Wake Forest University
No Carolina St
Demon Deacons Defeat NC State, 11-7
4/21/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 21, 2001
WINSTON-SALEM, NC -- The 23rd-ranked Wake Forest baseball team took the second game of its series with NC State with an 11-7 win over the Wolfpack on Saturday night at Ernie Shore Field. The Demon Deacons scored four unearned runs in the game which also equaled the margin of victory.
The lead changed hands four times in the game but Wake Forest (30-12, 13-7 ACC) grabbed an 8-7 lead in the bottom of the sixth and never looked back, adding two more in the seventh and one in the eighth.
The Demon Deacons trailed 7-6 heading into the sixth inning but got two on with just one out. Jamie Athas grounded a ball deep in the hole that was scooped up by NC State shortstop Adam Miller who tried to make a play at second base. His throw was wide of the bag and all runners moved up a base on the error, including Steve LeFaivre who came around to score, tying the game at seven. Cory Sullivan followed with an infield groundout that scored Matt Price, giving Wake Forest a lead it would not relinquish.
It was the second straight night Sullivan drove in Price as the game-winning run.
Ryan Lewis worked a scoreless 1.1 innings of relief but the Wolfpack threatened in the eighth as the leadoff man reached via the walk. Lewis gave way to fellow junior Dave Bush who promptly got Brian Wright to ground into a double play, then struck out Sean Walsh to end the inning. Bush worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning with two strikeouts for his 11th save of the year.
Lewis got the win to improve to 4-1 on the season. Ryan Combs took the loss for NC State allowing four runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks in 2.1 innings. Sophomore Ryan Johnson led Wake Forest with three hits, giving him five in the first two games of the series. Sullivan and senior Corey Slavik drove in two runs each.
With the victory, Wake Forest improves to 30-12 overall and 13-7 in the ACC. The Demon Deacons remain tied for second place in the league with Clemson. NC State falls to 23-20 and 7-10 on the year.
The two teams wrap up the weekend series on Sunday afternoon on campus at Hooks Stadium at 1:30 p.m. Senior Scott Siemon will make his second start since returning from a shoulder injury. Dan D?Amato gets the ball for the Wolfpack.
