June 8, 2004

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest junior pitcher Justin Keadle was chosen in the 44th round of the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the Colorado Rockies Tuesday afternoon.

Keadle -- who ranked second in the ACC at 6.84 innings per start -- just wrapped up his first season with Wake Forest after two years at Cypress J.C. in Huntington Beach, Calif. The right-handed hurler went 2-5 with a 6.22 earned-run average. Keadle made 13 starts for the Demon Deacons and tossed a pair of complete games. Keadle also fanned 66 and walked 29 in 88.1 innings pitched.

As a junior, Keadle has the option to return to Wake Forest for his senior season.

Another draft eligible Deacon, junior shortstop Ben Ingold, informed teams during the draft's first day that he plans to return to the Cape Cod League this summer and return to Wake Forest next year for his senior season. Ingold led the Deacons and ranked among the ACC leaders with a .361 batting average. A CoSIDA Academic All-District selection this spring, Ingold is on pace to graduate next May with a degree in political science.

Wake Forest finished the 2004 season with a 17-33 record overall and 4-20 in the ACC.