May 25, 2006

Box Score

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Miami sophomore Manny Miguelez limited Wake Forest to just an earned run over 7.0 innings as the No. 5 seed Hurricanes defeated the No. 8 seed Demon Deacons, 4-1, in an elimination game from the 2006 ACC Baseball Tournament at The Baseball Grounds. Miami improves to 36-20 overall, while the Wake Forest falls to 33-22 with its five consecutive loss.

Miguelez (7-4) allowed just four hits and struck out four en route to the victory. The southpaw issued just one walk and worked out of a pair of bases loaded jams.

Wake Forest had a golden chance to break through with runs in their half of the second inning. After the first two Demon Deacons were retired, freshman Evan Ocheltree walked, senior Casey Sterk singled and redshirt junior Dan Rosaia reached on a hit by pitch. Freshman Dustin Hood followed with a ground ball right at Miami third baseman Danny Valencia, who promptly retired Sterk at third base to end the inning.

The Deacs opened the bottom of the eighth inning with back-to-back singles from Junior All-American Matt Antonelli and sophomore Andy Goff off Miami closer Chris Perez. After freshman Allan Dykstra fouled out and sophomore Brett Linnenkohl flied out, redshirt junior Brendan Enick walked to load the bases for Ocheltree, but Hurricane shortstop Roger Tomas made a great pick behind the second base bag to force Enick at second base to end the threat.

Redshirt senior Justin Keadle (5-4) was charged with the loss. The righty went 5.0 innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out four.

Antonelli, Goff and Sterk all had two hits a piece for the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest went 0-for-8 on the afternoon with runners in scoring position. In fact, the Deacons are 3-for-28 with runners in scoring position over their last five games -- all losses.

Miami junior Jon Jay and freshman Dennis Raben each had three hits. Jay went 3-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored. Raben went 3-for-4 with a run scored and RBI.

The `Canes grabbed a first inning lead on a solo home run off the bat of Tommy Giles. Giles golfed Keadle's 0-1 offering over the right field wall for his ninth bomb of the season.

The Hurricanes pushed the lead to 2-0 on another solo home run, this time off the bat of Jay in the top of the fourth inning. The blast was Jay's fifth of the season.

Miami pushed the lead to 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning off Wake Forest reliever Brad Kledzik. Raben led off the frame with a single and moved into scoring position on Eddy Rodriguez's sacrifice bunt. After Yonder Alonzo flied out, Tomas singled back up the middle scoring Raben, but Tomas was cut down trying to advance to second on the throw.

The Deacs cut into the Miami lead with a run in the bottom of the sixth to make the score, 3-1. Goff led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scampered home on Linnenkohl's sacrifice fly.

The Hurricanes added an insurance run off Demon Deacon closer Ben Hunter. Jay lined a leadoff double down the left field line and scored on Raben's one-out RBI single giving Miami a three-run lead, 4-1.

Freshman Brad Kledzik worked an 1.0 inning and allowed one earned run on two hits. Junior Josh Ellis tossed 1.0 scoreless inning of relief. Hunter went 2.0 innings and allowed one earned run on two hits. The right fanned three and did not issue a walk.

Wake Forest will now await word on its possible selection in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. The selection show is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.