Wake Forest Drops ACC Tournament Opener, 11-2, to Florida State
Top-seeded Seminoles erase 2-0 Deacon lead with five in the fourth

May 23, 2007

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - No. 3-ranked Florida State erased an early Wake Forest lead with a five-run fourth inning and then cruised to a 11-2 defeat of the Demon Deacons in the first game of the 2007 ACC Baseball Championship Wednesday evening at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

The Deacons scored single runs in the first and fourth innings to take an early 2-0 lead, but the top-seeded Seminoles rallied for five runs off starter Garrett Bullock in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-2 lead they would not relinquish.

The loss drops eighth-seeded Wake Forest to 31-26 overall on the year and 0-1 in ACC Tournament pool play. Florida State improves to 47-9 overall and 1-0 in the ACC Tournament.

The Deacons got on the board in the first inning, scoring a run off FSU starter Michael Hyde without the virtue of a base hit. Hyde walked Ben Terry, Allan Dykstra and Willy Fox to load the bases with one out. Brett Linnenkohl drove in Terry with a fielder's choice, as Linnenkohl beat the throw to first on the attempted double play.

Florida State loaded the bases with one out in the third, but Bullock pitched his way out of the jam. Brandon Reichert reached on an error, and Tony Thomas Jr. followed with a walk. Mark Hallberg then loaded the bases with a single through the right side, but Bullock got Buster Posey to ground into a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play.

The Deacs added another run in the fourth. Fox led off with a walk and then moved up on Linnenkohl's sacrifice bunt. One out later, Andy Goff plated Fox with a bloop single to shallow left. Wake then looked to have runners at the corners when Evan Ocheltree reached on an error by Seminole first baseman Reichert. However, second baseman Thomas scooped up the ball and caught Goff in a rundown between third and home.

The Seminoles finally got to Bullock in their half of the fourth, batting around for five runs in the inning. Jack Rye led off with a single to right, and one out later Jason Stidham laced a double to left just over the glove of a leaping Tyler Smith. Mark Gildea followed with a single to center, driving in Rye. Stidham came around to score on the play as well when Terry mishandled the ball.

Ruairi O'Connor then grounded a single up the middle, and Reichert walked to load the bases. Bullock got what looked to be an inning-ending double play off the bat of Thomas. However, the Deacs only were able to record the force out at second, as shortstop Dustin Hood bobbled the grounder, allowing Gildea to score the go-ahead run. Hallberg continued the rally with an RBI single through the left side to plate O'Connor. Posey then dumped a single into right to score Thomas from second, giving FSU a 5-2 lead.

Florida State picked up where it left off with another run off Bullock in the fifth. Travis Anderson doubled to lead off and then scored on Stidham's single past Dykstra at first.

FSU added an unearned run in the sixth. Thomas led off with a double and moved to third on a Bullock balk. One batter later, Thomas scored on a passed ball for a 7-2 Seminole lead.

Wake Forest loaded the bases in each the seventh and eighth innings but came away empty-handed both times.

The Seminoles padded their lead with four runs off Jacksonville native Kirby Wedekind in the eighth. Reichert, Thomas and Hallberg hit three straight singles to load the bases. Posey cleared the bases with a triple to left center. One out later, pinch hitter Tommy Oravetz drove in Posey with a sacrifice fly to center, giving FSU an 11-2 lead.

Florida State then loaded the bases off Wedekind once again before Joel Ernst came on to get the final out of the inning. One more Seminole run would have ended the game due to the ACC Tournament's 10-run rule.

Bullock (4-2) suffered the loss for the Deacons, losing to the Seminoles for the second time this season. The sophomore lefty went 5.2 innings and allowed seven runs, six earned, on 10 hits. Bullock struck out two batters and walked a season-high four.

Eric Niesen threw 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Niesen did not allow a hit, while striking out two and walking one.

Hood was the only Deacon with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-5. Goff and Linnenkohl each had a hit and an RBI. Goff extended his hitting streak to six games.

Hyde (10-2) earned the win for the Seminoles. The righthander pitched six innings, settling down after walking three batters in the first inning. Hyde gave up two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and four walks.

Posey finished 2-for-5 with four RBIs to lead the Seminole offense. Hallberg went 3-for-5, while Thomas and Stidham had two hits apiece.

After an off day on Thursday, Wake Forest will look to rebound against Clemson on Friday. The Deacs will send RHP Brad Kledzik (4-4, 5.04) to the mound, while the Tigers will counter with RHP David Kopp (5-2, 3.86). First pitch is set for 4 p.m.