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April 11, 1999
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Corey Slavik’s bases-loaded RBI single in the bottom ofthe ninth inning lifted Wake Forest over Virginia, 5-4, on Sunday afternoonat Ernie Shore Field.
With the victory and three-game series sweep, Wake Forest improved itsrecord to 24-10 overall and 9-5 in Atlantic Coast Conference play. The winwas the Demon Deacons’ 15th consecutive home victory. Virginia dropped to15-23 overall and 5-9 in league action.
Wake Forest’s Scott Siemon (7-1) picked up the win in relief after blowinga save opportunity in the ninth inning. Starter Eric Schmitt got no decisionafter pitching a brilliant game, allowing three unearned runs on seven hitsin eight innings of work. He issued two walks and fanned 10 batters. It washis fourth career double-figure strikeout performance and second in a rowafter fanning a career-best 11 batters last weekend at Florida State.
Virginia’s Tim LaVigne (1-1) took the loss in relief after surrendering onerun in 1 1/3 innings.
Virginia took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning courtesy of threeWake Forest errors. LaVigne and Jon Metzger each had RBI in the inning forthe Cavaliers.
Wake Forest cut the lead to 3-2 in the third inning. Ricky Mendez led offthe frame with a triple and came around to score on a groundout from ScottDaeley. Andrew Riepe drove in the second run of the inning with a basesloaded walk.
Stephen Sullivan gave the Demon Deacons a 4-3 lead in the bottom of thesixth with a two-run homer to right field, his third of the season.
Virginia battled to tie the score at 4-4 in the top of the ninth inning.LaVigne, who went 3-for-4 in the game, and Eric McGrane led off the framewith back-to-back singles and Robbie Marvin advanced the runners to secondan third with a sacrifice bunt. David Stone brought home the tying run witha sacrifice fly to center field.
The Demon Deacons answered in the bottom of the ninth inning when theyloaded the bases with one out with a single from Danny Borrell and walks>from Andrew Riepe and Matt Price before Slavik delivered his game-winninghit. Slavik finished the afternoon with three hits in five at bats.
Wake Forest will return to action when the Demon Deacons visit AppalachianState on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Virginia will visit Virginia Tech on Wednesday at3 p.m.
WAKE FOREST 5, VIRGINIA 4
UVA 300 000 001 -- 4 9 2WFU 002 002 001 -- 5 9 3
Metzger, Shrout (5), LaVigne (9) and Rueffert. Schmitt, Siemon (9) andRiepe. 2B-Benick (V). 3B-Mendez (WFU). HR-Sullivan (WF). W-Siemon (7-1).L-LaVigne (1-1). T-2:50. A-715.