The bad news was what happened in the first inning.
The good news was what happened in the rest of the game.
Wake Forest gave up a six-run first and rallied for a 9-6 win over visiting Elon on Tuesday at David F. Couch Ballpark.
The Deacons (8-1) got one run back on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first, and then tied the game with a five-run fourth.
In that big inning, Dalton Wentz started the scoring with an RBI double. Jimmy Keenan hit a three-run home run to make it a one-run deficit, and Ethan Conrad’s infield single tied the game.
Three solo homers were the difference on the scoreboard and the first came off Conrad’s bat in the sixth. Jack Winnay homered on the next pitch, and Marek Houston added a homer in the eighth for an insurance run.
Houston, Conrad and Winnay, batting in the 2-3-4 spots, respectively, were a combined 7-for-13 with four runs and four RBI. Wentz also had a multi-hit game.
Matt Bedford retired the first batter of the game and then allowed the next six batters to reach base — three hits, two walks and one hit batter. Griffin Green entered for him and plunked the first two batters he faced, both with the bases loaded. A passed ball led to Elon’s (2-6) sixth and, it turned out, final run of the game.
Green got into the second inning before Luke Schmolke took over, and he pitched 2 1/3 with four strikeouts and one walk. Haiden Leffew (1-0) earned the win by pitching the fifth and sixth innings.
Zach Johnston took over for the seventh and pitched 1 2/3 innings; Will Ray struck out the only batter he faced to end the eighth.
Josh Gunther struck out the side in the ninth for his second save of the season; it’s the second straight game Gunther ended with three strikeouts in the ninth.
