Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Missouri (Indiana State Tournament)
Demon Deacons Fall To Missouri, 5-4 in 12 Innings
3/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 12, 2004
MILLINGTON, TN-- Wake Forest dropped a 5-4, 12-inning decision to Missouri in the Easton USA Challenge Friday afternoon at USA Baseball Stadium in Millington, Tennessee. The Demon Deacons ended up on the losing end of their first extra-inning contest of the season, falling to 8-6 overall while the Tigers improved to 12-3-1 overall. Both Wake Forest starter Justin Keadle and Missouri hurler Danny Hill worked seven innings and allowed just four runs but neither figured in the decision.
Wake Forest got on the board early with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman Matt Antonelli reached on a fielder's choice and scored the game's first run as Ben Ingold drove him home with a double into the right field corner. Ingold plated the second run of the inning two batters later on a two-out RBI single to right by Ryder Mathias.
The Tigers got a run off of Keadle in the top of the fourth inning. Missouri left fielder Ryan Rallo led off with a line drive home run over the left field wall, his team-leading fifth of the season.
Missouri grabbed its first lead with two runs in the top half of the fifth . Keadle issued a one-out walk to catcher Brad Flanders and James Boone followed with a single to right. With two runners on, Missouri's Tyler Williams ripped a triple over the head of Wake Forest's Matt Miller in center field, scoring both of his teammates and giving the Tigers a 3-2 advantage.
After Wake Forest plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to reclaim the lead, Missouri's Cody Ehlers led off the sixth with his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to right which again tied the score.
The Deacs had an opportunity to win the game when pinch hitter J.B. Tucker reached on an error by Missouri shortstop Gary Arndt leading off the bottomof the ninth inning. With Brian Shust pinch-running, Doug Riepe dropped down a sacrifice bunt which put the game-winning run in scoring position with one out for Wake Forest. After a walk to Miller, the Tigers pulled Taylor Parker from the game in favor of righty Dustin Braud. But Braud was able to induce a double play off the bat of Casey Sterk, ending the Demon Deacon scoring threat.
Missouri pushed the go-ahead run across in the top of the 12th inning. Arndt was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and moved down to second on a wild pitch by Wake Forest reliever Brian Bach. In his first at-bat of the day, the Tigers' Hunter Mense followed with a double down the right field line, scoring Arndt and giving Missouri a 5-4 lead which they would hold onto. Bach allowed just three hits and one run in 4.1 innings out of the bullpen, but suffered his third defeat of the season.
The Deacs return to action Saturday at 3 pm when they take on Memphis in the Easton USA Challenge. Wake Forest will send sophomore right-hander Kyle Young to the mound against the Tigers.
