Wake Forest University
Tennessee (M)
Deacons Earn A Shot At Sub-Regional Title In Knoxville
5/27/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 27, 2001
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Wake Forest is halfway through the unenviable task of beating a nationally-ranked team on its home field twice in one day.
The Demon Deacons, 44-17, beat host Tennessee 10-3 this afternoon to set up a winner-take-all sub-regional final here later today (approximately 4:45 p.m. start). The winner of that game will advance to next week's super-regional against the winner of the Wilson (NC) sub-regional.
Tennessee, 44-18, entered today's game unbeaten in sub-regional play after beating Middle Tennessee on Friday and Tennessee Tech on Saturday. The top-seeded Deacons advanced to today's action after losing to fourth-seed Tennessee Tech on Friday and beating Middle Tennessee and Tech on Saturday.
Wake Forest received solid pitching from a pair of hurlers recovering >from injuries. Left-hander Ben Clayton (4-1), making his first appearance on the mound since April 18 because of a knee injury, earned the victory after pitching five solid innings, holding the Vols to five base hits and two runs. Senior right-hander Scott Siemon (2-1), making just his eighth appearance because of a shoulder injury, pitched four innings of relief, allowing just one run on three base hits.
The Deacons spread the wealth on offense, scoring 10 runs on 16 base hits and one Tennessee error. All 11 players who came to the plate recorded at least one base hit. Jamie Athas went 2-for-5 with a career-best five RBI to pace the Deacons.
Tennessee drew first blood. The Volunteers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third when All-American shortsop Chris Burke slammed his 19th home run of the season.
Wake Forest came right back in the bottom half of the third to take a 3-1 lead. With the bases loaded and two out, Ryan Johnson hit a ball off the right field wall that scored Nick Blue and Cory Sullivan. Then Steve LeFaivre singled to score Jamie D'Antona.
Justin Parker pulled Tennessee to within 3-2 with a two-out double in the top of the fourth that scored Hal Bibee Jr.
The Deacons staggered Tennessee in the bottom of the fifth with four key runs. After D'Antona scored on a LeFaivre single to give Wake a 4-2 lead, Tennessee brought in relief ace Will Curtis with the bases loaded and one out. That's when Athas came up with a big bases-clearing double that gave the Deacons a more comfortable 7-2 lead.
Tennessee got to Siemon in the seventh. Jeff Christensen doubled over Sullivan's head in centerfield and Javi Herrera singled to put runners at the corners with no outs. One out later, Siemon walked Bibee Jr. to load the bases and setting the stage for pinch-hitter Dennis Gomez, who grounded into a fielder's choice, but earned an RBI to pull the Vols to within 7-3.
Wake coach George Greer's seventh-inning strategy paid dividends. Greer sent up consecutive pinch-hitters - Carlos Brackley and Josh Hansen - and both promptly singled. With no outs, Matt Price laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out to load the bases for the hot-hitting Athas, who singled home Brackley for his career-best fifth RBI of the day. Aquilante grounded out for the first out of the frame, but Hansen scored to give the Deacons a 10-3 lead.
