Alex slides under the tag of Wake catcher Austin Jones in Charlotte's 12-8 win over the Demon Deacons Wednesday night. |
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Charlotte Avenges Earlier Loss to Wake in a 12-8 Slugfest at Home
March 26, 2008
Charlotte, N.C. - Designated hitter Rob Lyerly drove in four runs on two doubles and a home run and senior Chris Taylor hit a home run in his fourth straight game as Charlotte outslugged Wake Forest 12-8 at Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium Wednesday night. The Niners improve to 18-3 on the season and 15-1 at home. Wake Forest has lost five in a row and drops to 11-11 on the season.
For the sixth time in the last seven games, Charlotte gave up a run in the first inning, with Wake Forest gathering two runs in the first frame. Dustin Hood and Allan Dykstra hit RBI singles in the first for a 2-0 lead.
Charlotte responded in the second with a pair of runs, with Lyerly driving a two-RBI double down the left field line to even the score.
Wake got back on top in the third on a Weldon Woodall sacrifice fly to drive in Willy Fox, who had doubled and stolen third.
Charlotte took the lead for good in the fourth, scoring five runs on six hits, all with two outs. Lyerly drove in the first run with a double, which followed the first hit of the inning, a double by Alex Burt to left. Lyerly scored on an RBI single by second baseman Corey Shaylor, who scored when shortstop Shayne Moody singled to right field. Center fielder Brad McElroy then drove in two more with a single to left to take a 7-3 lead.
Wake added two in the fifth on consecutive RBI singles by Andy Goff and Evan Ocheltree, but the Niners plated three more in the sixth on a McElroy sacrifice fly and the two-run homer by Taylor, his team-leading eighth. His string of consecutive games with a home run started last Saturday against A-10 foe Saint Louis, when he hit two out.
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After the Demon Deacons scored two in the seventh to close the gap to 10-7, Lyerly jacked a 2-0 pitch to left center to get the Nines back up by four.
Two more singles and a wild pitch pushed across the final run for Wake Forest, with Willy Fox knocking in Hood from second.
Charlotte added the insurance run in the eighth when Justin Wilson grounded out with the bases loaded to score Moody from third.
Charlotte reliever Bryan Hamilton was the winner, avenging his one loss of the season at Wake Forest two weeks ago (2-1). He tossed two innings of relief, allowing three hits and one walk, striking out two. He gave up a pair of runs. Sam Pierce got his first save of the season. He lasts 1.1 innings, allowing just one hit and garnering two strikeouts.
Neither starter got a decision on limited pitch counts. Wake starter Charlie Mellies went three innings, allowing two runs on three hits and a walk, with two strikeouts. Charlotte right hander Kelly McLain tied his career high of four innings pitched, giving up four hits and three walks with three strikeouts. He gave up three runs, all earned.
Lyerly led all players with thee hits and four RBI. Charlotte saw five hitters score two runs. McElroy added three RBI. Bray, Moody, Alan Parks, Burt and Shaylor each had two hits.
Fox had three hits for Wake. Goff drove home two, which was tops on the team.
Taking the first home defeat of the season on Tuesday, Charlotte still has not lost back-to-back games since the Atlantic 10 Tournament to end the 2006 season, a stretch of 82 straight contests.
Charlotte will start a stretch of seven straight road games this weekend, when the 49ers travel to Ambler, Pa. to take on Atlantic 10 opponent La Salle for the first time on the road. The Friday opener begins at 3 p.m.
