HOME OPENERS -- Wake Forest slipped past Charlotte, 4-3, in 10 innings on Tuesday. The Demon Deacons have won their home opener 19 of the past 20 years.

ON THESE DATES IN DEACON HISTORY --
February 24 -- Former All-American Danny Borrell hit for the cycle on this date against Davidson in 2000. The Deacons also set a school record for runs with 30 the same game.

February 25 -- Wake Forest and Northwestern played arguably the wildest game in Demon Deacon history in 1996. The Wildcats out-slugged the Deacs, 24-21, as the two teams combined for 45 runs -- the most in WFU baseball history.

February 26 -- Former All-American and current Colorado Rockie Cory Sullivan went 4-for-5 with an RBI and two stolen bases as the Deacons defeated Virginia Tech, 11-7, in 2000.

OPENING WEEKENDS -- Wake Forest has now dropped three consecutive season openers. The Deacons lost to Rice to open 2004, Winthrop in 2005 and now Charlotte... dating back to the 1958 season (the last 50 years), Wake Forest is 30-20 on opening day... the Demon Deacons are 0-2 all-time under Rick Rembielak on opening day and Rembielak is 6-7 all-time in his career.

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW -- Wake Forest freshman Dustin Hood had quite a debut for the Demon Deacons against Charlotte last weekend. The shortstop had seven hits in the twin bill, including five in the nightcap. Hood, who went 5-for-5 with an RBI double and two runs scored, became the first Deacon rookie to record five hits in a single game since Bill Merrifield went 5-for-8 against Georgia Tech on April 4, 1981.

YOUTH SERVING THE DEACONS WELL -- Wake Forest started three true freshman in its season opener against Charlotte on Feb. 12 -- first basemen Allan Dykstra, left fielder Evan Ocheltree and shortstop Dustin Hood. The Deacons also used a pair of rookies out of the bullpen as well in southpaw Garrett Bullock and right-hander Brad Kledzik.

IN THE BOOKS -- Wake Forest had a number of players that recorded firsts this past weekend at Charlotte. In addition to the Demon Deacon debuts of five true freshman and two transfers (So., Ben Hunter, So., Austin Jones and R-So., Eric Williams), Allan Dykstra, Dustin Hood, Jones and Williams each picked up their first career hits. Dykstra, Hood and Williams also had RBIs. Hunter, who made 13 starts last season for Furman, registered his first career save, while junior Brian Shust smacked his first career home run.

NATIONAL FLAVOR -- As is usually the case, the Demon Deacon baseball roster is made up from players across the United States. This year, however, it's even more apparent as 30 of the 32 players on the roster are from outside the state of North Carolina. In fact, 15 different states, including North Carolina, are represented. The only North Carolinians on the team are pitchers Kip Byrum (Sr., Greenville, N.C.) and Garrett Bullock (Fr., Greenville, N.C.) -- both of whom attended J.H. Rose HS.

ANTONELLI NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN -- Wake Forest junior third basemen Matt Antonelli was named second team Preseason All-American by Baseball America. Antonelli, who has already been named to the Wallace Award Watch List, is the first Demon Deacon to garner Preseason All-American status since 2003.

A native of Peabody, Mass., Antonelli led Wake Forest in batting average (.332), walks (57), on-base percentage (.475) and runs scored (68) in 2005. The 57 walks set a new single-season school record surpassing the previous mark of 55 held by Billy Masse (1988). Antonelli also tied Dave Lardieri for 10th all-time in single-season school history for runs scored. He was second on the squad in hits (77) and doubles (22).

