April 13, 2008

Box Score

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Steven Brooks took a risk, and it paid off beautifully. The speedy freshman scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch that barely got away from the Virginia Tech catcher to send Wake Forest to a 3-2 walk-off defeat of the Hokies Sunday afternoon at Hooks Stadium.

With runners at the corners and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Virginia Tech reliever Jesse Hahn threw a 1-1 pitch in the dirt. The ball squirted away to the right of catcher Anthony Sosnoskie, not getting more than 10 feet from him. However, Brooks reacted instantly at third and took off for home. He slid in head first and touched the plate just inches ahead of a diving Sosnoskie.

Brooks had entered the game as a pinch runner for Allan Dykstra, who led off the ninth with a double to left. Dustin Hood moved Brooks up on a groundout to short and the Hokies elected to intentionally walk Andy Goff to set up the double play. Hahn went 1-1 on Ryan Semeniuk before uncorking the fateful wild pitch.

"It was a good job by Dustin Hood to move me up and another good job by Ryan Semeniuk to lay off that pitch in the dirt," said Brooks. "If it wasn't for those two plays, we may still be out there. Hats off to everybody else doing their job."

With the win, the Demon Deacons move to 13-21 overall and 6-11 in the ACC. The Hokies drop to 15-21 overall and 3-15 in conference play.

Wake Forest salvaged the final game of the weekend series behind Brooks' gutsy play and an outstanding pitching performance from starter Ben Hunter.

Hunter pitched seven strong innings but received a no-decision when Virginia Tech tied the game on a two-run home run in the top of the seventh. The senior righthander was stifling over the first six innings, scattering five hits and allowing just one Hokie to reach third base. Tech finally got to Hunter in the seventh when Sean O'Brien hit a two-out, two-run home run to tie the game.

On the day, Hunter allowed two runs on seven hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks. The performance was his fourth career game with double digit strikeouts.

Dykstra and Fox each went 2-for-4 to lead the Deacons at the plate. Dykstra and Weldon Woodall drove in a run apiece. Fox extended his hitting streak to nine games, while Mike Murray and Woodall each moved their respective streaks to seven games.

Wake Forest opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning. Fox led off with a single up the middle, and Ben Terry then reached on a hit by pitch. One out later, Woodall blooped a single into right to score Fox. Dykstra followed with a double to left to drive in Terry with the second run.

The Deacons missed out on a golden opportunity to add to their lead in the third. Fox reached on a leadoff single to right, and Terry followed with his second hit by pitch of the day. Murray then dumped a single into right, but the Hokies were able to cut down Terry roaming off second base on the play. Woodall was issued a walk to load the bases with one out. However, Hokies starter Sean McDermott got out of the jam with a strikeout and a line out.

Virginia Tech missed an opportunity of its own in the fifth. The Hokies put the first two runners on base, but Hunter and the Deacs came back to record three straight outs. Murray cut down the lead runner trying to steal third for the second out of the frame.

The Hokies tied the score with two runs in the seventh. Steve Bumbry reached on a one-out walk. After Hunter got the second out on a strikeout, leadoff man O'Brien pulled a 2-1 pitch from Hunter just inside the rightfield foul pole for a game-tying home run.

Virginia Tech threatened to take the lead in the ninth, putting the first two runners on, but the Hokies came up empty. Michael Seaborn was issued a leadoff walk. Bumbry then tried to sacrifice him up a base but instead reached when the Deacs tried unsuccessfully to cut down Seaborn at second. Kledzik rebounded to strikeout pinch hitter Travis Willson on a two-strike bunt attempt.

Wake went to lefty reliever Alex Wiesner to face the lefthanded-hitting O'Brien. Wiesner won the battle, getting O'Brien to fly out to left for the second out. On came righthander Phil Negus who got pinch hitter Matt Blow to line out to the shortstop.

Negus (3-2) earned the win as the pitcher of record. The righthander pitched just 1/3 of an inning.

Brad Kledzik pitched well in 1 1/3 innings of relief, allowing no hits and just one walk.

Hahn (2-4) took the loss in relief for the Hokies. The lanky righthander gave up one run on two hits with a strikeout and a walk.

McDermott received a no-decision. The lefty went 5 2/3 innings, surrendering two runs on six hits with two strikeouts and a pair of walks. After he gave up two runs in the first inning, McDermott settled down to allow just three hits the rest of his outing. He retired nine of the final 10 batters he faced.

O'Brien and Sean Ryan had two hits apiece to lead the Virginia Tech offense. The Hokies struck out 12 times on the day and left nine runners on base.

Wake Forest will play twice during the upcoming mid-week. The Deacons will travel to Davidson on Tuesday for a 6 p.m. contest before hosting Winthrop on Wednesday at 3 p.m.