Wake Forest Athletics
Wake Forest University
Georgia Tech
Demon Deacons Suffer 14-6 Loss at Georgia Tech
4/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 26, 2008
ATLANTA, Ga. - Georgia Tech's five-run fourth inning broke open a close game and sent the Yellow Jackets to a series-clinching 14-6 defeat of Wake Forest Saturday afternoon at Russ Chandler Stadium.
The Demon Deacons drop to 16-27 overall and 7-15 in the ACC with the setback. The Jackets move to 31-12 overall and 12-11 in conference play.
Wake Forest had just cut into an early 6-2 deficit with three runs in the top of the fourth when Georgia Tech exploded for five in the bottom of the inning. The rally was capped by Thomas Nichols' grand slam off reliever Brad Kledzik.
The Yellow Jackets got to starter Charlie Mellies early, taking advantage of two Deacon errors to score three runs in the first inning. Georgia Tech then plated three more in the third, right after Wake had scored twice to pull within a run in the top of the frame.
Georgia Tech scored three in the seventh and held Wake Forest to just one run over the final five frames to earn the victory. The Deacons left 15 runners on base in the game, including seven in scoring position.
Mellies (1-5) took the loss for Wake. The senior righthander went 3+ innings, leaving the game with two on and no outs in the top of the fourth. He allowed eight runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
Kledzik turned in his longest outing of the season, pitching four innings on the day. The righthanded closer allowed six runs on seven hits. He struck out a career-high nine batters and walked two. Kledzik's strikeout total was his most since fanning eight against Florida State on May 5, 2006.
Willy Fox, Mike Murray and Ben Terry had three hits apiece to lead the Deacs at the plate. Murray went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a run, while Fox was 3-for-6 with two runs to extend his hitting streak to eight games. Murray's three hits were a career-high. Terry, who has reached base safely in seven of his last 10 plate appearances, went 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run. Nathan Frazier also had two hits and scored a run for the Deacons.
Wake Forest had its six-game errorless streak snapped in the first inning. Dustin Hood made a diving stop on a ball up the middle and then threw off-balance to first. The throw got past Allan Dykstra, hit the top step of the dugout but still stayed in play. Per stadium rules, the baserunner was awarded second and Hood was charged with an error on the play. The Deacons proceeded to commit their second error two batters later when a ball was mishandled in the outfield.
Georgia Tech opened the scoring with three runs in the first inning. Jeff Rowland reached on a one-out infield single and took second on a throwing error on the play. One out later, Derek Dietrich lined a single into rightfield to score Rowland. Tony Plagman followed with a three-run home run, pulling a 2-0 offering from Mellies to rightfield.
Wake Forest manufactured a pair of runs to get on the board in the third. Terry led off with a single to right, moved to second on a Fox groundout and then stole third. Allan Dykstra drove him in with an RBI groundout to short. Murray kept the rally going with a single up the middle, and Hood followed with a walk. Evan Ocheltree then laced a double into the gap in right center to plate Murray.
The Yellow Jackets responded with three runs in their half of the third. Dietrich started the rally by hitting a one-out solo home run to right on a 1-2 pitch from Mellies. Plagmon followed with a single and then came around to score on Thomas Nichols' two-out double. Chase Burnette then drove on Nichols with a double into the right center gap.
The Deacons got all three runs back the following frame. Steven Brooks led off with a single up the middle and then moved to third on Frazier's base hit to right center. Terry drove in Brooks with a sacrifice fly to center. Fox followed with a single before Dykstra moved the two runners up a base on a deep flyout to right center. The hustle play would prove important, as Murray came through with a two-run single through the right side, cutting the deficit to 6-5.
Georgia Tech rallied for five runs off Mellies and reliever Brad Kledzik in the bottom of the fourth. Rowland led off with a double, and Murton reached on a hit by pitch. The Deacs then went to Kledzik who promptly struck out cleanup hitter Dietrich. However, Plagman battled back from an 0-2 count to dump a run-scoring double into right. After a walk to Feltes, Nichols drilled a 1-0 pitch just inside the rightfield foul pole for a grand slam that gave the Jackets an 11-5 advantage.
The Jackets added three more runs in the seventh. Jason Haniger led off with a double and moved to third on Charlie Blackmon's bunt single. Rowland then blooped a single into right to plate Haniger and move Blackmon to third. After Rowland stole second, Dietrich drove in both runners with a single through the left side.
Wake pushed a run across against reliever Andrew Robinson in the eighth. Fox singled, and Dykstra walked to start the inning. Murray then lined a single into center to drive in Fox.
The Deacons put two on with two out in the ninth, courtesy of singles from Terry and Fox, but came up empty.
Starter Eddie Burns (5-3) earned the win for Georgia Tech, going five innings on the day. The righthander gave up five runs on eight hits with three walks and one strikeout.
Rowland had four hits, Nichols drove in five runs and Dietrich finished with four RBIs to lead the Yellow Jackets at the plate.
Wake Forest and Georgia Tech will wrap up the weekend series on Sunday. Deacon RHP Ben Hunter (1-5, 5.77) will match up against Yellow Jacket RHP Zach Von Tersch (5-2, 3.49). The game can be heard live on www.WakeForestSports.com. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.
