NC State Baseball Downs Villanova On Coffield Single

Tuesday, March 4

Wilson, N.C.

6:00 PM

NC State

7-4

Villanova

1-7

Villanova

NC State

NC State Baseball Downs Villanova On Coffield Single

3/4/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 4, 2003

Final Stats

WILSON, N.C. - Tim Coffield lined a two-out pinch-single to left field to drive in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning Tuesday night as NC State rallied to a 4-2 victory over Villanova at Fleming Stadium.

Coffield's single made a winner out of reliever Joey Devine (2-0), who allowed two hits in two innings of work. He struck out two and did not issue a walk. The two-out rally made a tough-luck loser of Wildcats starter Adrian Schau, who allowed four runs, two of them unearned, on five hits in 7-2/3 innings. Schau, a reliever his first two seasons at Villanova, walked one and struck out nine in his first collegiate start.

NC State won for the third game in a row to improve to 8-4 on the season. Villanova dropped to 1-7 with the loss.

The Wolfpack took the lead with an unearned run in the bottom of the first. Matt Camp led off and reached on an infield single, and went to second when Schau's throw skipped past first base for an error. With one down, Camp stole third, and scored on Justin Riley's sacrifice fly. Colt Morton led off the bottom of the second with a long home run to left field, his fifth of the season, to give the Wolfpack a 2-0 lead after two innings.

NC State starter Phillip Davidson was tough early for the Wolfpack, alowing one baserunner through the first three innings and facing the minimum through three innings. The Wildcats tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth, however. Chris Grazianno led off with a single up the middle and went to second on Danny Poydenis's sacrifice bunt. Schau singled to center to drive in Graziano and went to second base on the throw home. With two away, Freddie Thon doubled to right-center to drive in Schau with the second run of the inning.

Morton got the job done behind the plate as well as at the plate. He gunned down Poydenis attempting to steal in the top of the first inning, and saved the Wolfpack a run in the top of the seventh. Alan Day led off with a single to center, and Brian Trotta bunted him to second. Marshall Canosa walked to put runners on first and second, but Morton picked Day off of second base for the second out of the inning. That proved to be a huge out when Mark Cardillo lined a double into the gap in left-center. Canosa held at third on the play, and Graziano struck out to end the inning.

The Wolfpack dodged another bullet in the top of the eighth. Poydenis led off with a single, prompting Elliott Avent to bring Devine out of the bullpen. Schau greeted Devine with a single, but Brian Newbold struck out, and Devine got pinch-hitter Ryan Crammer to ground into a double play.

The Wolfpack finally mounted a rally in the bottom of the eighth. With two out and none on, Joe Gaetti was hit by a pitch. Justin Riley walked, and Coffield, pinch-hitting for first baseman David Hicks, lined a single into left-center field to drive in Gaetti with the go-ahead run. The Pack added an insurance run when Morton grounded to shortstop but was safe when Trotta's throw pulled first baseman Ryan Crammer off the bag for an error. Riley scored all the way from second base on the play.

NC State will return to action on Wednesday night at UNC Wilmington. Game time is 6 p.m. Live stats will be available on gopack.com.