Wake Forest University
Clemson
Baseball Drops Series Opener To Clemson, 4-1
5/13/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 13, 2005
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Clemson sophomore starting pitcher Stephen Faris tossed his ACC best third complete game of the season as the Tigers got past Wake Forest, 4-1, in ACC baseball action from Hooks Stadium Friday afternoon. With the victory, the Tigers improve to 31-19 overall and 16-9 in the ACC, while the Deacs drop to 23-24 overall and 11-14 in the conference.
Faris (5-3) allowed just one earned run on six hits in the winning effort. The right-handed hurler struckout five and walked one. After Wake Forest scratched across the game-tying run in the bottom of the third inning, Faris kept the Deacs scoreless the rest of the way. He would retire 19 of the last 23 Demon Deacons he faced and only allowed four runners in scoring position all afternoon. Faris tossed a season-high 115 pitches, 69 for strikes, and recorded 12 fly outs.
Faris and Wake Forest senior Brian Bach were hooked up in a pitcher's duel.
The Tigers grabbed a 1-0 first inning lead when Herman Demmink lead off the game with a double and came around to score after a perfect sacrifice bunt from Brad Chalk and an RBI ground out from Taylor Harbin.
After the leadoff double, Bach would retire the next 22 consecutive Clemson batters.
After retiring the first Tiger in the top of the eighth inning, Travis Storrer finally broke through on Bach with a seeing-eye single. After Andy D'Alessio flew out, Stan Widmann hit a routine ground ball to Matt Antonelli at third base, but the third basemen hesitated and looked to second base before then deciding to throw to first, but Widmann beat it out for an infield single.
With runners on the corners and one out, Tiger pinch hitter Jesse Ferguson slapped a one-out single through the left side of the inning scoring pinch runner David Williams from second base giving Clemson a 2-1 lead. Bach would retire Demmink to end the threat, but the Tigers added two huge insurance runs in the top of the ninth inning of Bach.
Chalk led off the ninth with a double and Harbin followed with another seeing-eye single to put runners on the corners and no outs. Colvin then stroked Bach's first offering all the way to the right field wall scoring Chalk and Harbin to push the Tigers lead to 4-1.
That would end the afternoon for Bach (2-2). The senior worked 8.0+ innings and allowed four earned runs on seven hits in a tough luck defeat. Bach struckout five and did not issue a walk. Bach has now worked into the sixth inning in his last five ACC starts.
The three-run cushion was more than enough for Faris. Faris did allow a one-out single to Wake Forest designated hitter Brendan Enick in the ninth inning, but got Matt Miller to fly out and Casey Sterk to pop out to end the game.
Wake Forest drew even in the bottom of the fourth inning. Sterk led off the inning with a single and moved into scoring position on freshman Andy Goff's perfect sacrifice bunt. After freshman Brett Linnenkohl struckout, Antonelli singled in Sterk tying the score at 1-1.
Storrer, who extended his hitting streak to 14 games, went 1-for-3. Demmink went 1-for-4 with a run scored, Chalk went 1-for-3 with a run scored, while Harbin went 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored. Colvin went 1-for-4 with the critical two-run double.
Antonelli, Ben Ingold, J.B. Tucker, Enick and Sterk all went 1-for-4 for the Demon Deacons.
Wake Forest closer Kyle Young tossed a scoreless inning of relief. The junior struckout one batter.
Clemson, which had dropped their previous three Friday night ACC contests, has allowed just three runs in their last three games. The Tigers have now defeated the Deacs 10 consecutive times dating back to the 2002 season.
Wake Forest returns to action Saturday afternoon with the second game of their three-game series against the Tigers. First-pitch at Hooks Stadium is scheduled for 1:30 pm. Prior to the first pitch, the 1955 Wake Forest NCAA Baseball Championship will be honored. The game will be broadcast live on WBRF-FM (98.1) and is available on the internet at WakeForestSports.com through the Yahoo subscription service. Live stats will be also available at WakeForestSports.com via Gametracker.
