Sports > March 20, 2008

By Connor Swarbrick | Asst. sports editor

The Deacon baseball squad did not rest during Spring Break. They have played 10 games in the last 12 days. Over that stretch the Deacs went 7-3. In their first series, March 7-9, the Deacs hosted the 17th ranked Clemson Tigers.

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Junior pitcher Garrett Bullock throws over to first base during the Feb. 23 game at Pepperdine. Bullock has record of 2-0 and an ERA of 4.24. (Jeff Merski/Old Gold & Black)

Rain postponed the series and ACC opener March 7. The series got under way March 8 with a 13-11 Deacon victory. Junior Allan Dykstra led the team with four hits including two homeruns. Senior Andy Goff also had four hits. After a 76 minute rain delay in the eighth inning, the Deacon pitching staff was able to hold off the Tigers. The Deacon pitchers recorded 15 strikeouts, the most since March 3, 2001.

Clemson and Wake Forest played a double header March 9 to make up the postponed contest. The Deacons won the first game 5-3 and picked up their first series defeat of Clemson since 1999. Junior Garrett Bullock recorded the win for the Deacons and junior Dustin Hood lead the offense with two of five Wake Forest hits. In the second game of the doubleheader Clemson came back from an 11-4 deficit to win 12-11. Senior Willy Fox was 2-4 with three RBIs, two runs and a home run.

“Starting off against a team like (Clemson) is huge,” Head Coach Rick Rembielak said.

Deacon hitters came up big again March 11 when the team traveled to to take on High Point. The 12-3 victory improved the Deacons to 8-5 overall.

March 12 Wake Forest hosted Charlotte at Hooks Stadium. A seven run forth inning gave the 49ers a 10-1 lead, but the Deacons put together a late surge. They scored 14 runs in their final four at-bats to secure a 15-12 win and hand Charlotte their second loss of the season. Goff lead the Deacs with four of the teams 16 hits.

“That shows proof that you have got to play all 27 outs,” Rembielak said.

The Deacons hosted ACC foe Maryland for a three game series March 14-16. The Deacons entered the game with a 9-5 overall record while the Terrapins were 7-7. Despite Dykstra’s ACC leading sixth home run of the season the Deacons managed only six hits and lost 8-2 in the first game of the series. Senior Ben Hunter recorded the loss for the Deacs with five and one third innings pitched.

The Deacons lead the second game 4-3 before the Terps tied it in the eighth inning. Fox hit what looked to be a walk off home run, but it was knocked down by a steady rain. Due to the rain the teams had to postpone the game in the 10th inning.

When it resumed the next day, redshirt senior outfielder Eric Williams hit a single into right field with the bases loaded and the count full to give the Deacs a 4-3 victory in just his second at-bat of the season. Junior Evan Ocheltree was 3-5 with a home run in the 11 inning contest.

“Our offense sputtered but our pitchers hung in and gave us a chance to win,” Rembielak said.

In the series rubber match despite trailing the entire game the Deacons got their second walk off win of the day. In the ninth inning Fox laced a one out single. Dykstra then reached base after being hit by a pitch. Ocheltree flew out but it was deep enough for freshman Steven Brooks, who was pinch running, to reach third.

With two outs, Goff hit a slow roller towards third and was able to reach base on an infield single preserving the Deacon’s hopes.

Senior Austin Jones had pinch hit earlier in the ball game and this time he smashed the first pitch he saw towards short. The Terps shortstop muffed the ball and Dykstra scored the winning run.

Sophomore Alex Wiesner earned the win working two innings in relief while starting pitcher redshirt senior Charles Mellies, received a no decision for his seven innings of work. Hood and Dykstra extended their hitting streaks to 10 and nine games respectively.

“To win these games against division opponents would help us win any tiebreaks,” Rembielak said.

After a day off, Wake Forest raveled to Appalachian State. The Mountaineers put up double-digit runs against the Deacons for the second time this season, defeating the Deacs by a score of 22-6 on March 18.

The two teams were trading blows in the first four innings, with the Deacs plating six runners in these innings. Senior outfielder Ben Terry and senior designated hitter Weldon Woodall led the team with two hits and two RBIs apiece in the game.

The Mountaineers took the lead for good in the fourth inning, with two runners scoring on an error by junior third baseman Tyler Smith.

Appalachian State. didn’t look back upon taking the lead, extending their lead by scoring again in their final three innings.

The Demon Deacons were rained out of their March 19 game against Elon. This was the fourth time the Deacs were rained out this season. Up next for the Deacons is a series with No. 2 Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., March 21-23. The Hurricanes are 14-2 on the season and 5-1 in the ACC.

Senior writer Jeff Merski contributed to this article.