DEMON DEACONS RETURN FIVE STARTERS -- Wake Forest returns five position starters from last year's team. Junior Matt Antonelli started all 58 games at third base, and led the team in four offensive categories. The Deacons return the sophomore starting tandem of second basemen Andy Goff and left-fielder Brett Linnenkohl. Goff (.197 BA, 2 HRs, 32 RBI) started 57 games last season, while Linnenkohl (.253 BA, 4 HRs, 44 RBI) was one of only four players to start all 58 games last year. Senior outfielder Casey Sterk is another returning position starter for the Deacons in 2006. Sterk, who played in 56 games and started 53, batted .250 with a home run and 24 RBI. The final returning starter is redshirt junior designated hitter Brendan Enick. Enick (.311 BA, 5 HRs, 45 RBI) had a breakthrough season in 2005 after just three career at-bats over his first two seasons.

ARM(ED) SERVICES -- Wake Forest returns seven pitchers that recorded 40 or more IP last season, including five hurlers with 50 or more IP. That does not include redshirt senior Justin Keadle. Keadle, who missed all of 2005 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, led the Deacons with 88.1 innings pitched in 2004.

Keadle and a pair of junior RHPs, Josh Ellis and Charlie Mellies, anchor the starting rotation. Ellis, last year's No. 1 starter, went 6-4 and led the squad in wins, starts (14) and innings pitched (86.1). He tossed at least 6.0 innings in nine of his 14 starts and worked into the seventh inning five times. Mellies went just 3-5, but posted a respectable 4.17 earned run average and closed his season at the top of his game. He hurled back-to-back complete games against Clemson (May 15) and Duke (May 24). He pitched in 18 games, made 10 starts, and led the staff with two complete games.

Wake Forest also returns senior Kyle Young (4-1, 3.06 ERA, 53.0 IP), sophomore Eric Niesen (5-2, 7.43 ERA, 49.3 IP), sophomore Matt Hammond (3-6, 10.69, 51.1 IP) and senior Kip Byrum (3-2, 7.52 ERA, 52.2 IP) -- all of whom will get most of their work out of the bullpen. Young served as the club's closer in 2005 and led the staff in ERA and saves (6).

DEACONS PICKED TO FINISH EIGHTH BY ACC COACHES -- Wake Forest was picked to finish eighth in the 2006 ACC preseason baseball poll, as determined by a vote of the league's 12 head coaches. The Demon Deacons received a total of 59 points.

    School              Points	2005 Record
1.  Clemson (8)         139	43-23, 21-9
2.  Georgia Tech (2)    128	45-19, 22-8
3.  North Carolina (2)  126	41-19-1, 17-10-1
4.  Florida State	107	53-20, 19-11
5.  Miami	         95	41-19-1, 19-10-1
6.  NC State	         86	41-19, 17-13
7.  Virginia	         72	41-20, 14-14
8.  Wake Forest	         59	28-30, 12-18
9.  Boston College	 41	37-20, 17-8 Big East
10. Maryland	         38	25-31, 7-23
11. Virginia Tech	 30	23-28, 7-19
12. Duke	         15	14-39, 5-25

ANTONELLI, DYKSTRA NAMED TO FAB 50 -- Wake Forest junior Matt Antonelli was named to Baseball America's Fab 50: Juniors. Antonelli, a third basemen, was listed as the No. 27 junior prospect in the country. Allan Dykstra was named to the same list for freshman. Dykstra was rated as the No. 41 freshman in the country.

WAKE FOREST SCHEDULE LOADED -- The Demon Deacons will be up against another extremely difficult schedule as Wake Forest has four of Baseball America's Preseason Top 10 teams, including 2005 NCAA runner-up Florida. The Deacs will not only face two other opponents among the top 25, but challenge other NCAA Regional qualifiers' like Coastal Carolina, Miami (Fla.), Ohio State, Quinnipiac and Virginia. In all, 25 of Wake's 56 regular season games will come against teams either ranked in the top 25 or NCAA Tournament participants.

TRI-CAPTAINS -- Seniors Justin Keadle and Grant Achilles, as well as junior Charlie Mellies, have been chosen as team tri-captains for the 2006 season.

DEACONS IN THE MAJORS -- During the history of Wake Forest baseball, a total of 32 former players have made it to the majors. The 2005 season proved to be a tremendous year for Wake Forest as four former Deacons played at least one game in the major leagues (Dave Bush, Kevin Jarvis, Mike MacDougal and Cory Sullivan).

