Wake Forest University
Liberty
Demon Deacon Baseball Tops Liberty, 9-8
4/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 26, 2005
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Wake Forest baseball team squandered a 7-0 lead and trailed 8-7 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning, but senior J.B. Tucker's two-run double in the seventh helped the Demon Deacons get past Liberty, 9-8, in college baseball action from Hooks Stadium Tuesday afternoon.
With the Deacs down 8-7 and one out in the seventh, sophomore Matt Antonelli walked and moved over to third base on a perfect hit-and-run single from senior Ben Ingold. Tucker then stepped to the plate and stroked a 0-1 offering from Jordan Stubblefield down the left field line scoring Antonelli and Ingold. Tucker went 1-for-4 on the afternoon with a run scored and two RBI. Over his last six games, the designated hitter is hitting .524 (11-for-21) with three home runs and 11 RBI.
Senior Ryder Mathias gave the Deacs a 2-0 lead with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. After the Demon Deacons made it 3-0 on an RBI single from freshman Andy Goff, Mathias added another two-run bomb in a four-run fourth inning as Wake Forest raced out to a 7-0 lead.
With Demon Deacon starting pitcher Matt Hammond in cruise control over the first four innings, the game seemed in hand, but Hammond ran into trouble in the fifth inning. After fanning Chad Miller to open the fifth, Hammond walked Michael Just then Aaron Grijalva double to put the Flames on board, 7-1. After a line out and another walk, P.K. Keller singled to bring the Flames within three runs, 7-2. Abe Yeakel followed with a two-run double to narrow the gap to 7-4. Hammond would be removed following the double for sophomore Sean Souders.
Souders did get out of the fifth inning after a walk and strikeout, but allowed a two-out single to Grijalva, who came around to score -- after stealing second -- on Phillip Laurent's RBI single. With the score now 7-5, senior Kip Byrum relieved Souders and was greeted by Jeff Brown with a two-run home run that tied the score, 7-7.
The Flames actually grabbed an 8-7 lead on Miller's RBI single in the top of the seventh inning and loaded the bases with just one out off Byrum, but freshman Eric Niesen was able to punchout consecutive Liberty batters to end the threat and set the stage for Tucker in the bottom half of the inning.
Niesen (3-2) picked up the victory in relief. The southpaw went 1.2 innings and allowed one hit, but struckout five and walked none. Junior Kyle Young came on in the ninth inning and held the Flames scoreless for his fifth save of the season.
Mathias went 2-for-3 with a pair of two-run home runs and three runs scored. Mathias now has six home runs on the season and 14 for his career. Ingold had three hits on the day, going 3-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI. Goff also added a couple of singles and an RBI.
Hammond tossed 4.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on seven hits. The freshman walked three and struckout three. Souders went 1.0 inning and allowed two earned runs on two hits and two walks, while Byrum allowed three hits and two earned runs in 0.2 inning.
Jordan Stubblefield (0-1) was charged with the loss for the Flames. Stubblefield allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits over 3.0 innings of relief. Grijalva, Brown, Keller and Miller all had two hits for Liberty.
Wake Forest returns to action Wednesday against UNC Greensboro. First-pitch at UNCG Baseball Stadium is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
-- WakeForestSports.com --
