April 15, 2007

Box Score

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Credit Mother Nature with a save in the Clemson stat book. Wake Forest had the tying run on second base with one out, but the game was called due to a deluge of rain at Hooks Stadium, giving the Tigers a 5-4 defeat of the Demon Deacons Sunday afternoon.

Wake entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 5-2 but put together its second final-inning rally in as many days, only to see this one fall short on account of rain. Clemson reliever P.J. Zocchi hit Ben Terry to lead off the inning, and Evan Ocheltree followed with a double to center to put runners on second and third.

The Tigers' Chris Fidrych then came on to face Tyler Smith. Smith drove in the first run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to center. Clemson followed with another pitching change, bringing in closer Stephen Clyne. Pinch hitter Eric Williams greeted Clyne with a single to right, scoring Ocheltree and cutting the Tigers' lead to 5-4.

With a 2-2 count on Brett Linnenkohl and Williams at second after a wild pitch, the situation was put on hold due to a downpour of rain. After a delay of an hour and a half, the umpiring crew called the game, giving Clemson the series-clinching victory.

Wake Forest falls to 21-18 overall and 8-10 in the ACC with the loss. CU moves to 25-10 overall and 10-5 in conference play with the rain-shortened win.

The Demon Deacons couldn't hold on to an early 2-0 lead, as they fell behind 5-2 amid a myriad of weather delays. The start of the game was delayed 16 minutes due to rain. The Wake Forest defense came out for the national anthem, but the rain began to come down at the same time forcing a short delay of the first pitch.

There was a second delay due to severe weather at the start of the fifth inning. The delay lasted for one hour and nine minutes before play resumed at the top of the fifth.

Wake Forest jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Linnenkohl led off with an infield single, and Andy Goff doubled to left, putting runners at second and third. One out later, Michael Murray drove both runners in with a single up the middle.

Clemson stole the lead away from Wake with three runs off starter Charlie Mellies in the second inning. Ben Paulsen led off with a single through the right side, and Wilson Boyd followed with a four-pitch walk. One out later, Marquez Smith drove home Paulsen with a double to left. Andy D'Alessio made it back-to-back doubles, bringing home Boyd and Smith to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead.

Clemson extended its lead with two runs off reliever Ben Hunter in the fourth. Hunter issued Marquez Smith a leadoff walk, and D'Alessio brought him home with a double to centerfield. David Bunnell followed by driving in D'Alessio with a single up the middle.

The Deacons had a scoring opportunity in the eighth inning but came away empty-handed. Wake put the first two runners on but couldn't muster anything else against relievers Alex Martin and Zocchi. Goff and Allan Dykstra hit back-to-back singles, but a flyout and a 4-6-3 double play ended the threat.

Wake Forest couldn't get anything going after scoring its two first-inning runs. Clemson starter Ryan Hinson gave up just two hits from the second through the sixth inning. The Deacs put two on against Hinson in the seventh but couldn't score either of the runners.

The Deacons out-hit the Tigers 11-9. Goff had three of Wake's hits, finishing Sunday 3-for-4 with two doubles and a run. Austin Jones went 2-for-3, and Murray had two RBIs.

Dykstra extended his hitting streak to eight games, while Linnenkohl and Terry each moved their respective hitting streaks to six games.

Mellies (1-1) took the loss for Wake with a scheduled three innings of work. The outing was one inning longer than his first start back last weekend at Maryland. Against Clemson, Mellies allowed three runs on five hits. He struck out three and walked one, throwing 58 pitches on the afternoon.

Hunter pitched just one inning on the day. He did not return to the mound following the severe weather delay prior to the start of the fifth inning. Hunter allowed two runs on two hits and a walk.

Alex Wiesner came on to start the fifth after the delay. Wiesner pitched three scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit with a strikeout.

Josh Ellis relieved Wiesner to start the eighth. Ellis did not allow a run in his two innings of work, giving up one hit and striking out two.

Hinson (3-1) earned the win, pitching seven-plus innings. Hinson allowed two runs on nine hits. The lefty struck out eight Deacon hitters and did not walk a single batter. Hinson returned to the mound following the fifth-inning delay and was as effective afterwards as he was before.

Paulsen and D'Alessio each had three hits to lead the Tiger hitters. D'Alessio, who returned to lineup this weekend after missing several games due to a groin injury, drove in three runs on the day.

Wake Forest is back in action with two games this week. The Demon Deacons will travel to Triad-rival High Point on Tuesday before hosting Coastal Carolina on Wednesday. The start time for Tuesday's contest at High Point, originally scheduled for 3 p.m., has been pushed back to 7 p.m. Wednesday's first pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Hooks Stadium.