Baseball Falls to Wake Forest

March 27, 1999

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – First baseman Jon Palmieri went 3-for-5 with six RBI and Wake Forest scored five runs in the eighth inning as the 24th-ranked Demon Deacons defeated Clemson, 11-6, on Saturday afternoon at Hooks Stadium.

With its second straight victory in the series, Wake Forest improves its record to 18-6 overall and 5-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Clemson drops to 14-10 overall and 2-2 in league play.

Wake Forest’s Scott Siemon (5-0) picked up the win in relief of starter John Hendricks after tossing 1 1/3 shutout innings to close out the ballgame. Hendricks, who was in total command for the first seven innings before tiring in the eighth, surrendered six runs on six hits in 7 1/3 innings while striking out seven batters.

The Tiger’s Brian Adams (2-3) took the loss after allowing nine runs in three innings of relief. Clemson starter Mike Paradis pitched well, allowing two runs on five hits before leaving the game after five innings with a sore arm.

With the score tied at 2-2, the Demon Deacons jumped out to a 6-2 lead with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning when Palmieri and Danny Borrell each delivered two-run doubles. Clemson, however, answered back in the top of the eighth inning with four runs to tie the score at 6-6. Kurt Bultmann led off the inning with a walk and scored on a RBI single from Bradley LeCroy and pinch hitter Jeff Kane drove in two runs with a double to left field. The Tiger’s Derek Borgert scored the tying run on a suicide squeeze by Brian Holstad.

The Demon Deacons responded in the bottom of the eight inning with five runs to make the score 11-6. After Carlos Brackley drew a one-out walk, Chase Voshell doubled to right field to put runners at second and third base. The Tigers elected to intentionally walk Scott Daeley to load the bases with one out, but Jason Aquilante drove in two runs with a RBI single past a drawn in infield. On the following pitch, Palmieri blasted a three-run homer to left field, his 10th of the season, to push the lead to five runs.

Wake Forest’s Daeley and Voshell each went 2-for-4 on the afternoon while Borrell finished 2-for-5 with three RBI. Holstad and LeCroy each had two hits on the afternoon for the Tigers. Wake Forest and Clemson will conclude the three-game series on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. at Hooks Stadium.

WAKE FOREST 11, CLEMSON 5

CU   000 110 040 --  6  8  0WFU  002 000 45x -- 11 12  1

Paradis, Adams (6) and Borgert. Hendricks, Bush (8), Siemon (8) and Riepe. 2B-Harris (C), Boyd (C), Kane (C), Holstad (C), Palmieri (WF), Borrell (WF), Voshell (WF). HR-Palmieri (WF). W-Siemon (5-0). L-Adams (2-3). T-2:40. A-1,127.