Wake Forest University
Clemson
Wake Forest Tops Clemson 13-11 In ACC Opener
3/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 8, 2008
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Allan Dykstra collected four hits including a pair of home runs and four Demon Deacon pitchers recorded 15 strikeouts to lead Wake Forest to a 13-11 win over Clemson Saturday afternoon at Hooks Stadium. The game was the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for each team.
After being rained out on Friday, the two teams endured a 76 minute rain delay on Saturday. The second game of Saturday's scheduled doubleheader was moved to Sunday. Wake Forest (6-4, 1-0) and Clemson (6-3, 0-1) will now play a twinbill Sunday starting at 11 a.m. at Hooks Stadium.
Dykstra hit a two-run homer in the first to give the Deacons a 3-0 lead. He added a solo shot in the sixth that gave Wake Forest a 9-7 advantage.
Andy Goff also collected four hits for Wake Forest while Evan Ocheltree blasted a three-run homer during a five-run sixth inning.
Wake Forest struck first with three runs in its first at-bat. Steven Brooks drew a walk and stole second before scoring on Willy Fox's single. Dykstra followed with his third home run of the season to put the Deacons ahead 3-0.
Clemson tied the game in the top of the second. With one out, Alex Lee reached on a bunt single and moved to second on an infield ground out by Mike Freeman. Matt Sanders singled to score Lee. After a walk to Stan Widmann put runners on first and second, Wilson Boyd doubled to score both runners and tie the game at three.
Ben Paulsen's home run to dead center leading off the third gave the Tigers a 4-3 advantage. Clemson increased its lead to 7-4 when Doug Hogan blasted a three-run homer in the top of the fourth.
Wake cut its deficit to 7-5 with a solo run in the fourth. Dustin Hood led off the frame with a single, moved to second on a single by Goff and, after a walk to Ocheltree, scored on a sacrifice fly by Austin Jones.
The Deacons took an 8-7 lead with a three-run fifth. A lead-off double by Fox was followed by an infield single by Dykstra and a walk to Brett Linnenkohl to load the bases. Graham Stoneburner came on in relief of Tiger starter Ryan Hinson. Dustin Hood plated one run with a sac fly before Goff's single scored Dykstra and Linnenkohl.
Wake extended its lead to 13-7 by scoring five times in the sixth, all with two out. Dykstra started the rally with a solo homer off Stoneburner. Linnenkohl walked, stole second and scored on a single by Hood. Goff reached on a bunt single and Ocheltree followed with a three-run homer.
Clemson put four runs on the board in the seventh. Paulsen led off with a double off reliever Phil Negus and scored on a single by Jeff Schaus. Chris Epps drew a walk and Freeman singled to load the bases. Matt Sanders smacked a two-run single and Widmann followed with an RBI single to pull the Tigers within two at 13-11.
With one out in the top of the eighth, the game was halted for 76 minutes by rain. When the game resumed, Wake reliever Alex Wiesner issued a walk and then struck out Chris Epps for the second out of the inning. The Deacons went to the bullpen and brought in closer Brad Kledzik who fanned pinch-hitter John Nester to close the inning. Kledzik then recorded all three outs in the ninth on strikeouts to earn his first save of the season.
Hood and Fox also contributed a pair of hits each to the Deacon offensive attack
Negus earned the win in relief of starter Ben Hunter. Hunter fanned five in his four innings of work. Negus went two and one-third innings and struck out three. Wiesner fanned three in 1.1 innings and Kledzik recorded all four of his outs on strikeouts.
The 15 strikeouts were the most by a Demon Deacon pitching staff since Wake fanned 17 New Orleans hitters on March 3, 2001.
Wake Forest will send Garrett Bullock (1-0, 5.40) to the mound in the first game on Sunday with Charlie Mellies (0-2, 6.97) going in the nightcap. Clemson will use D.J. Mitchell (1-1, 3.48) in the opener. Stoneburner was tentatively listed as the game two starter.
