April 20, 2008

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CBI Live
Smith homers twice as Wake Forest whips Virginia

By Sean Ryan

CollegeBaseballInsider.com Co-Founder

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. - Tyler Smith blasted two traditional home runs, but it was Allan Dykstra's three-run inside-the-park job that sparked a six-run fourth inning as Wake Forest trounced Virginia 14-3 Saturday night at Davenport Field to even their ACC series.

The Demon Deacons (7-12, 15-23) put some good swings on Cavaliers ace Jacob Thompson (4-2) early before Virginia (12-8, 30-11) unraveled in the fourth. The Cavaliers committed two errors - one a tough chance when shortstop Greg Miclat made a splendid play to snare a ball with his backhand but fired wide of second attempting a force.

Dykstra (2 for 6, 4 RBI) lofted a long fly that seemed to be in the air forever, finally caroming off the wall and back toward the infield. He put his head down and was waved home, barely beating the relay and giving the Deacs an 8-2 edge.

Thompson couldn't escape the fourth, a nightmarish inning when all six runs were unearned.

An inning later, Smith (2 for 5, 3 R, 4 RBI) hit the first of his two homers to right and Willy Fox (3 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI) added a RBI single for a 10-2 edge. Ben Terry added two hits and two runs and made a slick, hard-charging diving catch in center in the fifth inning. Evan Ocheltree contributed two hits and two runs.

Charlie Mellies (1-4) was the beneficiary of the offensive explosion – Wake entered Saturday night averaging just more than three runs a game in its past 14 conference outings - and worked eight innings with three earned runs and six strikeouts.

Jeremy Farrell had two RBI to lead the Cavaliers, who lost for just their fourth time in 29 games at Davenport Field.