Wake Forest University
Davidson
Diamond Deacs Drop Home Opener, 6-3
2/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2005
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest baseball team stranded 11 more runners on base in a 6-3 loss to Davidson in the 2005 Hooks Stadium opener Tuesday afternoon. The Demon Deacons have now left 42 runners on base in the past three games, including 25 in back-to-back losses to Winthrop and the Wildcats.
For the third time in four games, the Deacs found themselves in an early hole. Davidson (1-0) plated a pair of runs in the top of the second inning to grab an early 2-0 lead. The Wildcats used RBI singles from Alden Crissy and Andrew Musashe.
Wake Forest (1-3) answered back with a couple runs in the bottom of the third inning to tie the score, 2-2. Junior Casey Sterk and freshman Brett Linnenkohl led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After Andy Goff popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt, sophomore Matt Antonelli walked to load the bases with one out. Senior Ben Ingold was then hit by Davidson starting pitcher Andy Carter. With the bases still loaded and only one out, senior J.B. Tucker tied the score with a sacrifice fly to right field. It was Tucker's second sacrifice fly of the season.
The Wildcats plated three off tough-luck Demon Deacon stating pitcher Charlie Mellies in the top of the fourth inning. After retiring the first Wildcat of the inning, Taylor Shoope blooped a base-hit into short left-field. Crissey then followed with a line drive that right-fielder Brian Shust mishandled for a two-base error. With runners on second and third, Mellies then came back to strikeout Sam Navarro, but a wild pitch allowed Shoope to score. Then, Ronnie Shore knocked a double to plate two and give the Wildcats a 5-2 lead.
Mellies (0-1) would hold Davidson scoreless over the next two innings, but would be charged with the loss. The right-hander worked a career-best 6.0 innings in his first career start. The sophomore allowed eight hits and five runs, but only three were earned. Mellies struckout three and walked just one.
The Deacs narrowed the deficit to 5-3 with Tucker's RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning. After the Wildcats added an unearned insurance run in the eighth inning, Wake Forest mounted a valiant effort in their half of the ninth inning. The Demon Deacons loaded the bases with two outs, but Tucker flew out to end the game.
Antonelli went 2-for-4 for the Deacs, while five other Demon Deacons had one hit. Tucker knocked in a pair and leads Wake Forest with six RBI on the season.
Freshman Eric Niesen and junior Kyle Young each pitched well out of the Wake Forest bullpen. Niesen did not allow an earned run 1.1 innings and struckout three, while Young tossed a scoreless 1.2 innings.
Wildcat starter Andy Carter (1-0) picked up the win for Davidson. The senior went 5.0 innings and allowed three earned runs on six hits. The right-handed hurler walked three and struckout a pair. Rob Wilson then relieved Carter and threw 3.0 scoreless innings of relief, before turning it over to Wildcat closer Jay Heafner. Heafner walked a pair and struckout a pair before picking up the save.
The Demon Deacons return to action this weekend at the 20th annual Coca-Cola Classic hosted by South Alabama University. Wake Forest will face the host Jaguars on Friday night at 6 p.m. The Deacs will return on Saturday and play Jacksonville at 4:30 p.m., before closing the weekend against #15 Texas A&M at 11 a.m. on Sunday morning.
-- WakeForestSports.com --
