May 10, 2006 HIGH POINT, N.C. - The No. 18 Wake Forest baseball team managed just four hits on the day, but the Demon Deacon pitching staff allowed just four in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over High Point Wednesday afternoon at Erath Field. Wake Forest improves to 32-15 on the season, while the Panthers drop to 24-26. Trailing 1-0 heading into the top of the eighth inning, the Demon Deacon bats finally awoke. After freshman Evan Ocheltree reached base on a one-out hit by pitch, freshman Allan Dykstra followed with a single -- the Deacs first hit since the second inning. Redshirt junior Brendan Enick walked, but ball four evaded the High Point catcher and Ocheltree raced home on the wild pitch. The run not only tied the game, 1-1, but it snapped a streak of 33.1 consecutive innings without scoring an earned run. Wake Forest grabbed a 2-1 lead on freshman Dustin Hood's RBI single. The run scoring hit was the first for the Demon Deacons in their last 21 at-bats with runners in scoring position. The Panthers loaded the bases in their half of the eighth inning on a double and two walks, but Wake Forest reliever Josh Ellis induced an inning ending 1-2-3 double play to keep the one-run lead intact. The Deacs added an insurance run in the top of the ninth inning. Senior Casey Sterk drew a one-out walk, stole second (his third bag of the game) and cruised home on Ocheltree's RBI double giving Wake Forest a 3-1 lead. Ellis turned the game over to sophomore closer Ben Hunter for the ninth inning. The right-hander did allow a two-out hit, but fanned Chris Norwood to end the game for his 13th save of the season. Hunter is 13-for-13 in save opportunities.
Redshirt freshman Greg Young (2-1) picked up the victory in relief. The lefty pitched a scoreless inning. Ellis tossed a scoreless eighth inning. Wake Forest freshman Tyler Smith was charged with an earned run over 3.0 innings. He did walk four and allowed a pair of hits, but also recorded a pair of strikeouts. High Point starting pitcher Bubba O'Donnell was outstanding over his 7.0 innings of scoreless work. The righty allowed only one hit -- a second inning single from sophomore Brett Linnenkohl. O'Donnell fanned a season-high eight and walked three. He retired 13 of the last 15 Demon Deacons he faced and left the game with a 1-0 lead. Wake Forest starter Justin Keadle, who missed his normal Sunday turn in the rotation following the rain out against Florida State, tossed 2.0 perfect innings. The right-handed hurler struck out a pair, induced four ground balls and threw just 23 pitches. Demon Deacon senior reliever Kip Byrum followed Keadle with a perfect inning of relief. The southpaw recorded three fly outs and did not issue a walk. The outing was the first for Byrum without a free pass since March 14 against Quinnipiac. Ocheltree, Dykstra, Hood and Linnenkohl each had hits. Sterk drew a pair of walks, scored a run and stole three bases. Wake Forest continued to struggle at the plate. The Deacons, who failed to score a run in the final 17 innings of Saturday's 20-inning affair with the Seminoles, missed out on a pair of scoring chances early. Wake Forest loaded the bases in the third inning with two outs and had a runner at third base with just one out in the fifth, but failed to score either time. Over the last five games, the Demon Deacons are batting just .160 (30-for-187) with no home runs and only six extra base hits. Wake Forest is struggling even more with runners in scoring position. The Deacs are hitting just .135 (7-for-52). Wake Forest returns to action this weekend with a huge ACC series at No. 23 Miami. Game times are scheduled for 7 p.m. (Friday), 7 p.m. (Saturday) and 1 p.m. (Sunday). The Demon Deacons sit in second place of the Atlantic Division with a 15-8 record, while the Hurricanes are third in the Coastal Division with a 14-10 mark. -- WakeForestSports.com -- |
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