Wake Forest Tops Gophers 5-3 In NCAA Tournament

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Joey Rodriguez hit a two-run home run, Parker Dunshee allowed two runs over 7 2/3 innings and Wake Forest held on for a 5-3 win over Minnesota on Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament's College Station Regional.

Johnny Aiello and Kevin Conway added solo homers in the sixth inning and Will Craig — who started at third base and hit clean up — retired the final two batters for his ninth save of the season.

No. 3 seed Wake Forest (35-25) will face the winner of Binghamton-Texas A&M in the winner's bracket on Saturday. Second-seeded Minnesota (34-21) will play the loser.

Rodriguez's homer in the third opened the scoring. He reached base on a throwing error in the fifth and scored on a wild pitch — the second of the inning.

Minnesota's designated hitter Matt Fiedler hit a two-run shot in the eighth and Riley Smith added a solo homer in the ninth before Craig closed it out.

Dunshee (10-5) had 11 strikeouts, including four in the seventh.

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