April 18, 2009

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Georgia Tech pitching staff shut down the Wake Forest offense for the second straight game as the 12th-ranked Yellow Jackets clinched the series with an 8-1 win on Saturday night in front of a season-high crowd of 1,397 at Wake Forest Baseball Park.

With the win, Georgia Tech clinches the series and improves to 25-8-1 and 12-5-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. Wake Forest drops to 20-18 and 6-14 in league play.

The two teams close out the series on Sunday. First pitch is now scheduled for Noon due to the threat of rain and thunderstorms in the Winston-Salem area late on Sunday afternoon. Wake Forest will start freshman lefty Austin Stadler (4-3, 3.45), while RHP Brandon Cumpton (1-0, 5.33) will take the mound for Georgia Tech.

The Wake Forest offense was stymied for the second straight night by Georgia Tech pitching. Yellow Jacket starter Zach Von Tersch tossed six scoreless innings, scattering three hits, while walking five and striking out one to improve his record to 6-1 on the season.

Patrick Long tossed two perfect innings in relief for Georgia Tech and struck out three.

After hitting four home runs in the series opener, the Yellow Jackets continued its home run binge, belting three round-trippers in the second game of the series. Derek Dietrich, Chris House and Jeff Rowland each had a home run in the game for Georgia Tech.

House was 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored, while Chase Burnette had a team-high three hits and also scored twice.

Evan Ocheltree led Wake Forest at the plate with two hits and also drive in Wake's only run of the game. Steven Brooks and Stadler each added a hit for the Demon Deacons.

Phil Negus suffered the loss for Wake Forest to fall to 2-3 on the year. Negus threw 6 2/3 innings and gave up six runs on 10 hits, while fanning six batters and not allowing a walk.

Brandon Johnson had a good outing in relief, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings and giving up three hits.

After each team was held scoreless in the first two innings, Georgia Tech grabbed the lead with a run in the third. With one out, House hit his second home run of the season, a solo shot over the left-center field fence to put the Yellow Jackets in front 1-0.

Georgia Tech added two runs in the top of the fifth. Burnette led off the inning with a single through the left side. House advanced Burnette to second with a sacrifice bunt. A ground out to second by Rowland moved Burnette to third. Dietrich hit a 2-1 pitch over the wall in center field for his fifth homer of the year to make the score 3-0.

Wake Forest had one of its best scoring chances in the bottom of the fifth. Ocheltree led off the inning with a single to center and moved to second when Ryan Semeniuk drew a four-pitch walk. Brooks attempted to move both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, but Von Tersch made a diving catch on the bunt attempt. Von Tersch turned and threw to second to retire Ocheltree before he could get back to the bag. Shane Kroker lined out to second to end the inning.

The Yellow Jackets made the score 4-0 with a run in the sixth. Tony Plagman led off the inning with a single to center, but he was retired at second when Luke Murton grounded into a fielder's choice to third base. After Matt Skole struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, Thomas Nichols singled through the left side to advance Murton to second. Burnette plated Murton on a single to center.

The Demon Deacons had another great scoring chance in the sixth, but the Georgia Tech defense kept Wake Forest off the scoreboard. Mike Murray and Weldon Woodall drew consecutive walks with one out. Stadler hit a fly ball to deep left-center field, but House made a leaping catch against the wall to rob Stadler of an extra-base hit and keep Wake Forest off the scoreboard. Carlos Lopez flied out to the right fielder for the third out of the inning.

The Yellow Jackets closed out their scoring with two runs in both the seventh and the eighth innings.

Wake Forest avoided the shutout by scoring a run in the ninth. Woodall reached on a fielding error by the second baseman to lead off the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch with one out. A ground out to short by Lopez moved Woodall to third. Ocheltree doubled to the right-center field alley to score Woodall for Wake's only run of the game.