Feb. 15, 2007 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -
OPENING IT UP -- Wake Forest will open the 2007 season with a homestand against Kent State... the three-game series runs Feb. 16-18 at Hooks Stadium on the Wake Forest campus... the Demon Deacons and Golden Flashes will meet for the first time since the 1997 season. OPENING WEEKENDS -- Wake Forest will look for its first victory in its season opener since 2003... the Deacons lost to Rice to open 2004, Winthrop in 2005 and Charlotte last season... the 2006 opener against the 49ers was the first time the Deacs opened a season with a series (not tournament or individual game) since 1999 when they took two of three from Evansville... dating back to the 1958 season (the last 50 years), Wake Forest is 30-20 on opening day... Wake Forest has won three of its last four opening weekend series dating back to 1994 and has gone 10-13 on the first weekend of the season all-time in series... the Demon Deacons are 0-2 under Rick Rembielak on opening day and Rembielak is 6-7 all-time in his career. KENT STATE INSIDER -- The 2007 Golden Flashes will be trying to repeat as Mid-American Conference regular season champions. They were picked to finish second in the East Division in the preseason coaches poll. Five of their lineup's top six hitters and the No. 1 starting pitcher were lost to graduation and the MLB draft. KSU returns 16 letterwinners in 2007, including 10 pitchers as well as the 17th best recruiting class in the nation as ranked by Baseball America. The series will also be a homecoming for Golden Flash assistant coaches Scott Daeley and Jamie Athas who are both Deacon alums. Daeley was a centerfielder for the Deaons on their 1998 and 1999 ACC Championship teams while Athas played shortstop for the 2001 ACC champs. REMBIELAK TO FACE OLD TEAM -- Head coach Rick Rembielak will see a familiar opponent this weekend when the Deacs face the Golden Flashes. He was an assistant coach with Kent State from 1988-93 and then its head coach from 1994-2004. "Coach Rem" left Kent, Ohio, with a 373-251-1 (.598) record and led the squad to the NCAA Regionals four times. RANKINGS -- Wake Forest and Kent State are each unranked in any of the four polls. ON DECK -- After the Demon Deacons' series this weekend with Kent State, they will play a mid-week game against Appalachian State on Tuesday, Feb. 20, at Hooks Stadium. The Deacs will then head west for a three-game series at the University of San Diego on Feb. 23-25. HUNTER NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN -- Wake Forest junior closer Ben Hunter was named a second team Preseason All-American by Louisville Slugger and Rivals.com. Hunter was also named to the preseason watch lists for the Stopper of the Year and Roger Clemens Awards. In 2006, Hunter went 1-2 with a 1.47 earned run average and 14 saves in 33 relief appearances. The 14 saves and 11.54 strikeouts per nine innings not only led the ACC, but also ranked sixth and 10th in those same categories nationally. Hunter was second in the ACC in ERA (fifth in the NCAA) and third in opponents batting average of .193. The Cincinnati, Ohio native was 14-for-15 in save opportunities. Hunter struck out a team-best 70 and walked just 17 in 55.0 innings of work. The 14 saves are the most for a Wake Forest pitcher since former All-American Dave Bush had 16 in 2001 and ranks tied for the second-most in single-season school history. DEMON DEACONS RETURN SIX STARTERS -- Wake Forest returns six position starters from last year's team. Sophomore Allan Dykstra, the only returner to start all 55 games in 2006, is back at first base. Also back are fellow sophomores Evan Ocheltree (RF) and Dustin Hood (SS). Behind the plate, senior Dan Rosaia and junior Austin Jones will again split time at catcher, and junior Eric Williams is back in centerfield. Junior Brett Linnenkohl, who missed some time with a hamstring but started 20 games in 2006, will begin the year in left field. ARM(ED) SERVICES -- Wake Forest returns six pitchers that recorded 40 or more IP last season, including five hurlers with 50 or more IP. That does not include redshirt junior Charlie Mellies, who will return to the lineup in 2007 after missing much of 2006 after undergoing elbow surgery. Sophomore Brad Kledzik, junior Eric Niesen and sophomore Garrett Bullock anchor the starting rotation to begin the year. Junior Ben Hunter returns as one the top closer's in the country and will be looked upon for similar results in 2007. DEACONS TO HAVE 32 HOME DATES IN 2007 -- Wake Forest will play 32 games within the "friendly confines" of Hooks Stadium during the 2007 season, starting with Kent State on Feb. 16. Other non-conference teams slated to visit Winston-Salem this season are: Appalachian State (Feb. 20), Charlotte (Feb. 27), UNC Wilmington (March 2-4), Gardner-Webb (March 6), Ball State (March 13-14), Ohio (March 20), Winthrop (March 28), UNC-Greensboro (April 10) and Coastal Carolina (April 18). The Demon Deacons are scheduled to open their ACC schedule at home for the second straight year, starting with a three-game series against Virginia (March 9-11). Wake Forest will also host ACC foes NC State (March 23-25), Clemson (April 13-April 15), Duke (April 27-29) and Miami (May 11-13). DEACONS PICKED TO FINISH EIGHTH BY ACC COACHES -- Wake Forest was picked to finish fourth in the ACC Atlantic Division in the preseason poll. In a vote of the league's 12 head coaches, the Demon Deacons received 40 points in the poll. Clemson was tabbed as the preseason favorite to win the Atlantic, while 2006 College World Series runner-up North Carolina was picked to win the Coastal Division. Clemson was also voted as the favorite to capture the ACC Tournament title. DEACONS IN THE MAJORS -- During the history of Wake Forest baseball, a total of 32 former players have made it to the majors. The 2006 MLB draft saw All-American Matt Antonelli go 17th overall to the San Diego Padres. Antonelli was the fourth Demon Deacon in school history to be chosen in the first round and the program's first-ever position player. Detroit drafted Kyle Sleeth 3rd overall in 2003, Kansas City drafted Mike MacDougal 25th overall in 1999 and St. Louis took Bret Wagner 19th overall in 1994. Jamie D'Antona, second round and 66th overall pick of Arizona, was the highest previously drafted Wake Forest position player. GAME ONE STARTER -- #27 So., RHP Brad Kledzik (5-4, 5.00 ERA in 2006). Kledzik made his last start on May 18, 2006 vs. Clemson... took the loss in a 26-1 defeat, allowing 13 hits, no walks while punching out three batters in 5.0 innings. KLEDZIK'S LAST... CAREER BESTS... VS. THE GOLDEN FLASHES... GAME TWO STARTER -- #24 Jr., LHP Eric Niesen (3-2, 4.68 ERA in 2006). Niesen made his last start on May 25, 2006 vs. Clemson at the 2006 ACC Tournament... charged with the loss in the Deacs' final game of the year, a 4-1 defeat... allowed five hits, three walks while striking out five batters in 3.2 innings. NIESEN'S LAST... CAREER BESTS... VS. THE GOLDEN FLASHES... GAME THREE STARTER -- #17 So., LHP Garrett Bullock (1-0, 6.10 ERA in 2006). Bullock made his last start on Feb. 24, 2006 vs. Ohio State... got the win in the 6-2 victory... allowed three hits, three walks while striking out a career-best seven batters in 5.0 innings. BULLOCK'S LAST... CAREER BESTS... VS. THE GOLDEN FLASHES...
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In The Polls |
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