Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Duke
Wake Rolls Past Duke, 13-6
4/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 27, 2007
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest snapped a four-game conference losing streak by pounding out 18 hits to roll past Duke 13-6 Friday afternoon at Hooks Stadium.
Every Demon Deacon starter had at least one hit, and four players had multi-RBI performances. It was Wake's third win in a row and second straight game scoring 13 runs after defeating Appalachian State 13-5 on Wednesday.
The win pushed the Deacs' record to 25-22 overall and 9-13 in the ACC. Duke drops to 26-18 overall and 6-16 in conference play.
Allan Dykstra, Willy Fox, Dustin Hood and Brett Linnenkohl had three hits apiece to lead the Demon Deacon onslaught. Fox also had four RBIs and a pair of doubles, while Dykstra finished with three RBIs.
"I was just trying to keep hitting the ball hard. I worked on it that night after [Appalachian State] and it finally paid off," said Dykstra, who went 0-for-5 at ASU on Wednesday. "The ball started dropping. I'd been hitting the ball well; it just finally found some holes. Everyone else seems to be hitting the ball really well too."
Andy Goff and Tyler Smith drove in two runs apiece, and Evan Ocheltree was one of six Deacons to score twice. Ben Terry, who was hit by a pitch three times on Friday, extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a first-inning single.
"I think we're coming out more aggressive, and we're finally all clicking," added Dykstra. "It's the end of the year, and it's pretty much time whether we either win or go home. Everyone has a little added pressure, so it's a `The Time is Now' type of thing. We talked about how the football team's slogan was perfect for them. We've got nine more games left, eight in the ACC. It's time to go on a streak."
Wake Forest had two big innings on the day, scoring six runs in each the first and seventh, bringing 11 batters to the plate in each frame.
Duke jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the top of the first. The Blue Devils loaded the bases on Wake starter Brad Kledzik via a walk and back-to-back singles. Jimmy Gallagher scored the first run of the game on a passed ball, and Jonathan Anderson scored on a sacrifice fly.
The Blue Devils' lead was short-lived, though, as the Deacons pounded starter Alex Hassan for six runs in the bottom of the first. Hassan only lasted nine batters, as Wake Forest put together seven straight base hits to start the inning.
Linnenkohl led off with a double and then moved to third on Terry's single. Dykstra drove in Linnenkohl with a double down the rightfield line, and Fox followed with a single to drive in Terry and Dykstra. Ocheltree and Hood each singled to load the bases. Goff responded with a single to center to drive in two runs. Hood scored the last run of the inning, coming across on a throwing error by shortstop Gabriel Saade trying to turn a double play.
Duke got one of the runs back in the second. Tim Sherlock led off with a double and then scored one out later on Kyle Butler's RBI single.
The Deacons were held scoreless until plating an unearned run in the fifth. Austin Jones reached on a two-base error and moved to third on Linnenkohl's flyout to right. Two batters later, Dykstra drove in Jones with a sacrifice fly, pushing Wake's lead to 7-3.
Duke cut the deficit to 7-5 with a two-out rally in the sixth. Saade hit a two-out double, and Butler followed with a walk. Gallagher scored both runners with a double to left center.
Wake blew the game wide open with six more runs in the seventh. Linnenkohl started the rally with a one-out single, and Terry reached on his third hit by pitch of the day. Dykstra followed with an RBI single to score Linnenkohl, and Fox hit his second double of the game to bring home both Terry and Dykstra.
After Ocheltree reached on a four-pitch walk, Duke brought in reliever Ryan Perry. Hood greeted Perry with a double down the leftfield line to score Fox. One out later, Smith increased the Deacons' lead to 13-5 with a two-run single.
The Blue Devils added a run off reliever Eric Niesen the following inning. Sherlock reached on a walk, and Saade followed with a double. Butler drove in Sherlock with a sacrifice fly, cutting the deficit to 13-6.
That was all Duke would get as Kirby Wedekind shut down the Blue Devils in the ninth.
Kledzik (4-3) earned the win for the Deacs. Kledzik pitched six innings on the day, posting his fifth straight start of six innings or longer. The sophomore righty allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits. He struck out five and walked three.
Phil Negus relieved Kledzik to start the seventh and did not allow a run in his inning of work.
Hassan (2-4) took the loss for Duke. The righthander lasted just 2/3 innings, surrendering six runs on eight hits.
Reliever Will Currier held Wake to just an unearned run in 3 2/3 innings.
Gallagher and Butler recorded two RBIs apiece, while Matt Williams had two hits on the afternoon.
Wake Forest and Duke will square off in the second game of the weekend series on Saturday at 1 p.m. The game will be televised by RSN. LHP Garrett Bullock (3-1, 4.91) is scheduled to start for the Deacons, while RHP Tony Bajoczky (8-2, 2.70) is set to pitch for the Blue Devils.
