April 26, 2004
TODAY'S TOP STORIES
Wake Forest To Entertain VCU, Elon Before Final Exam Break...
The Deacons will host VCU and Elon this week at Hooks Stadium before breaking for 12 days for final exams. Wednesday's game against Elon will air on 98.1 FM as Stan Cotten and Cory Provus call the action.
Both VCU and Elon have given the Deacons fits in recent years. The Deacons went a combined 0-3 against the school last season. The all-time series with the Rams is tied at five games each. Wake Forest has won 9 of the 17 all-time meetings against Elon. The Phoenix, however, won both contests last spring against the Deacons.
Because Wake Forest will embark on a five-game road trip after final exams, Wednesday's game will the last home date for the Deacons until May 20 vs. Florida State -- a span of 22 days.
Deacons Running Like the Wind...
Wake Forest's basestealers have been rolling along like an army of steamrollers, successfully stealing 18 bases in its last 19 attempts since April 7. Meanwhile, J.B. Tucker has shown good management in the running game, throwing out five basestealers in that time frame.
Different Deacons Go Por La Calle...
It seems like it's been a different guy every day for the Demon Deacons who have had six different players hit home runs in the last seven games including the usual suspects like Steve LeFaivre, J.B. Tucker, Brad Scioletti and Ryder Mathias. However, Nick Blue and Casey Sterk have also gotten into the act.
Today's Numbers to Note is...
Five-0 - Five is the number of stolen bases by Matt Antonelli in the last five games without getting caught.
Deacons Give Maryland Pitchers the Wiggles...
When Wake Forest hung a five in the first inning of Friday's game against the Terrapins, it brought on an ocean of runs, 11 in the game's first two innings. By game's end, the Deacons had bombed away for 21 runs. On Saturday, Wake Forest put up two fives to win 10-5. On Sunday, Maryland's cannons fired for 13 runs, but the Deacons did score 11.
It marked the fourth straight game where Wake Forest scored 10 or more runs for the first time since May 2002. The Deacons haven't accomplished the feat in five straight games since April 2002. Three of those games came against Maryland.
Fruitcakes in the Kitchen, Fruitcakes in the Street...
The Deacons have their share of characters in the clubhouse. Take, for example: Grant Achilles knows how to count to seven in Japanese... Brian Bach claims to be a foosball master... Nick Blue wishes he was better at Icelandic Fishing... Andrew Knox's best non-athletic talent is playing the banjo... Danny Mackey says if he doesn't play pro baseball, he plans to "be in a band, rockin' out"... Ryder Mathias' favorite movie is Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure... Kyle Young drinks green tea before games.
