Wake Forest pitcher Haiden Leffew (South Rowan)

Staff report

WINSTON-SALEM — Wake Forest’s baseball team bowed out of the ACC Tournament early with a loss to 16th-seeded California, but the Deacons will have a chance to redeem themselves in the Knoxville Regional.

Wake Forest (36-20) began the season in the top 15 nationally, but experienced some highs and lows. Wake Forest is dangerous, as it beat strong teams such as Coastal Carolina and Florida State, but it also lost some head-scratchers.

Haiden Leffew (South Rowan) is one of the key bullpen guys for the Deacons. The sophomore lefty is 3-1 with four saves and a 3.98 ERA. He’s struck out 52 in 31.2 innings.

The Knoxville Regional obviously is hosted by No. 1 seed Tennessee. Wake Forest is seeded second and will take on No. 3 Cincinnati in the opening round of the double-elimination event. The 4 seed is MAC champion Miami (Ohio).