North Carolina State University Athletics
Richmond's Smith Shuts Down NC State Baseball, 5-1
3/7/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. (March 7) -- Senior righthander Mike Smith tossed a six-hitter and third baseman Matt Craig had three hits and three RBIs to lead Richmond to a 5-1 college baseball victory over NC State at Doak Field.
Smith, who improved to 4-1 with the win, tossed a complete game, allowing just one run, walking none and striking out six. He retired 18 of the last 20 men he faced. NC State lefthander Dan D'Amato pitched well, but was tagged with the tough-luck loss and dropped to 2-2 after allowing just one unearned run on five hits. D'Amato worked 5 2/3 innings, walked one and struck out three.
The Spiders scored the unearned run off of D'Amato in the top of the fourth when Craig led off with a single, went to third on Rich Smith's two-out single, and scored on an errant pickoff throw. Craig drove in an insurance run with an RBI single in the top of the seventh.
NC State scored its run in the bottom of the seventh when Andy Baxter led off with a single, went to second on Dan Mooney's double down the left-field line and scored on Eric Mosley's grounder to the right side.
Richmond put the game away with three runs in the top of the ninth, and Craig was right in the middle of the rally once again. With one out, Phipps was hit by a pitch and went to second on a single by David Reaver. Craig tripled to the right-center-field gap to drive in both runners, and Ryon Haness followed with a double to send Craig home and give the Spiders a 5-1 lead.
