Wake Forest University
UNC Wilmington
UNC Wilmington Rallies Past Wake Forest Baseball
2/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 18, 2006
WILMINGTON, N.C. --- UNC Wilmington used a two-run double from Jonathan Batts and a two-run home run from Justin Barefoot in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally past Wake Forest, 10-8, Saturday. With the loss, the Demon Deacons drop to 2-2 on the season, while the Seahawks improve to 4-1.
After Wake Forest plated four runs in the top of the eighth inning to grab an 8-6 lead, Steve Halford and John Raynor answered with back-to-back one out singles before Batts and Barefoot provided the key hits off Demon Deacon reliever Josh Ellis.
Seahawks closer Adam Paul picked up his first save of the season as he retired Wake Forest 1-2-3 in the ninth inning.
Ellis (0-2) picked up the loss in relief. The junior went 2.1 innings and allowed five runs, all earned, on seven hits. Ellis fanned a pair and walked one.
Brad Braxton earned the victory for the Seahawks, replacing Jon Cantrell who had surrendered the lead. He allowed an earned run on a couple hits. He struck out one and did not issue a walk.
Sophomore Andy Goff led the Demon Deacon offensive attack going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Redshirt sophomore Eric Williams and redshirt junior Dan Rosaia each went 2-for-4. Williams drove in three and scored a run, as did Rosaia. Wake Forest had eight of its nine starters record hits. Sophomore Brett Linnenkohl belted his first home run of the season and freshman Allan Dykstra added a double and run scored.
The Seahawks had 18 hits on the day, led by Barefoot's four-hit, three RBI effort. Raynor, who is batting .778 in the series (7-for-9), went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and three runs scored. Chris Hatcher also recorded three hits.
The Seahawks grabbed a 3-0 lead for the second straight day. Halford picked up an RBI single and then trotted home on Raynor's two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning off Wake Forest starter Charlie Mellies.
Wake Forest finally took advantage of UNCW starting pitcher Allen Flood's wildness. Flood, who threw 88 pitches in just 4.1 innings, managed to retire the first two Demon Deacons in the third inning, but then plunked Williams. Junior Brian Shust followed with a single, putting runners on the corners for junior All-American Matt Antonelli. The third basemen came through with a two-run double down the left field line bringing the Deacs within a run, 3-2.
Wake Forest drew even, 3-3, in the top of the fourth inning -- once again with two outs. Sophomore Andy Goff smacked a Flood offering right back up the middle scoring Rosaia.
The Seahawks regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning. After retiring Halford to lead off the inning, Raynor followed with a bloop single to left field and moved to second base when Linnenkohl overthrew the cutoff man. Batts followed with a single and Barefoot then smacked an RBI double to right field scoring Raynor, but Batts was thrown out trying to make the score, 5-3. Mellies got out of the inning without further damage.
Mellies tossed 5.0 innings and scattered 10 hits, but did strikeout a career-best seven. The junior allowed four runs, all earned, and walked one.
Flood went 4.1 innings and allowed three runs, all earned, on four hits. The right-handed hurler walked four, hit a batter and struck out one.
Trailing 6-4, the Deacons used a four-run inning of their own in the top of the eighth inning thanks in part to five hits, including a monstrous game tying, two-run home run from Linnenkohl and a clutch two-out, two-run RBI single from Williams.
The Demon Deacons return to action tomorrow afternoon for the final game of the three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. Redshirt senior Justin Keadle will take the hill for the Deacons and make his first start since May of 2004.
