March 10, 2009

Box Score | Box Score in PDF Format

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Wake Forest head coach Rick Rembielak picked up the 500th win of his career as the Deacs defeated Winthrop 6-4 on Tuesday night at The Winthrop Ballpark.

Wake Forest improves to 7-4, snapping a four-game losing streak, while Winthrop drops to 10-3.

The win marked the 500th victory in the career of Rembielak. His career record currently stands at 500-367-1.

Mike Murray led the way offensively, going 3-for-4 at the plate, including the game-winning home run in the top of the ninth. Carlos Lopez hit his seventh home run of the season and finished the game with two hits and two RBIs. Ryan Semeniuk also homered and drove in two runs.

Joel Ernst earned his first win of the season. Ernst threw 1 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out two batters. Austin Stadler earned the first save of his collegiate career, striking out the only batter he faced with two outs and the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth.

The Deacs took the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the ninth. Murray hit a one-out home run down the left-field line to give Wake a 5-4 edge. Weldon Woodall followed with a walk. After Stadler popped out to second, Woodall stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher. Lopez drove in Woodall with a single to left to give Wake Forest a two-run cushion.

Winthrop mounted a rally of their own in the bottom of the ninth. Bryn Henderson led off the inning with a walk. Henderson was retired on a fielder's choice by Eddie Tisdale with the first baseman throwing to the shortstop at second base for the out. Kevin Nolan followed with a foul out to the first baseman. A wild pitch moved Tisdale to second and a single to left by John Murrian moved Tisdale to third. Bryan Bogue pinch ran for Murrian and moved to second on a wild pitch. Eddie Rohan walked to load the bases with two outs. The Deacs brought in Stadler to pitch. Stadler got pinch hitter Chas Crane to strike out on three pitches to end the game and give Wake a 6-4 win.

Winthrop struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the second inning. Rohan got the Eagles on the board with a one-out solo home run down the left-field line. Cam Walters and Sean Sullivan followed with singles to put runners at first and third with one out. Phil Negus forced Tony Brunetti to ground into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.

Wake Forest answered back with two runs in the top of the third. Tyler Smith led off the inning with a single to right field. Semeniuk followed with his second home run of the season, over the fence in left field to give the Deacs a 2-1 lead.

The Demon Deacons stretched their lead with two runs in the top of the fourth. Woodall hit the first pitch he saw in the inning off the scoreboard in left-center field for his second home run of the year to give Wake Forest a 3-1 lead. After Stadler lined out to shortstop, Lopez hit his seventh home run of the year, a solo shot to center field to extend the lead to 4-1. The Deacs had a chance to add on additional runs with two outs and the bases loaded, but Shane Kroker grounded out to second to end the inning.

The Eagles tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sullivan led off the inning with a double off the wall in right-center field. A groundout to second by Brunetti moved Sullivan to third and sacrifice fly to center from Aaron Bonomi scored Sullivan to make the score 4-2. With two outs, Henderson hit a double off the wall in right center. Henderson came into score on a single to left by Tisdale to make the score 4-3. Tisdale moved to second on the throw. Tisdale scored the tying run when Nolan reached on a fielding error by the first baseman.

Winthrop mounted a threat in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't take the lead. Henderson led off the inning with a walk. Tisdale attempted to bunt him over to second, but Smith made a diving catch in foul territory to retire Tisdale for the first out. Nolan hit a bloop single into shallow right to move Henderson to second with one out. The Deacs made a pitching change, bringing in righty Joel Ernst. Ernst forced Murrian to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.

Wake had its own chance to recapture the lead in the top of the eighth. Lopez led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Micah Jarrett. A wild pitch moved Lopez to third. Smith walked with one out to put runners at first and third. Wake Forest couldn't push the go-ahead run across as Steven Brooks struck out and Dustin Hood grounded out to third on a bunt attempt to end the inning.

Wake Forest returns home on Wednesday, March 11, to host Elon. Wake Forest will start senior left hander Garrett Bullock (0-0, 21.60), while Elon will counter with lefty J.D. Reichenbach (0-0, 0.00). First pitch is set for 6 p.m. (ET) at Wake Forest Baseball Park.