May 15, 2004

Box Score

Charlottesville, Va. - The Wake Forest baseball team took 10th-ranked Virginia down to the wire again, but fell to the Cavaliers 8-6 on Saturday afternoon in Charlottesville.

Wake Forest and Virginia were in a see-saw battle all afternoon and the Deacons tied the game in the eighth inning on Matt Miller's RBI single. But the Wake Forest bullpen couldn't keep the game tied as the Cavaliers scored two runs in the bottom half of the inning off Charlie Mellies and Daniel Davidson.

Tom Hagan led off the eighth inning with a single to center. Paul Gillispie laid down a sacrifice bunt which was fielded by Brad Scioletti. Scioletti attempted to get the lead runner at second base, but Hagan beat Scioletti's throw and everyone was safe. Kyle Werman moved both runners into scoring position with a bunt.

Then, Tim Henry, Virginia's number nine hitter, knocked a seeing-eyed single through the left side to score Hagan. Mark Reynolds lined a one-hopper which was stabbed on a dive by Antonelli. But the Deacons couldn't turn the double play and the lead increased to 8-6, the game's final score.

Trailing by two runs in the ninth inning, the Deacons put the game-tying run on base with just one out after a single by Matt Antonelli and walk by Ben Ingold. Wake Forest turned to pinch hitter Ryder Mathias, who went down on strikes. Brad Scioletti bounced out to end the game.

Mellies was charged with the loss, slipping to 3-2 overall. Casey Lambert picked up the win for Virginia, improving to 4-1 on the season.

For Virginia, it was their 40th win of the year, upping their season record to 40-11 and 18-6 in the league. The Cavaliers can finish no worse than second place in the final regular season ACC standings and with just one Georgia Tech loss next weekend, Virginia would win the regular season title.

The Deacons were led offensively by Ingold's 2-for-4 performance with four RBI. J.B. Tucker doubled twice and Casey Sterk had two hits including a home run.

Despite not factoring into the decision, Tim Morley turned a solid outing for the Demon Deacons. Aside from a four-run fourth inning, Morley held Virginia in check for most of the afternoon. He retired the Cavaliers in order in the first, fifth and sixth innings. Morley lasted seven innings, gave up five earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and two walks.

The Deacons led twice in the game both times thanks to RBI hits by Ingold. In the seventh, Ingold came through in the clutch with a two-run single to score Blue and Sterk. At the time, the Deacons led 6-5.

Wake Forest took a 2-0 lead in the third inning thanks to Ingold's two-run double into the left-center gap. It was Ingold's team-leading 13th double of the season and it scored Miller and Antonelli who had walked.

The Cavaliers didn't waste much time in claiming the lead, however, scoring four runs in the third inning. Morley walked two of the first three batters before Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Koshansky singled to score two runs. Then, Scott Headd doubled down the left field line to make it 4-0.

After Virginia added an unearned run in the fourth, Sterk retaliated immediately with his fourth homer of the season, tucking it just inside the left field foul pole and making it 5-3.

To begin the game, Blue and Antonelli reached with no outs. But Antonelli was gunned down at second base in the back end of a double steal and Blue was stranded at third base.

Wake Forest travels to High Point on Tuesday for a 3:00 p.m. first pitch. The Deacons host Florida State in the final weekend of the regular season beginning next Thursday at Hooks Stadium.

-- WakeForestSports.com -