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June 3, 2007
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ROUND ROCK, Texas - Wake Forest's postseason run came to an end on Sunday afternoon, but the Demon Deacons did not go down without a fight. Wake rallied back from a 4-1 deficit with three runs in the bottom of the ninth before eventually falling to No. 5-ranked Texas, 7-4, in 12 innings at the NCAA Regional Tournament held at The Dell Diamond. Through the first eight innings, things looked bleak for the third-seeded Deacons. Wake managed just four hits during the span and trailed the top-seeded Longhorns 4-1. However, as they have done all year, the Deacs turned it around in the ninth, rallying for three runs with two outs. Tyler Smith led off with a single to center and then moved to third on two straight groundouts. Andy Goff drove in Smith with a single to left, cutting the deficit to 4-2 and chasing reliever Joseph Krebs from the game. The Longhorns went to closer Randy Boone, and the Deacons called on pinch hitter Brett Linnenkohl. Linnenkohl proved to be the better move, hitting a 2-2 slider from Boone just over the rightfield wall for a game-tying home run. With the momentum in its favor, Wake put together rallies in each the 10th and 11th innings but could not push the winning run across. Deacon closer Josh Ellis, who has not thrown more than three innings in a game this season, was entering his fourth inning of work at the start of the 12th. Texas took advantage, scoring three runs in the top of the inning to win the game. Jordan Danks led off with a single through the right side and then moved up on Kyle Russell's sacrifice bunt. Chance Wheeless followed with an infield single off the glove of Ellis to put runners at the corners with one out.
Bradley Suttle cashed in for the Longhorns, doubling to right center to drive in two runs. Russell Moldenhauer followed with a double of his own to plate Suttle with the third run of the inning, giving Texas a 7-4 lead. Wake Forest again would not fold without a fight, putting together a two-out rally in its half of the 12th. The Longhorns' usual third starter, Austin Wood, came on to start the frame. With the bases empty and two out, Allan Dykstra singled past the shortstop. Willy Fox followed with a walk to bring the tying run to the plate. Wood walked Smith, who had homered earlier in the game, to load the bases. Wood ended the game by striking out pinch hitter Michael Murray, thus eliminating Wake Forest and advancing Texas to the NCAA Regional Championship Game against UC Irvine. The Deacons finish the season with an overall record of 34-29, marking their highest win total since 2002. Wake was making its first NCAA Tournament appearance since that season and finished 1-2 as the third seed in the challenging Round Rock Regional. The Wake Forest offense could not get it going early against Texas starter James Russell, who was making his second start in three days. The Deacs stranded four runners over the first four innings and managed just two hits during the span. Deacon starting pitcher Brad Kledzik kept Wake in the game through the first four innings, but the Longhorns got to him with three runs in the fifth to put the Deacs in a 4-0 hole. Smith cut the deficit to 4-1 with a solo home run in the sixth. With two outs in the inning, Smith hit the first pitch he saw from Krebs to rightfield for his ninth homer of the season. The Longhorns almost pushed an insurance run across in the eighth, but Evan Ocheltree saved the Deacs with his arm in rightfield. With Suttle at second and two outs, Moldenhauer hit a single into shallow right. Ocheltree fielded the ball and came up throwing, nailing Suttle in a close play at the plate. After Wake Forest tied it with three in the ninth, the Deacs had chances to win it in extra innings. In the 10th, Fox hit a two-out single up the middle to bring up Smith. Smith hit a low line drive down the right field line, but it was ruled foul by the first base umpire, missing fair territory by mere inches. Boone got Smith to strike out to end the threat. The Deacs threatened again in the 11th but could not convert. Weldon Woodall led off with a single to left, doing so after falling in an 0-2 hole. Ocheltree sacrificed pinch runner Nathan Frazier to second. Goff followed with a grounder to short. Frazier broke for third on the play and was tagged out easily for the second out. Boone then got Dan Rosaia to line out to right to end the inning. The Longhorns put the game's first run on the board in the fourth. Moldenhauer launched a 3-2 pitch from Kledzik over the berm in rightfield for a one-out, solo home run, his sixth of the season. The Deacons threatened in their half of the fourth but came away empty-handed. Fox reached on a one-out throwing error by third baseman Suttle. Smith followed with a four-pitch walk, and both runners then stole second and third. Russell came back to strike out Woodall before Texas went to lefty reliever Krebs. Krebs needed nine pitches to retire Ocheltree, finally getting him to fly out to center to end the inning. Texas added three more runs in the fifth. Kledzik hit Travis Tucker to start the inning before getting leadoff man Danks to ground into a fielder's choice. Danks then stole second, and Kledzik walked Kyle Russell. Wheeless lined a double into the rightfield corner to score Danks and chase Kledzik from the ballgame. Lefty Eric Niesen came on for the Deacs to face Suttle. Suttle grounded an 0-2 pitch from Niesen past a drawn-in infield to score Russell and Wheeless, giving Texas a 4-0 lead. Ellis (5-4) took the loss for the Deacons, despite pitching outstanding for three innings. The senior righthander pitched a season-high four innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Ellis recorded three strikeouts and a walk. Kledzik got a no-decision for Wake Forest. The sophomore righthander lasted just 4 1/3 innings, his shortest start since Opening Day against Kent State. Kledzik allowed four runs on three hits with five walks and two strikeouts. Niesen pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief. He was not charged with a run but allowed two inherited runs to score in the fifth. Niesen allowed two hits and a walk on the day. Fox and Smith had multi-hit days to lead Wake offensively. Fox finished 2-for-5 with a double, while Smith was 2-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Linnenkohl drove in two runs with his first homer since May 2 at UNC Greensboro. Ben Terry saw his eight-game hitting streak come to an end, going 0-for-5. Terry has hit by a pitch for the 26th time this season, which ranks second on the Deacons' all-time single-season list. As a team, Wake Forest was hit by a 113 pitches on the season, which leads the country and ranks eighth on the all-time NCAA Division I single-season list. Dustin Hood was robbed of an extra-base hit in the first. Hood drove a ball deep into the left center gap, but centerfielder Nick Peoples came racing on to make a diving catch to his right. Peoples, however, immediately left the game with a fractured left clavicle. Goff returned the favor with a highlight-reel play the following half-inning. Second baseman Goff made a diving stop to his left, stood up and made a strong throw to first to take a hit away from Kyle Lusson, who had replaced Peoples in the game. Boone (5-6) earned the win for the Longhorns. The righthander pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits. Krebs, who was making his third straight Regional appearance, allowed three runs on five hits with four strikeouts and no walks. Starter James Russell went 3 2/3 innings in a no-decision for the Longhorns. The lefty did not allow a run and yielded just one hit with three strikeouts and a walk. Suttle and Moldenhauer led Texas at the plate. Suttle went 2-for-3 with four RBIs, while Moldenhauer was 2-for-6 with two RBIs. |
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