April 28, 2009

Box Score | Box Score in PDF Format

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest scored nine runs in the first four innings of the game and starter Michael Dimock allowed just one run in a career-high eight innings to lead the Demon Deacons to an 11-3 win over Davidson on Tuesday night at Wake Forest Baseball Park.

With the win, Wake Forest snaps its eight-game losing streak and improves to 21-23. Davidson drops to 17-22 with the loss.

Freshman pitcher Michael Dimock turned in the best outing of his college career to earn the win and improve to 4-3 on the season. The Greensboro, N.C., native threw a career-high eight innings and allowed just one run on five hits. He struck out a career-best seven batters and walked none. Mark Adzick closed out the game and retired all three batters he faced.

The Wake Forest offense made sure Dimock's outing would not be wasted by scoring in each of the first four innings. The Deacs scored twice in the first, three times in the second and third and once in the fourth inning.

Mike Murray continued his hot hitting, going 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Murray staked the Deacs to an early lead with a two-run homer in the first. Steven Brooks also homered for Wake Forest and finished the game 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Ian Tomkins had a perfect night at the plate, tying a career-high with three hits and driving in two runs. Shane Kroker also added two hits and scored twice.

The Demon Deacons grabbed an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. Brooks led off the inning with a bloop single to right field, but Davidson right fielder Chase FitzPatrick threw Brooks out trying to stretch the play into a double. Kroker reached on an infield single up the middle. After Dustin Hood struck out swinging for the second out of the inning, Murray hit his sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot over the center-field fence.

Wake Forest added on to its lead with three runs in the bottom of the second. Tomkins drew a one-out walk and moved to second when Evan Ocheltree grounded out to second. Brooks hit a line-drive home run off the foul pole in left field for his fourth home run of the season to make the score 4-0. Kroker followed with a double off the top of the wall in left-center field. Matt Sliwiak threw a wild pitch that the catcher could not immediately locate. Kroker was able to score all the way from second base for Wake's fifth run of the game.

The Deacs stretched the lead to eight with three runs in the third. Murray led off the inning with a single to left-center field. With one out, Bentley Heyman hit a ground ball that was booted by the third baseman, advancing Murray to move to second base. Tyler Smith hit a ground ball to second, and the second baseman threw wildly to the shortstop, allowing Murray to score and moving Heyman to third base. Tomkins lined a single into right-center field to plate Heyman and send Smith to third base. Ocheltree grounded into a fielder's choice to second to score Smith to make the score 8-0.

Davidson scored its first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Zach Kayne led off the inning with a double to right field. After Brett Shore flew out to left for the first out of the inning, Danny Weiss singled through the left side of the infield to score Kayne.

The Demon Deacons answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the fourth inning. Hood and Murray opened the inning with consecutive singles. Woodall grounded into a fielder's choice to third base as Murray was retired at second for the first out of the inning. Heyman hit a sacrifice fly to right field to bring home Hood.

Wake Forest added two runs in the sixth. After the first two batters of the inning were retired, Woodall doubled to the right-center field gap. Heyman drew a walk to put runners at first and second. Woodall crossed the plate on a single by Smith. Tomkins recorded his third hit of the game with a single through the left side of the infield to bring home Heyman.

Davidson closed out the scoring with two runs in the ninth. Kayne led off the inning with a walk and moved to third on a double by pinch hitter Jay Honeycutt. Weiss drove in both with runners with a double to make the score 11-3.

Sliwiak suffered his first loss of the season on the mound for Davidson, giving up five runs on five hits in two innings.

Weiss drove in all three Wildcat runs in the game and finished 2-for-4 at the plate. Tommy Piacenza also added two hits for Davidson.

Wake Forest plays its final non-conference road game of the year on Wednesday, April 29, when it travels to Coastal Carolina for a 6 p.m. game. Garrett Bullock (1-2, 6.50) will start for the Demon Deacons, while the Chanticleers will counter with Austin Fleet (5-2, 4.25).