May 11, 2007

Box Score

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Wake Forest and Miami, tied 8-8 after 11 innings, an unusual sequence of rallies, a weather delay and darkness, will complete the first game of a key three-game series at Hooks Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m.

Game 2 will begin immediately following the conclusion of Game 1.

Wake Forest, 28-22 overall and 11-13 in the ACC, refused to let Game 1 end on Friday. Trailing 8-2 in the ninth inning, Tyler Smith capped a six-run rally with a three-run home run to push the game into extra innings.

After both teams failed to score in the 10th and 11th innings, the game was suspended due to darkness, concluding an strange day of baseball at Hooks Stadium.

Miami, 30-19 and 12-12, cruised to a 5-0 lead behind junior pitcher Scott Maine and a fourth-inning grand slam by catcher Richard O'Brien. After six innings, lightning and periodic rain showers caused a 92-minute delay. When the teams returned for the seventh inning, both teams did so without their starting pitchers.

Maine had pitched out of jams in the first and fifth innings and was otherwise nearly flawless. Maine, 4-5, did not give up a hit until Willy Fox's single in the sixth inning. Wake Forest starter Garrett Bullock also pitched six strong innings, but appeared destined to earn the loss because of Miami's five-run fourth inning.

Bullock, 3-1, allowed a single and then issued consecutive bases on balls to load the bases with no outs. One out later, Miami's Dennis Raben hit a sacrifice fly to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead. Gus Menendez loaded the bases again on an infield single, setting the stage for O'Brien. Entering the game with a .221 batting average and just two home runs, O'Brien belted Bullock's offering over the center-field wall for a grand slam and a 5-0 Miami lead.

Wake Forest, meanwhile, threatened but failed to score any runs off of Maine. The Deacons left the bases loaded in the first inning and grounded into an inning-ending double play with the bases full in the fifth frame.

After the weather delay, Miami tacked on two more runs in the seventh inning off of Wake Forest reliever Joel Ernst, who walked in a run with the bases loaded and gave up another run on a sacrifice fly.

Wake Forest got the bats going in the bottom half of the seventh off of reliever Manny Miguelez. Evan Ocheltree led off the inning with a single and later scored on a fielder's choice. Wake's Smith, who reached via hit-by-pitch, scored on a double by Ben Terry to pull the Deacons to within 7-2.

Miami scored an unearned run in the eighth inning to increase the lead to 8-2. Menendez reached on a Deacon error and one out later scored on a single by Ryan Jackson.

Wake Forest posed a threat in the eighth inning off of Miami's third pitcher, John Housey. Dustin Hood singled and Andy Goff walked to give the Deacons two baserunners with no outs. Housey, however, struck out three straight Wake Forest batters to secure the 8-2 lead heading to the ninth inning.

After Miami left two baserunners in the top of the ninth, Wake Forest began its rally in the bottom of the inning.

With one out, Terry singled, Allan Dykstra walked and Fox reached by error to load the bases. Terry scored on a wild pitch, then Hood singled to score Dykstra. Miami brought in its closer, Danny Gil, with the Hurricanes leading 8-4 and one out.

Gil retired Goff for the second out, Ocheltree singled and Fox scored on a wild pitch. Wake Forest trailed 8-5 with two out, two on and Smith at the plate. Smith launched a towering home run to left-center field to knot the score 8-8.

For the 10th and 11th innings, Wake Forest turned the ball over to Niesen, a hard-throwing left-hander. Niesen struck out three and did not allow a hit, keeping the score knotted 8-8 when the game was called because of darkness.

Wake Forest, coming off a nine-day break for final exams and riding a six-game win streak, is looking to improve its chances of qualifying for the eight-team ACC Tournament later this month in Jacksonville, Fla.

Wake Forest right-hander Brad Kledzik (4-3) and Miami left-hander Eric Erickson (7-3) are the scheduled starters for Game 2.

The third and final game of the three-game series is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.