WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Jamie D'Antona hit a two-run home run in the first inning on Saturday night to help ignite the Demon Deacons to a 13-1 victory over Navy in an elimination game. <br>
<br>
The Demon Deacons (46-12) advanced to Sunday's sub-regional championship round against Richmond. <br>
<br>
Navy (23-25) had beaten George Washington in an earlier game to stay alive, but couldn't overcome D'Antona's home run and the rest of the Demon Deacons. <br>
<br>
``I don't think it was me starting us off it was everybody chipping in here and there,'' D'Antona said. ``Again, it just fell our way.... Everything we hit just seemed to fall in and everybody contributed as best they could.'' <br>
<br>
Ryan Johnson hit a two-out double off losing pitcher Andy Froistad (5-2) in the top of the first inning before D'Antona crushed his 19th homer of the season over the left field wall. D'Antona, who went 3-for-4 with four RBIs, now has 82 RBIs this season. <br>
<br>
The Demon Deacons added five runs in the third inning and never looked back. In the third, Johnson, D'Antona, Steve LaFaivre and Stephen Ghutzman each had run-scoring hits. Ben Ingold added two doubles. <br>
<br>
Navy scored a run off Wake Forest starter Tim Morley (6-3) in the bottom of the third as Chris Ashinhurst had an RBI-single. <br>
<br>
The Demon Deacons scored three more in the fourth to take a commanding 10-1 lead. D'Antona had an RBI double and Ghutzman belted a two-run homer for his sixth of the season. <br>
<br>
Morley allowed just six hits in nine innings for the win. <br>
<br>
``I just went in there and tried to go as far as I could and I didn't think about nine innings,'' Morley said. ``As I got deeper into the game I realized I could go the full nine innings.'' <br>
<br>
Coach George Greer of the Demon Deacons said jumping on the Midshipmen early was a big key. <br>
<br>
``I thought Jamie D'Antona got us off to a great start getting that hit in the first inning after Ryan Johnson got a big hit for us,'' Greer said. ``And then Tim Morley pitched a great game."
http://accesswdun.com/article/2002/6/194030
© Copyright 2015 AccessNorthGa.com
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.