Baseball ACCtion: Friday, April 11 :: Florida State sweeps Boston College in doubleheader; Duke, Virginia and Virginia Tech win series openers on Friday night.

April 12, 2008

FSU Sweeps Doubleheader With 4-3 Victory Over BC In Game Two

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Top-ranked Florida State (30-3, 16-1) got a solo home run off the bat of Jack Rye in the top of the eighth to give the Seminoles a 4-3 victory over Boston College (18-16, 5-12) in game two of a doubleheader at Commander Shea Field. Freshman Geoff Parker recorded his third win of the season, while Ryan Strauss pitched the ninth for his second save of the day. The victory was the eighth straight for Florida State while it pushed the Seminoles to 10-0 in one-run games.

In his third career start, Parker pitched a career-high eight innings to run his record to 3-1 on the year. The sophomore right hander allowed three runs on eight hits as he struck out six and walked just one.

Strauss came on in the ninth for the second time on Friday to pick-up his second save of the day. The senior right hander got the Eagles in order in the ninth as he did not allow a run or hit in any one of his two appearances in the doubleheader.

Rye was responsible for half of the Seminole runs in game two going 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored. Tyler Holt and Tony Delmonico each collected two hits in the win.

Hokies' Ballard Stymies Wake Forest for 7-3 Win

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Redshirt junior Rhett Ballard (High Point, N.C.) tossed Virginia Tech's first complete game in just his second start of the season to lead the Hokies past Wake Forest 7-3 on Friday afternoon at Hooks Stadium.

After making his first start last Friday in the win over Maryland, the 6-foot-5 submariner went the distance for the first time of his career and also struck out a career-best and Tech season-high nine Demon Deacons. He scattered eight hits and two walks to improve to 2-3 on the year and bumped the Hokies to 14-20 overall and 2-14 in the ACC.

Garrett Bullock (3-3) took the loss for Wake Forest (12-20, 5-10 ACC) after allowing five runs on 11 hits and striking out six.

Ballard's 132-pitch effort helped Tech overcome four errors in the field, as did some impressive performances at the dish by the Hokie offense. Catcher Anthony Sosnoskie (Front Royal, Va.) tied a career best with four RBI on a double and his team-leading fifth home run, while center fielder Sean Ryan (Ashburn, Va.) set a career high with four hits - all singles. Freshman shortstop Austin Wates (Richmond, Va.) tallied two doubles and a single for his sixth three-hit game of the season. The Hokies tied a season best with six doubles.

Freiman Drives In Three RBI To Lead Blue Devils To 4-1 Win Over N.C. State

RALEIGH, N.C. - After a month-long absence from the starting lineup, Nate Freiman returned to go 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI to lead Duke to a 4-1 win over N.C. State Friday evening at Doak Field.

Freiman had missed the previous 18 games with an injury, but returned in a big way to launch his fourth homer of the season in addition to a two-RBI double in his first at bat of the game. His three RBI aided the pitching performance of junior Andrew Wolcott (3-2), who held N.C. State (21-11, 8-7 ACC) to one run and three hits over six innings. Wolcott fired 88 pitches on the way to five strikeouts to even out his ACC record to 2-2.

Sophomore Michael Ness came in from the bullpen to hold the Wolfpack scoreless over the final three frames on the way to his second save of the season. Ness allowed just two batters to reach base on a hit and a walk while striking out four in his team-leading 13th appearance of the year. With a 1.76 ERA this season, Ness has been Duke's most reliable reliever, holding opponents without a run in 10 appearances while leading all Duke relief pitchers with 30.2 innings pitched.

No. 24 Virginia Scores Nine Unanswered Runs, Rallies for Win

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Trailing by four runs in the fifth inning, the Virginia baseball team staged its largest rally of the season and scored nine unanswered runs, including six in the eighth, to defeat Maryland 11-6 Friday night at Shipley Field. The win pushed UVa's winning streak against Maryland to 16 games dating to 2002.

Virginia had twice rallied from three-run holes this season, but staged its biggest comeback since May 16, 2006, when the Cavaliers rallied from a six-run deficit to win at Old Dominion.

Neal Davis (So., Baltimore, Md.) earned the win and improved to 2-0 with three scoreless innings of relief. Michael Schwimer (Sr., Alexandria, Va.) pitched the ninth to wrap up the game. Brad Taylor (1-3) took the loss after allowing two of the Cavaliers' eighth-inning runs.

Greg Miclat (Jr., Concord, N.C.) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored for the Cavaliers, while Tyler Cannon (So., Pigeon Forge, Tenn.) and Franco Valdes (So., Miami, Fla.) each had two hits. Will Greenberg went 4-for-5 to lead the Terrapins.

Clemson vs. North Carolina Baseball Game Postponed Until Saturday With Tar Heels Leading 5-0 After Six Innings

The Clemson vs. North Carolina baseball game on Friday was postponed due to inclement weather with the Tar Heels leading 5-0 after six innings at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. Play will resume at the stopping point on Saturday at 4:00 PM. Game-two of the series will start approximately 30 minutes after the conlusion of game-one on Saturday.

Tech-Miami Rescheduled as Saturday Doubleheader

Friday's baseball game between 10th-ranked Georgia Tech and No. 1 Miami, which was postponed because of the death of pitcher Michael Hutts, will be played as part of a double-header Saturday beginning at 3 p.m.

Fans holding tickets for Friday night's game will have their tickets honored at the 3 p.m. game Saturday.

The second game of the series will be played at 7 p.m. Saturday as originally scheduled. That game will be televised on Comcast Sports Southeast.