Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Maryland
Deacons Hang On To Beat Maryland, 21-16
4/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 23, 2004
Winston-Salem, N.C. - Wake Forest jumped out to an enormous 18-3 lead after six innings, but had to hold on for a 21-16 victory against Maryland on Friday afternoon at Hooks Stadium.
Maryland's team bus arrived to the ballpark less than 45 minutes before the game and the Terrapins were shellshocked as the Demon Deacon offense batted around in the first and second innings. Wake Forest scored five runs in the first and six in the second to chase Maryland ace Chris Clem out of the game after he retired only three of the 12 batters he faced.
The first inning was highlighted by J.B. Tucker's three-run home run to left field which pushed the Deacon lead to 5-0. In the second, six Wake Forest batters reached by Maryland could record an out. Deacon leadoff hitter Nick Blue was on base three times in the game's first two innings.
Meanwhile, Wake Forest's Justin Keadle was cruising along through the game's first six innings. Aside from a two-run, second inning homer by Maryland's Dan Melvin, Keadle allowed just one runner into scoring position until the seventh.
Keadle picked up his second straight victory, after pitching a complete game gem against NC State last weekend. His record improved to 2-1 in the ACC, 2-3 overall. Today's game marked the eighth consecutive outing where Keadle has pitched into the seventh inning.
Offensive stars were plentiful for the Demon Deacons (14-23, 3-13 ACC). Seven different batters had at least two hits as Wake Forest laced 18 hits, one short of a season team high. Tucker was 3-for-4 with a homer, two runs scored and four driven in. Those marks tied season-highs for Tucker. Blue had three hits and reached base five times in his seven plate appearances.
Matt Antonelli, Ben Ingold, Steve LeFaivre and Casey Sterk each had two hits for Wake Forest.
Wake Forest's 21 runs were its most in an ACC game in more than five years, since plating 22 runs against Georgia Tech on April 16, 1999.
The combined 37 runs tied for the fourth most in Wake Forest history. The record is a 24-21 Northwestern victory in February 1996.
Maryland's bats began to wake up in the seventh inning. The Terps scored five runs off Keadle in the seventh, including a three-run shot by Terrapin designated hitter Jason Maxey. Tim Morley came in with the bases empty and two outs and needed only one pitch to get out of the inning.
But Maryland's offense tide continued to come in waves at Morley. The Terps scored six more runs in the eighth, including another home run by Maxey, this one a two-run blast. In the ninth, Maryland pushed two more runs across on a one out, two-run homer by Matt Maropis. But Morley retired the final two hitters to finish the game.
With the victory, the Demon Deacons moved past Maryland into eighth place in the ACC standings,leaving Maryland alone in ninth place. Wake Forest improved to 3-13 in the ACC, 14-23 overall while Maryland slipped to 2-14 in the league, 17-23 overall.
The two teams will continue their weekend set at Hooks Stadium on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. The Deacons will send Kyle Young to the mound. The game can be heard on 98.1 WBRF and WakeForestSports.com.
