Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
UNC Greensboro
Deacons Defeat UNC Greensboro, 9-6
3/26/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 26, 2003
Winston-Salem, N.C. -- Behind eight strong innings and a career-best nine strikeouts from Winston-Salem native and sophomore starter Brian Bach, the 19th-ranked Wake Forest baseball team defeated UNC Greensboro 9-6 at Ernie Shore Field on Wednesday night to improve to 17-7 on the season.
Bach, a graduate of Mount Tabor High School, allowed three runs on 11 hits through eight innings. In addition to the nine strikeouts, Bach issued just one bases on balls to improve to 4-0 on the year.
UNC Greensboro (19-6) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning but Jamie D'Antona responded in the bottom half of the frame with a solo shot, his eighth home run of the season, to even the score.
The Spartans pushed across single runs in the fourth and fifth to take a 3-1 lead. Then, the Deacon bats came alive as Wake Forest scored five runs in the fifth.
After the Deacons tied the game on Brad Scioletti's bases loaded walk, Jeff Ruziecki smashed a single down the first base line off the outstretched glove of the Spartan first baseman. It scored D'Antona from third and Johnson from second to give Wake Forest lead a it would not relinquish.
The Deacons added three insurance runs in the seventh. Three straight singles by Johnson, Scioletti and Ruziecki scored one run. Chris Getz beat out an infield single for another run and Ruziecki hustled home from second on a ball four that got to the backscreen.
Those three runs proved to be important as the Spartans rallied with three runs in the ninth, all on a home run by Jason Sarvis off reliever Daniel Davidson.
Johnson led the Deacons offensive attack with a 4-for-4 performance. Ruziecki was 2-for-4 with three RBI.
Wake Forest continues its homestand on Friday afternoon at Hooks Stadium. The Deacons will host Duke in game one of a three-game weekend series. Kyle Sleeth gets the start for the Deacons and will try to tie an NCAA record as he guns for his 26th consecutive victory. First pitch is set for 3:00 p.m.
