CHARLOTTE — Starter Dylan Harrison didn’t make it out of the first, and Erik Bakich was ejected as Wake Forest run-ruled Clemson 15-4 in midweek action at Truist Field in Charlotte on Wednesday night.

Clemson has now lost 10 of its past 14 games.

The Tigers used eight pitchers in the loss and only had seven hits. Bryce Clavon was responsible for three of those, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Tryston McCladdie went 1-for-2 and walked twice, while hitting his eighth long ball of the season.

Clemson (19-11) once again found itself in an early hole, as Harrison was only able to record two outs. The freshman walked the leadoff hitter in the bottom of the first, then hit the second batter. Luke Costello then singled into left, driving in one run. A Kade Lewis groundout drove in another and a Boston Torres two-out single then made it 3-0 and ended Harrison’s day, as he falls to 1-1 on the season.

During Clemson’s next at-bat in the bottom half of the second, Clavon was on third with two outs, with Tyler Lichtenberger at the plate. Facing a 0-2 count, Lichtenberger was given a strike for not getting in the box quickly enough, ending the Tigers’ inning. Bakich was livid and came out of the dugout to argue. Once he went back to the dugout, he kept jawing and was eventually ejected. He proceeded to come back out and get in the home plate umpire’s face again.

Clemson got on the board in the third. Ty Dalley walked to get things started. After Jay Dillard struck out, McCladdie walked, putting two on with one out. A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up a base, and a Nate Savoie walk loaded them up. After a pitching change, Jack Crighton grounded to third. The defender stepped on third, getting a force out of McCladdie, but his throw to first, trying to get the double play, was off the mark, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Dalley scored on the play to make it 3-1.

The Deacs (21-9) got that run back in the bottom half of the frame and then some. After a leadoff triple by Lewis, Eston Simpson relieved Noah Samol. Matt Conte welcomed him by singling back up the middle against a drawn-in infield, plating a run. After another single by Torres Boston, a double by Costello pushed across another run. Boston was thrown out at home trying to score on the same play. Blake Schaaf followed with a triple over Clavon’s head, scoring another run. A sacrifice fly by JD Stein made it 7-1.

The Tigers had runners on second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the fourth, but Litchenberger, Dalley and Dillard all struck out, stranding the runners. It was Dillard’s third consecutive strikeout after starting in the leadoff spot. Dillard would finish 0-for-4 with four strikeouts.

A two-out triple by Matt Conte in the bottom of the fourth gave Wake an 8-1 lead.

McCladdie led off the fifth with a solo shot out to right, his eighth of the season. Clavon then added an RBI single and Luke Gaffney drove in a run with a fielder’s choice, making it 8-4.

The Demon Deacons responded with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ariston Veasey walked in a run, Torres drove in another one on a sacrifice fly and Schaaf had another RBI hit. However, it was a grand slam with two outs by Javar Williams that provided the kill-shot, making it 15-4. It was his sixth homer of the season.

Bakich Ejection

The last time Bakich was ejected, he was suspended for two games. However, that ejection came in the postseason. With this one coming during a regular-season game, he doesn’t face an automatic suspension.

No Clutch Hitting (Again)

Clemson was just 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position and 0-for-7 with two outs. Wake was 9-of-17 with runners in scoring position.

Nick Frusco Makes Debut

After being drafted in the 20th round of last year’s MLB Draft, the true freshman made his collegiate debut against Wake. Frusco came out of the pen to start the bottom of the fourth, and the very first pitch he threw was ripped into the corner in left for a double. He went one inning, allowing a run on two hits, while striking out two. He threw 18 total pitches, 13 for strikes.

Up Next

Clemson heads out west to play four games in four days. The Tigers begin a three-game set at Stanford on Friday, with first pitch set for 9:05 p.m.