Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
UNC Asheville
Demon Deacons Top UNC-Asheville, 10-7
4/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 20, 2004
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.- The Wake Forest baseball team pounded out 15 hits en route to a 10-7 comeback victory over UNC-Asheville Tuesday afternoon at Hooks Stadium. The Demon Deacons improve to 13-23 while the Bulldogs fall to 17-20 on the season. Six different Wake Forest batters recorded at least two hits in the game, including Steve LeFaivre and Ryder Mathias who chipped in three apiece. The Deacs' Charlie Mellies pitched four scoreless innings of relief out of the bullpen, allowing just one hit and striking out three to improve to 3-0.
After the Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, the Demon Deacons came right back with a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the inning. Shortstop Ben Ingold started things off with a single and promptly stole second base. Steve LeFaivre then drove Ingold in with an RBI single up the middle while a triple by Brad Scioletti plated LeFaivre with the go-ahead run.
UNC-Asheville evened the score in the top of the second, but Wake Forest quickly reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning on Ryder Mathias' third home run of the season.
With the score tied at five in the top of the fifth inning, the Bulldogs put two runs on the board with two outs to again pull ahead. A two-run double down the left field line by Josh Coyle off Deacon reliever Sean Souders scored David Williams and Steve Sherman and put UNC-Asheville ahead 7-5.
The Demon Deacons took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Matt Antonelli and Ingold led off with consecutive singles and both advanced on a double steal. On the next pitch, Bulldog reliever Chris Nigro uncorked a wild pitch, scoring Antonelli and allowing Ingold to move to third. After a walk to LeFaivre, Scioletti struck out swinging, but the pitch got by Asheville catcher Jaksa, bringing Ingold home with the tying run. Then with two outs, Mathias ripped a double into the right-center field gap, scoring LeFaivre and putting the Deacs ahead 8-7.
Wake Forest would add a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Casey Sterk walked and scored on a fielder's choice by Ingold and Scioletti ripped an RBI single into center field, giving him two runs batted in on the afternoon.
The Demon Deacons return to action this weekend when they host Maryland for a three-game ACC series. First pitch Friday will be at 3 p.m.
