Wake Forest University
Florida State
Deacs Unable to Complete Comeback, Fall to FSU 4-3
3/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 17, 2007
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -
Despite a three-run seventh inning that cut the Florida State lead to one, the Wake Forest baseball team dropped its fourth straight game in a 4-3 loss to the fourth-ranked Seminoles. The Deacs drop to 11-8 overall and 2-3 in the ACC while the Seminoles remain undefeated at 22-0 (2-0 ACC).
FSU got out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first two innings. Tony Thomas walked to lead off the bottom off the first and then advanced to second on a Mark Hallberg sacrifice bunt. He subsequently took off to steal third, but junior Austin Jones' throw to third baseman Tyler Smith went over his head allowing Thomas to cross home for FSU's first run.
After Buster Posey walked and advanced to second on a passed ball, Jack Rye singled to left field and Posey moved to third. An error from junior Brett Linnenkohl let Posey come home. With Rye on first, junior Eric Niesen struck the final two batters to get out of the inning.
The Seminoles made it 3-0 their next time at bat, scoring D'Vontrey Richardson from third on a throwing error by sophomore Nathan Frazier.
Hallberg brought in Thomas for Florida State's fourth run in the fifth. Thomas tripled to lead off the inning, and scored off an infield single from Hallberg on the very next at bat. That run would end the scoring for the Seminoles.
Senior Kirby Wedekind relieved Niesen in the sixth after a spirited effort from the New Boston, Mich., native. Niesen (2-2, 5.46 ERA) set a new career high with eight strikeouts over his five innings. He walked just two and give up five hits and four runs (two earned) in the loss.
The Deacs had runners in scoring position in the fifth and sixth innings but the Seminoles snubbed out the threat both times to keep Wake off the board.
The Deacon bats came alive in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Evan Ocheltree and Jones reached base to lead off the inning, and after a Smith groundout advanced both runners, pinch hitter Weldon Woodall smoked one off the center field wall to clear the bases. Pinch running for Woodall, freshman Keith Mauney also scored off an Eric Williams single on the next at bat. After two straight walks to load the bases, Dustin Hood flied out to end the inning with Florida State up 4-3.
Wake threatened again in the eighth, putting runners on first and second, but nothing came to fruition.
Despite the early trouble, Niesen, Wedekind and Joel Ernst combined to give up just six hits and two walks while striking out 11 Seminole batters. Michael Hyde got the win for FSU, improving to 7-0 on the season.
The Deacs will look to avoid the sweep tomorrow when the two teams square off in the final game of the weekend series. Sophomore Garrett Bullock (1-0, 5.23 ERA) will take the mound for the Deacs with the nod going to Ryan Strauss (4-0, 1.97) for the Seminoles.
-- WakeForestSports.com --
