Wake Forest University
Duke
Wake Forest Baseball Holds Off Duke, 11-10
4/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 1, 2005
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest baseball team held off a furious Duke rally in the ninth inning for an 11-10 victory in ACC baseball action from Hooks Stadium Friday afternoon.
After Demon Deacon starter Josh Ellis went 7.0 strong innings, freshman Matt Hammond came on and tossed a perfect eighth inning, but then ran into all kinds of trouble after getting the first out of the ninth inning.
Bryan Smith followed with a one-out single and came around to score on Jimmy Gallagher's second home run of the season. With the deficit at 11-6, Javier Soccorro reached on an infield single then Adam Murray singled before Brett Bartles walked to load the bases. The Blue Devils made the score, 11-7, when Cody Wheeler reached on catcher's interference.
Wake Forest closer Kyle Young then replaced Hammond with the bases loaded and still only one out. Corey Whiting greeted Young with an RBI single through the right side to cut the Demon Deacon lead to 11-8. Young then got John Berger to pop out for the second out of the inning, but Ron Causey made it 11-9 with an infield single, but Wake Forest shortstop Andy Goff's throw got away from first basemen Brendan Enick which then allowed pinch runner Senterrio Landrum to race home from third base to make it 11-10.
Down just one run and with runners at the corners, Young was able to escape when Bryan Smith, who singled earlier in the inning, grounded out. Young picked up his second save of the season.
Ellis (4-2) was outstanding. The sophomore allowed four earned runs on seven hits. The right-handed hurler struckout one and walked a pair. Ellis recorded 10 ground ball outs and lowered his season earned run average to 6.28. He has now worked into the seventh inning in four of his five ACC starts.
Senior Ben Ingold, senior J.B. Tucker, senior Matt Miller and junior Casey Sterk all had two hits for the Deacs. Ingold went 2-for-4 with four runs scored and three RBI, including a two-run home run. The blast was Ingold's second of the season and eighth of his career. Tucker went 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Miller went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Sterk, who extended his hitting streak to a career-best seven games, went 2-for-2 with a run scored, RBI, two walks and two stolen bases.
Duke starter Danny Otero (3-6) picked up the loss for the Blue Devils. The sophomore worked 1.2 innings and allowed three runs, only one earned, on two base hits. Jim Perry pitched 2.2 innings and allowed five earned runs on four hits, while David Torcise allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits in 2.2 innings as well.
Wake Forest and Duke return to action Saturday afternoon with the second game of their three-game series. Demon Deacon sophomore Charlie Mellies will take the hill for the Deacs. First-pitch at Hooks Stadium is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
-- WakeForestSports.com --
