NC State Baseball Trounces Delaware State, 17-8

Sunday, February 3

Raleigh, N.C.

12:30 PM ET

NC State

1-0

Delaware State

0-3

Delaware State

NC State

2/3/2002 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 3, 2002

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - Senior left fielder Brian Wright and junior shortstop Chad Orvella combined to go 6-for-8 with eight RBIs to lead NC State to a 17-8 victory over the Delaware State Hornets at Doak Field in the Wolfpack's season opener. Delaware State dropped to 0-3 with the loss.

Junior righthander Daniel Caldwell (1-0) picked up the victory for the Wolfpack, going five innings and allowing five Hornet runs. Caldwell struck out twoand walked two. Righthander Joe Brzezcek started and took the loss (0-1) for the Hornets, lasting only 4 1/3 innings while allowing 11 earned runs. He also surrendered 12 hits and a walk, while fanning one.

The Wolfpack struck first with an RBI groundout by first baseman David Hicks that scored third baseman Jeremy Dutton in the bottom of the first. Dutton reached on a single, stole second and advanced to third on Wright's long flyout to center.

The Hornets answered in the top half of the second with a long home run to center by left fielder Malkum King off Caldwell to even the score at 1-1.

The Wolfpack bounced back in its half of the frame to take the lead with a sacrifice fly to right by second baseman Adam Hargrave, scoring center fielder Joe Gaetti.

NC State extended its lead in the bottom half of the third with two runs off Brzeczek. The Pack tallied the runs on a home run to center field by Wright and a run-scoring single down the left-field line by designated hitter Mike Prochaska.

Caldwell ran into trouble in the top of the fourth when the Hornets posted a pair of runs. Third baseman Kevin Maloney drove in designated hitter Phil Sullinger on a single to pull the visitors within two. The lead was then sliced to one when second baseman Mike August doubled over the head of Gaetti in center field to score King.

Brzeczek got himself into trouble in the bottom half of the fourth when he hit Hargrave and Orvella with pitches to open the frame. The woes continued for Brzeczek when he threw wildly to first in an attempt to throw out Dutton on a bunt. Dutton raced around to third, while both runners scored on the play. Wright capped the frame with an RBI single to right to make the score 7-3.

Delaware State answered in the top of the fifth with a two-run home run by right fielder Scott Martin to chop the Wolfpack advantage to 7-5.

The Wolfpack chased Brzeczek in favor of Jimmy Conroy in the top of the fifth when they plated two runs on singles by Hargrave and Orvella. Conroy gave up a pair of runs when he hit Wright and threw a wild pitch with the bases loaded to score Hargrave and Orvella. Dutton scored the final run of the inning on a sacrifice fly by Hicks.

NC State continued the onslaugt in the bottom of the sixth inning when the Wolfpack posted another five spot, courtesy of three doubles. Orvella notched the first double to plate Prochaska. Wright then hammered his two-base hit to left-center with the bases loaded to score Gaetti, Orvella and Dutton. Hicks knocked in Wright with a double to make the score 17-5 NC State after six innings.

The Hornets notched two unearned runs in the top of the seventh off Wolfpack reliever Phillip Davidson when August singled to center, scoring first baseman Bret Underwood and Sullinger and a run in the eighth on Underwood's sacrifice fly to left.

The Wolfpack's next game is on Tuesday, February 12 against Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m. at Doak Field.