May 27, 2007

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Last weekend Wake Forest was playing just for a chance to participate in the postseason. This weekend the Demon Deacons will be playing for their first ACC Championship in six years. Wake Forest clinched a spot in Sunday's ACC Tournament Championship game with a 7-3 defeat of No. 25 Miami Saturday evening at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville.

The Deacons finished 2-1 in Division `A' pool play and tied with Clemson for the best record in the bracket. However, Wake advances to the championship by virtue of its 3-2 win over the Tigers on Friday afternoon.

Wake Forest will face second-seeded North Carolina, who advanced to the Championship with a 5-0 shutout of third-seeded Virginia, on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Tar Heels will be making their first title game appearance since 1990.

Wake Forest becomes just the second-ever eight seed to advance to the ACC Championship game. The only previous team to do so was NC State who lost the 2001 title game to Wake Forest, which stands as the Deacons' last ACC title.

Against the Hurricanes on Saturday, starter Ben Hunter was dominant in his six innings of work and the offense overcame an early 2-0 deficit with seven straight runs, including a two-run homer from Allan Dykstra.

Hunter (7-6) earned the win for the Deacs. Hunter pitched six innings on the night, marking the sixth straight start he has gone at least that distance. The junior from Cincinnati allowed two runs on six hits with eight strikeouts and three walks. Hunter has not allowed more than two runs in each of his seven starts this season, compiling a 2.79 ERA as a starter.

Miami's only runs off Hunter came on a two-out, two-run home run off the bat of Richard O'Brien. The ball was actually caught by leftfielder Brett Linnenkohl, but he immediately went crashing face-first into the wall causing his glove to pop off, with the ball still in it, over the fence.

Hunter pitched his way out of a jam in the first inning. Blake Tekotte led off the bottom of the inning with a triple into the rightfield corner. However, Hunter came back to get three straight outs, the first on a popup and then two strikeouts, to end the inning with Tekotte stranded at third.

Miami scored first on O'Brien's home run in the second. Gus Menendez reached on a two-out single up the middle, setting the stage for O'Brien, who hit his second homer in as many nights.

Wake Forest matched Miami with an identical two-out rally of its own. Dustin Hood laced a single down the leftfield line for the Deacons' first hit of the game. Dykstra followed by getting his first base hit of the Tournament, doing it in grand fashion. Dykstra lined an 0-1 pitch from Hurricane starter Enrique Garcia just inside the rightfield foul pole for a two-run home run. It was Dykstra's 18th homer of the season, tying him with the Miami's Yonder Alonso for the ACC lead.

The Deacs had another opportunity to score in the fourth. Andy Goff hit a two-out single to left, stole second and then advanced to third when the catcher threw the ball into centerfield. Evan Ocheltree followed by driving a ball to deep center, but Tekotte was there for the Hurricanes to make a running, over-the-shoulder catch.

Wake Forest took a 5-2 lead with three runs off Garcia in the fifth inning. Ben Terry reached on a one-out bunt single and then moved to second when Garcia hit Hood with the next pitch. Dykstra followed with a sharp single to left to score Terry. Willy Fox then walked to load the bases and chase Garcia.

Miami went to lefty Manny Miguelez to face the lefthanded-hitting Linnenkohl. Linnenkohl hit a sharp grounder to short. The Hurricanes tried to turn the double play, but Linnenkohl beat the throw to first, allowing Hood to score. With runners at the corners and two outs, Dykstra plated the third run of the inning on a passed ball that got away from catcher O'Brien.

The Deacons added to their lead with two more runs in the sixth. Ocheltree and Austin Jones reached on back-to-back one-out walks from Miguelez. With the Miami infield drawn in, Terry then reached on a fielding error by first baseman Alonso, allowing Ocheltree to score. The Hurricanes brought in John Housey from the bullpen to replace Miguelez and face Hood. Hood capped the rally with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jones for a 7-2 lead.

The Hurricanes put together a rally in their half of the sixth but came away empty-handed. With the bases juiced and no outs, Hunter got Menendez to ground to third baseman Tyler Smith, who threw home for the force out. Hunter then struck out O'Brien looking and got Dave DiNatale to groundout to second to end the inning.

Miami chipped away with an unearned run off reliever Eric Niesen in the eighth. Jemile Weeks led off with a triple to the wall in left center. Wake Forest then went to closer Josh Ellis. Ellis quickly struck out Mark Sobolewski swinging and Menendez looking for the first two outs. Ellis got a grounder to short, but Hood's throw to first was wild, allowing Weeks to score. Ellis recovered to strike out O'Brien to end the inning.

The run in the eighth proved to be too little too late, as Ellis shut the door on the Hurricanes in the ninth.

Niesen, who came on to start the seventh, pitched one-plus innings. The lefty made his third straight relief appearance in the ACC Tournament. He allowed an unearned run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.

Ellis did not get credit for a save with his two scoreless innings of work. The senior struck out four batters and did not allow a hit.

Hunter, Niesen and Ellis combined to strike out 14 Hurricane hitters, setting a new season-high for the Wake pitching staff.

Dykstra led the Deacon offense, going 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. He came into the game hitless in five ACC Tournament at-bats and mired in a 1-for-14 slump, dating back to the Deacons' May 13 game against Miami. However, he snapped out of it with his hard-hit home run in the third.

Goff also had two hits for the Deacs, while Smith and Terry each extended their respective hitting streaks to five games.

Garcia (7-4) took the loss for Miami. Garcia, who threw a complete game in the Canes' 2-1 defeat of the Deacons on May 13, lasted just 4 1/3 innings on Saturday. The righthander gave up five runs, all earned, on five hits. The righthander struck out four and walked four.

Weeks and Menendez had two hits apiece for the Canes. Miami left 10 runners on base.

Wake Forest came into Saturday needing a Florida State loss and a win over Miami to advance to Sunday. The Deacs got both, as Clemson handed the Seminoles a 5-1 loss in the afternoon.

A host of Clemson fans struck around for the nightcap to cheer on the Hurricanes, hoping for a Miami victory to put the Tigers into the Championship game. However, there was also a smattering of Florida State fans on hand to cheer on the Deacs, leading the crowd in Wake Forest chants.

Wake Forest will take on North Carolina in Sunday's Championship game. RHP Charlie Mellies (1-2, 7.36) will start for the Deacons, while RHP Luke Putkonen (7-1, 4.55) will take the mound for the Tar Heels. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.