Wake Forest University
North Carolina (ACC Tournament)
Wake Forest Nips North Carolina in ACC Tourney
5/26/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 26, 2005
JACKSONVILLE, FL.(AP) - Matt Antonelli hit a one-out double in the top of the ninth inning and later scored what proved to be the winning run on a wild pitch to give Wake Forest a 2-1 upset win over North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.
Eighth-seeded Wake Forest (28-29) stays alive in the double elimination tournament and will meet the loser of tonight's game between Florida State and Georgia Tech on Friday. No. 5 seed North Carolina (40-17-1) became the second of the top five seeded teams to be eliminated.
Antonelli narrowly missed a home run in the ninth inning when his drive hit near the top of the left field wall. He moved to third on a wild pitch by North Carolina starter and loser Andrew Miller (8-3), and scored moments later when Miller unleashed another wild pitch.
Miller and Wake Forest's Kyle Young were locked in a pitchers duel for six innings, allowing a combined two runs and seven hits. Young was pulled in the seventh inning after allowing six hits and one unearned run. He didn't walk anyone and struck out three. Eric Niesen (5-2) threw the final 2 2/3 innings, holding the Tar Heels hitless and facing the minimum eight batters to get the win.
North Carolina scored its lone run in the first inning on an RBI-single by designated hitter Matt Ellington. The Tar Heels got a runner past second base on just one other occasion when they had men at first and third in the seventh inning with one out. Niesen entered the game at that point and induced a pop out and an infield grounder to end the threat.
The Demon Deacons, who won their third game in as many days, tallied their first run in the second inning. Ryder Mathias led off with a double and scored following two ground outs.
Antonelli collected two of the Deacons five hits while North Carolina's Chase Younts had two of his club's six hits.
Wake Forest did not allow an earned run for the first time since they shutout Appalachian State back on Feb. 2, 2003 -- a span of 157 games. The Deacs have also defeated the Tar Heels five straight times in ACC Tournament action. North Carolina had won the last eight regular season meetings.
