Third-ranked Clemson defeated No. 17 Wake Forest in dramatic fashion when the Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning for an 8-7 victory in Game 1 of their three-game series on Friday.

After the game the media spoke with head coach Monte Lee, catcher Chris Williams, who drew the game-winning walk, Chase Pinder, who scored the winning run, and Reed Rohlman, who drove in the first of the three runs with a single to right field.

“What an incredible game,” said Lee. “One of the most exciting games that I think I’ve been a part of. I mean really, I was thinking as that game was going on and as that was happening in the ninth inning, I don’t recall being part of a game more exciting than that one.”

Clemson (32-7, 15-4 ACC) came out hot in the bottom of the first inning and scored four runs off of four hits and two RBI sacrifice fly outs to take an early 4-0 lead. The Tigers’ momentum then began to slowly decline while Wake Forest steadily chipped away.

“Just kind of the change in momentum,” Lee said. “In the first inning we scored four runs, put together some great at-bats early in the game and then (Gavin) Sheets, being one of the best power hitters in the country, hits the big two-run home run for their big inning in the third and next thing you know it’s 4-3 and they score a couple of runs there in the middle in the fifth and the sixth and they capitalize in the eighth and score a couple and we’re down by two.”

Wake Forest’s Stuart Fairchild had an RBI single in the third inning to put the Demon Deacons on the board. That was followed up by a two-run home run from Sheets to cut Clemson’s lead 4-3. The Tigers extended their lead to 5-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning when Jordan Greene scored from third base on a wild pitch.

However, Wake Forest battled back again and scored one run in both the fifth and sixth inning to tie the game at five. The Demon Deacons then put two more runs on the board in the eighth inning to take a 7-5 lead.

As the Tigers came down to their final chance in the ninth inning, they loaded the bases with one out when Greene singled, Weston Jackson, who was pinch hitting for Grayson Byrd, was hit by a pitch and Chase Pinder walked. After the game Pinder gave all of the credit to the fans.

“Back and forth with their guys hitting home runs and our exciting first inning, it was some really good offenses so you have to give our fans credit also,” he said. “They were awesome tonight. Actually the best I’ve seen probably since the regional. They were really involved and they made it hard on the opposing team.”

With a 3-1 count Rohlman followed with a single to right center field to score Greene. Logan Davidson then hit an RBI sacrifice fly out to score Jackson, tying the game at seven.

“With this team our confidence never dies,” said Rohlman. “We were just as confident in the ninth as we were when we were putting up runs in the first. It is fun to watch us from freshmen to seniors we carry the same confidence throughout our lineup and I’ve never been on a team like this.”

After Seth Beer walked to load the bases again, Chris Williams worked the count full. The sixth pitch of his at-bat just missed outside and Wake Forest walked in Pinder for the Clemson victory.

“Going up to the plate I knew he had been wild,” said Williams. “And so I was looking for one pitch in one zone and when I got it, it went just a little foul which was kind of unfortunate, but I knew he had to make another good pitch but I never really got it so that last pitch was just far enough outside to give us that W.”

Due to inclement weather predicted for Sunday, Clemson and Wake Forest will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 2 p.m.