North Carolina State University Athletics
Shearin Continues Streak As Wolfpack Tops 49ers, 6-2
4/4/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Raleigh, NC -- Right fielder Jamey Shearin continued his hitting streak to 10 games Wednesday evening as the NC State Wolfpack defeated the Charlotte 49ers 6-2 at Doak Field. NC State improves to 16-15 with the win, while the 49ers drop to 13-14.
Shearin collected three hits on the night, including his second homerun of the season in the second inning. First baseman David Hicks jumped in on the action with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate to go with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Ryan Combs (2-1) displayed a strong seven inning performance for NC State head coach Elliot Avent, allowing only two runs on four hits, while striking out seven. 49er starter Justin Brown went five innings, allowing just two earned runs on four hits and four stikeouts to drop to 0-2 on the season.
The meeting was the first between the the two schools since 1997 and the win moves the all-time series to 20-5 in favor of the Wolfpack.
Charlotte opened the scoring with an RBI groundout off Combs by second baseman George Sandel, plating third baseman Thomas Bowker who reached safely on a leadoff double.
NC State answered in the bottom of the second when Shearin connected on the homerun to tie the score at one. The Wolfpack would soon forge ahead later in the inning on a single by second baseman Eric Mosley to score first baseman Hicks. The Wolfpack tacked on an additional run in the frame when shortstop Jeremy Dutton knocked in Mosley from first on shortstop Brad Lamm's throwing error to first.
The 49ers sliced the NC State lead to one in the top of the fifth when UNC Charlotte perfectly executed a double steal, sending Lamm to second and Sandel to the plate just ahead of Wolfpack catcher Sammy Esposito's tag.
NC State broke the game open in the bottom of the 8th when Hicks sent a rocket through the drawn-in infield to right field to score left fielder Brian Wright and Shearin to make the score 5-2. The Wolfpack added an insurance run later as Hicks raced home on Lamm's bobble of pinch-hitter Matt Butler's ground ball.
Corey Mattison pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Combs to secure the victory.
NC State will now turn its attention to a 7:00 game with UNC Greensboro at Doak Field on Friday.
