouts in the first three innings.
• Wake Forest would get to Straniero in the bottom of the fourth, putting up five runs in the bottom of the fourth to even the score at six.
• The Demon Deacons would take the lead in the bottom of the sixth with a pair of solo home runs before adding another in the bottom of the eighth to seal the game.

 
Notes and Stats

• The Phoenix drops to 2-6 on the season after the loss to Wake Forest.
• Elon scored at least five runs in the first inning against an ACC opponent for the second time in three seasons. The Phoenix hung five runs on the NC State Wolfpack in 2023 during their 14-6 win over the #23 Wolfpack.
• Five different players drove in a run in the loss.
• Ryan Sprock finished the day with Elon's lone extra base hit with a double down the right field line which gave Elon a 1-0 lead.
• Charlie Granatell drove in a run on an RBI single in the loss.
• Itai Spinoza pitched 1.1 innings of scoreless relief and struck out a batter.

 
Up Next
The Phoenix will return to Latham Park for a three-game weekend series against Brown. First pitch on Friday between Elon and the Bears will be at 4 P.M.