March 24, 2010
Box Score | Box Score (PDF) 
| Updated Season Stats
HIGH POINT, N.C. -
High Point scored 11 times in the first four innings and cruised to an 11-3 victory over Wake Forest on Wednesday night at Williard Stadium.
The Demon Deacons drop to 7-15 with the loss, while the Panthers improve to 14-7 with the win.
High Point broke the game open early, scoring in each of the first four innings. The Panthers scored twice in the first, one time in the second, five times in the third and three times in the fourth. The Demon Deacons weren't able to dent the scoreboard until the seventh, when Wake scored two runs. The Deacs closed the scoring with a run in the top of the eighth.
Zach Haile (2-0) earned the win for High Point, throwing 5.0 scoreless innings and allowing four hits with four strikeouts and two walks. Alex Wiesner (0-1) suffered the loss for the Demon Deacons, surrendering two runs on a hit in 1.0 inning.
Wake Forest used 10 different pitchers in the ball game. Ryan Bouton, Matt Conway, Joel Ernst, Ryan McGrath, Niko Spezial and Zach White each turned in a scoreless outing in the game.
Austin Stadler and Mac Williamson led Wake Forest at the plate with two hits each. Williamson and Bentley Heyman had an RBI apiece.
Pablo Rosario and Andrew Bartlett led High Point offensively with three this and two RBIs each. Kyle Mahoney hit his third home run of the season and also drove in two runs in the victory.
High Point struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first. With two outs in the inning, Nate Roberts drew a walk and was along for the ride on Mahoney's two-run homer to center field to put the Panthers in front 2-0.
The Panthers added on to their lead with a run in the second. With one out, Mike Mercurio reached first on a fielding error by shortstop Pat Blair. Rosario singled through the left side to move Mercurio to second. Bartlett scored Mercurio with a singled up the middle to put High Point in front 3-0. Justin Van Grouw got out of the inning without any further damage as Murray White IV grounded into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
Wake Forest had its first scoring chance of the game in the third. Williamson led off the inning with a double to left field. Shane Kroker flied out to left for the first out of the inning. Williamson then moved to third on a stolen base. The Deacs were unable to bring him home as Blair struck out looking and Ryan Lloyd popped out to third to end the inning.
High Point scored for the third straight inning in the bottom of the third. Roberts drew a walk and moved to second on a single by Mahoney. Matt Gantner advanced both runners one base with a sacrifice bunt. A sacrifice fly to the left fielder in foul territory off the bat of Max Fulginiti scored Roberts. Steve Antolik singled up the middle to score Mahoney and make the score 5-0. Mercurio moved Antolik to third with a double. A double by Rosario to the left-center field alley cleared the bases and put High Point in front by seven. Bartlett ended the scoring with a single to left field to score Rosario.
The Panthers scored three more runs in the home half of the fourth. Fulginiti doubled to left-center field to score Gentner. A sacrifice fly to left brought home Fulginiti. White IV singled to score Antolik and put High Point in front by 11.
Wake Forest had a chance to break the shutout in the fifth, but stranded the bases loaded. Stadler singled to right and moved to second on a walk to Ryan Semeniuk. Each runner moved up a base on a balk by Haile. Williamson struck out swinging for the first out of the inning. Kroker loaded the bases by drawing a walk. Mark Rhine fouled out to the left fielder in foul territory for the second out of the inning and Lloyd flied out to right to end the inning and keep Wake Forest scoreless.
The Demon Deacons were able to get on the scoreboard with two runs in the top of the seventh. Semeniuk walked to lead off the inning and then moved to second on a stolen base. Williamson chopped a single to the hole between short and third. The shortstop's throw to first was low and got past the first baseman, allowing Semeniuk to score on the play. Kroker then drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Williamson was the first out of the inning when he was caught in a rundown between second and third trying to steal third. Kroker moved up to second on the rundown and then advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt to first by Rhine. Heyman scored Kroker with a single to center. Brooks reached first on a walk. Brooks and pinch runner John Stamper moved up to second and third respectively on a double steal. Mike Lubanski drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases with two outs. Casey Wadkins struck out looking to end the inning and leave the bases loaded.
Wake Forest added another run in the top of the eighth. Stadler reached first on a muffed throw by the pitcher at first base. A double by Semeniuk to the left-center field gap moved Stadler to third. Williamson plated Stadler with a sacrifice fly to right field to make the score 11-3.
Wake Forest returns to Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend, traveling to Blacksburg, Va., for a three-game series against Virginia Tech. Game times are scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
For all of the latest information on Wake Forest baseball, please log on to www.WakeForestSports.com or, for up-to-the-minute updates, follow the team's Twitter account @WFUBaseball or www.twitter.com/WFUBaseball.
