April 25, 2006

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The No. 20 Wake Forest baseball team returns to the diamond this week with a non-conference game at UNC Greensboro before breaking for eight days for final exams. First pitch on Wednesday is scheduled for 6 pm.

Wake Forest (30-14, 14-7 ACC) will send freshman Tyler Smith to the mound against UNCG. The right-handed hurler is 1-2 with a 3.62 ERA in 15 appearances and five starts. Smith has allowed 24 hits over his 32.1 innings -- good for a .197 opponent's batting average. He has struck out 18, but also walked 17.

In his last start, Smith went 5.0 innings and allowed three earned runs against Davidson on April 18. He started the first meeting with the Spartans on April 12. Smith tossed 6.0 hitless innings in a 17-2 rout of UNC Greensboro. He did not allow an earned run en route to his first career victory. Smith only allowed one Spartan to reach second base after the second inning.

UNCG (17-25) was swept this past weekend in a three-game series at Georgia Southern. The Spartans have not announced a starter.