Sports > April 7, 2005

By Graham Hall

Old Gold & Black Reporter

The baseball team refused to let Duke get the best of them in their 129th meeting. While the Deacs lead the all-time series 81-47, Duke won the previous three meetings sweeping the team in Durham last season. This was not the case April 1-3.

The Deacons, which entered the game 11-16, 4-8 ACC, were looking for redemption for the three tough one-run losses last year.

In the first game of the series, sophomore Josh Ellis took the mound for the Deacons.

While rain threatened to postpone the game, the Deacons’ offense was determined to play, scoring five runs in the first two innings. Senior second baseman Ben Ingold was the main driving force behind the early offensive production, scoring the first run of the game and then in the bottom of the second blasting a two-run homer to left. The Blue Devils; however, would not go quietly on the day and answered, scoring two runs in both the third and fourth innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, Ingold led off the inning with a walk, and senior catcher J.B. Tucker followed with a single. Sophomore first baseman Brendan Enick was walked on four straight pitches, and senior centerfielder Matt Miller punched a hit past the pitcher to score Ingold. Freshman shortstop Andy Goff was walked with the bases loaded to score Tucker.

Later, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Ingold singled to score sophomore third baseman Matt Antonelli from second base. Tucker then followed with a single, and senior designated hitter Ryder Mathias hit a single to the opposite field to score Ingold.

Enick hit a deep sacrifice fly to score Tucker from third for the 11th run of the game. With Ellis out after seven innings pitched and only four runs given up, the Wake Forest bullpen had its worst performance of the year, surrendering six runs in the top of the ninth.

Junior closer Kyle Young was forced to come in the top of the ninth and got the final out with runners on first and third. Ellis earned the win to improve to 4-2 and Young was credited with his second save of the season.

The Deacs took game one with a final score of 11-10.

“The defense played well and we managed enough hits to ensure a win,” Ellis said.

The game on April 2 appeared to be a xerox of the game the day before. Sophomore Charlie Mellies started the game and pitched extremely well even, despite the one-game with a 2-1 lead that increased to 5-1 when Sterk roped a shot over the centerfield wall with two men on in the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately four runs were allowed in the top of the eighth.

Later in the inning with the game tied 5-5, Antonelli led off with a walk and Tucker followed with the game winning double to the left, scoring Antonelli. Young was once again called on to close the game and pitched a perfect ninth earning, becoming the first pitcher to have consecutive saves in three years. Freshman Eric Niesen picked up the win to even his record at 1-1.

While making only his second start of the season in the rubber game of the series, senior reliever Brian Bach’s experience showed throughout the day as he worked his way out of numerous jams and was unfazed falling behind 2-0 in the fourth. The offense was jump-started by Enick’s solo blast to right field in the bottom of the seventh.

In the bottom of the eighth, freshman right fielder Brett Linnenkohl led off the inning with a single to left and was followed by Antonelli, who singled to right. Duke’s Danny Otero tossed a wild pitch that allowed Linnenkohl to score from third. Tucker, for the second consecutive day, came through with the game winning RBI double to left-center. In the top of the ninth, Bach worked around the two runners on base to hold on for a 3-2 complete game win.

Bach threw 118 pitches on the day, 78 of which were strikes, in the process of striking out seven and allowing only one earned run.

“We needed to win the series and get the sweep and we pulled out three tough wins,” Ellis said.

On April 6, the Deacons traveled down to Charlotte to take on Davidson. Tucker led off the game with a home run and followed it with a two run blast in the top of the fourth giving the Deacons a 5-2 lead. With a 10-6 lead in the bottom of the eighth, senior Kip Byrum surrendered a quick run and was removed with two men on. Young was called on to preserve the win, but Davidson’s Jay Heafner managed to connect with Young’s pitch, launching a shot over the wall for the game winning home run.

The Deacons, who improved to 14-16, 7-8 ACC, will next travel to Tallahassee, Fla. to take on Florida State. The game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. April 8.