FRIDAY STARTER -- #16 Fr., LHP Garrett Bullock (0-0, 8.10 ERA)
Bullock will make his first career start for the Deacons... picked up the save in the Friday night victory over UNC Wilmington last weekend... entered the game with a two-run lead and the tying runs in scoring position, but struck out the only batter he faced to end the game.

BULLOCK'S LAST...
Victory: --
Complete Game: Has never thrown a complete game
Shutout: Has never thrown a shutout
Fanning 3 Batters In Inning: --
Fanning 2 Batters In Inning: last time 2.18.06 at UNC Wilmington (8th)

CAREER BESTS...
Low-Hit Complete Game: Has never thrown a complete game
Most Strikeouts: 2 at UNC Wilmington on 2.18.06
Longest Winning Streak: --

VS. THE BUCKEYES...
Career: Never appeared against Ohio State
2005: --

DATE	SITE	RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Year	ERA	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
2006	8.10	0-0	3	0	0	0	3.1	6	5	3	2	3
TOTAL	8.10	0-0	3	0	0	0	3.1	6	5	3	2	3

SATURDAY STARTER -- #21 R-Sr., RHP Justin Keadle (0-1, 15.00 ERA in 2004)
Keadle made his first start since May 25, 2004 against UNC Wilmington last Sunday... struggled with control walking four... Seahawks loaded the bases with no outs in the first, but Keadle retired the next nine of 10 before running into problems in the fourth inning... after All-Star appearance on the Cape in the summer of 2004, missed all of 2005 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.

KEADLE'S LAST...
Victory: 4.23.04 vs. Maryland (21-16)... number of starts since then -- 4
Complete Game: 4.16.04 at NC State (W, 4-1)
Shutout: Has never thrown a shutout
Fanning 3 Batters In Inning: last time 2.19.06 at UNC Wilmington (2nd)
Fanning 2 Batters In Inning: last time 5.20.04 vs. Florida State (6th)

CAREER BESTS...
Low-Hit Complete Game: five-hitter, at NC State on 4.16.04
Most Strikeouts: 10, at NC State on 4.16.04
Longest Winning Streak: 2 games, 4.16.04 to 5.20.04

VS. THE TIGERS...
Career: 0-0, 5.14 ERA in 1 start (4 ER/7.0 IP), 4 SO, 1 BB
2005: --

DATE	SITE	        RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
3.12.04	Millington, TN	ND	7.0	10	4	4	1	4
Year	ERA	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
2004	6.22	2-5	13	13	2	0	88.1	108	66	61	29	66
2006	15.00	0-1	1	1	0	0	3.0	4	5	5	4	3
TOTAL	6.50	2-6	14	14	2	0	91.1	112	71	66	33	69

MELLIES' LAST...
Victory: 2.12.06 at Charlotte (9-8)... number of starts since then -- 1
Complete Game: 5.24.05 vs. Duke (ACC Tournament) (W, 10-1)
Shutout: Has never thrown a shutout
Fanning 3 Batters In Inning: last time 2.18.06 at UNC Wilmington (2nd)
Fanning 2 Batters In Inning: last time 2.18.06 at UNC Wilmington (3rd)

CAREER BESTS...
Low-Hit Complete Game: four-hitter, vs. Duke (ACC Tournament) on 5.24.05
Most Strikeouts: 7 at UNC Wilmington on 2.18.06
Longest Winning Streak: 2 games, on two separate occasions

VS. THE GATORS...
Career: Never appeared against Florida
2005: --

DATE	SITE	RESULT	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
Year	ERA	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
2004	5.89	3-3	23	0	0	0	36.2	44	28	24	18	28
2005	4.17	3-5	18	10	2	0	82.0	101	53	38	21	43
2006	5.40	1-0	2	2	0	0	10.0	16	10	6	3	12
TOTAL	4.76	7-8	43	12	2	0	128.2	161	91	68	42	83