May 14, 2006

Box Score

CORAL GABLES, Fla. --- Wake Forest jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning and held off another late Miami rally for an 8-5 victory to salvage the final game of its ACC series Sunday afternoon at Mark Light Field. With the victory, the No. 18 Demon Deacons improve to 33-17 overall and 16-10 in the ACC, while the No. 17 Hurricanes drop to 34-17 and 16-11 in the league.

The victory for Wake Forest helped the Deacs avoid their first sweep in league play this season. With Florida State's loss at Clemson on Sunday, the Seminoles drop to 14-12 in the ACC, while NC State's (15-10) game at Virginia Tech was in a rain delay of over three hours. Wake Forest would remain in the second place in the Atlantic Division if the Wolfpack were not able to complete their series finale with the Hokies.

Redshirt senior Justin Keadle (5-2) picked up the victory with a season-high 7.0 innings of work. The right-handed hurler limited the Hurricanes to just a single run until the bottom of the sixth inning. After allowing three runs in the bottom of the sixth, Keadle stayed on the bump in the seventh and allowed another run, which was unearned. He scattered seven hits and was charged with five runs, four of which were earned. Keadle struck out four and walked two.

Sophomore closer Ben Hunter, who blew his first save opportunity of the season Saturday night, tossed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief for his 14th save of the season. He did allow three hits and walked a pair, but also registered three strikeouts.

The Hurricanes, who rallied from a six-run deficit last night, nearly did the same on Sunday. After Wake Forest grabbed an 8-1 lead, Miami cut the deficit in half with a three-run sixth inning and drew even closer with a solo run in the seventh. With the lead just three runs, 8-5, the Hurricanes loaded the bases with just one out in the bottom of the ninth inning on Hunter. Freshman Yonder Alonzo, who drove in the winning run last night with an RBI single, promptly grounded into a taylor made 4-6-3 double play to end the game.

The Deacons banged out 10 hits on the day. Freshman Evan Ocheltree and sophomore Brett Linnenkohl each had two hits for Wake Forest. Linnenkohl, who had three hits in the second game of the series, drove in three and scored a run. Sophomore Andy Goff picked up two more hits. The second baseman continued his tremendous play in the field, making a diving stop to take away a hit in the third inning and started a pair of huge double plays.

Sophomore catcher Austin Jones provided the huge blow in the six-run first inning with a bases clearing, three-run double off Miami starter Ricky Orta.

Orta (2-2) was rocked for six runs, all earned, on four hits in just 0.2 innings. The righty walked a pair and struck out one.

The Deacons return to action later this week with their ACC regular season series finale at Clemson. The series with the Tigers opens Thursday night at 7:15 p.m. Freshman Brad Kledzik will get the start for Wake Forest.