March 14, 2004
Box Score
MILLINGTON, TN-- Wake Forest defeated Indiana State, 8-4 in ten innings Sunday in the team's final game of the Easton USA Challenge at USA Baseball Stadium. The Demon Deacons went 2-2 in the four-game tournament and are now 9-7 on the season while Indiana State falls to 2-9. This game marked the first ever meeting between the Deacs and Sycamores and was win number 600 for head coach George Greer in his 17th year at Wake Forest. Greer has tallied 707 career victories in 22 years of coaching overall.
Lee Land allowed just one hit in two innings of relief and picked up his first victory of the season as the Demon Deacons won their second game in their final at-bat this weekend. Nick Blue and Brad Scioletti each had three hits on the day, leading the way for Wake Forest.
Indiana State left fielder Rance Fosdick doubled and came around to plate the game's first run on an RBI single by catcher Kyle Kolb in the top of the third inning. With two on and two out in the same inning, shorstop Josh Prickett lined a triple into the right field corner, scoring Kolb and Marcus Artner. The Sycamores would add one more run, putting the Deacs in a 4-0 hole after three innings.
Wake Forest put an end to its 12 inning scoreless streak with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth inning. Catcher J.B. Tucker drew a leadoff walk and came around to score when first baseman Ryder Mathias blasted his first home run of the season over the left field wall. Tucker made his first start for the Demon Deacons since suffering an injury against High Point on March 3.
The Deacs scored twice in the top of the eighth to tie the game. After right fielder Steve LeFaivre was hit by a pitch, Brad Scioletti and Matt Miller came through with consecutive one-out singles. Pinch-runner Brian Shust was able to score from second on Miller's single which was a ground ball that deflected off of second base. With two outs and runners on second and third, Wake Forest was able to tie the game at 4-4. Designated hitter Nick Blue worked the count full before bouncing a high chopper to the right side of the infield. With the Indiana State first baseman chasing the ball, Blue was able to win a footrace and beat pitcher Joe Thatcher to first base, allowing Scioletti to score the tying run.
Wake Forest put together what would be the game-winning rally in the top of the tenth inning. Scioletti dove head first into first base, legging out an infield single to second base to lead off the inning for the Deacs. The bases were loaded for Matt Antonelli with just one out after Casey Sterk was hit by a pitch and Blue drew a walk. The Wake Forest freshman third baseman responded by lining a double into the left-center field gap which scored Scioletti and Sterk with the go-ahead runs and put the Deacons up 6-4. Shortstop Ben Ingold followed with his second hit of the day, a two-run single up the middle scoring Blue and Antonelli and giving Wake Forest a four-run cushion.
The Demon Deacons return to action Tuesday when they travel to Blacksburg, Va. for a 3 pm matchup against the Virginia Tech Hokies.
