May 21, 2005

Box Score

BLACKSBURG, Va. --- Virginia Tech catcher Matt Foley's safety squeeze with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth inning gave the Hokies a come-from-behind, 7-6, victory over Wake Forest in ACC baseball action from English Field Saturday afternoon. With the loss, the Deacs conclude the 2005 regular season 25-28 overall and 12-18 in the ACC, while Virginia Tech improved to 23-27 and 7-19 in the conference.

After Wake Forest grabbed a 6-5 lead with three runs in the top of the eighth inning, Virginia Tech drew even, 6-6, with a pinch-hit, solo home run from Sheldon Adams to lead off the ninth. Then, Matt Hacker followed with a double down the right field line. After Demon Deacon reliever Charlie Mellies retired Bryan Thomas on a fly out to right field, Hacker raced to third base. Mellies would issue consecutive intentional walks to load the bases in hope of turning an inning ending double play, but Foley, who entered the game in the eight inning, dropped down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to plate Hacker.

Mellies was charged with the loss and drops to 2-5 on the season. The sophomore went 0.2 innings and allowed a pair of earned runs on two hits.

Nicky Bowers picked up the victory and improved to 3-4 on the season, despite surrendering the lead in the eighth inning. Bowers tossed 2.0 innings of relief and allowed three runs, two earned, on two hits. Bowers struckout three and walked one.

The Demon Deacons grabbed an early 2-0 lead with two runs in their half of the second inning. Redshirt sophomore Brendan Enick doubled in one run and freshman Andy Goff singled in another.

The Hokies answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the second, but Wake Forest tied the game, 3-3, in the top of the third inning on junior Casey Sterk's RBI double. The Hokies responded with single runs in their half of the third and fifth innings to grab a 5-3 advantage.

Trailing 5-3, the Deacs regained the lead in the eighth inning. After Sterk walked, redshirt junior Grant Achilles followed with a single to left field. Goff then laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Foley's throw to first base was wild. Goff would scamper to second, Achilles to third and Sterk scored making it 5-4 Virginia Tech. Freshman Brett Linnenkohl followed with a sacrifice fly, plating Achilles, to tie the game, 5-5. Goff would give the Demon Deacons a 6-5 lead when he sprinted home on Bowers' wild pitch.

Wake Forest starter Eric Niesen tossed a career-best 6.0 innings, but was not involved in the decision. The freshman southpaw scattered nine hits and allowed five runs, all earned. He struckout two and walked two. Junior Kip Byrum worked the next 1.2 innings and did not allow a run. The southpaw yielded two hits and issued a walk.

Virginia Tech starter Greg Fryman kept the Deacs off balance all afternoon. The right-hander pitched 7.0 innings and allowed just two earned runs on seven hits. He fanned a pair and walked one.

Enick and Achilles were the lone Deacs with multi-hit games. Enick went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and an RBI, while Achilles was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Wake Forest returns to action Tuesday in the preliminary round of the 2005 ACC Tournament. The Demon Deacons will most likely face the Duke Blue Devils. First-pitch at The Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville is scheduled for 11 a.m. and will be broadcasted live on WBRF-FM (98.1) and will be available on the internet at WakeForestSports.com through the Yahoo subscription service.