UNCW Shuts Out NC State Baseball, 1-0

Tuesday, March 23

Wilmington, N.C.

7:00 PM

NC State

15-7

UNC Wilmington

12-9

NC State

UNC Wilmington

3/23/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 23, 2004

Final Stats

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Chip Grawey narrowly beat out a two-out infield single in the bottom of the seventh, allowing the only run of the game to score from second base, as UNC Wilmington defeated NC State 1-0 Tuesday at Brooks Field. The loss was the Wolfpack's third in a row and its fourth in the last five games, dropping the Pack to 15-7 on the season. UNCW improved to 12-9 with the victory.

Seahawks starter Zach Kimball (1-2) got the win with 7 1/3 innings of sterling pitching. He allowed two hits, walked three and struck out six. Reliever Blake Cross earned his sixth save of the season by pitching 1 2/3 innings, allowing one hit. He walked two and struck out two. NC State reliever Nate Cretarolo (2-1) was the tough-luck loser. He pitched 1 2/3 innings in relief of starter Phillip Davidson and allowed the one disputed run on two hits. He walked none and struck out two.

Davidson and Kimball were tremendous. Davidson allowed just four hits in five scoreless innings. He walked one and struck out six. He stranded runners in each of the first three innings before setting the Seahawks down in order in the fourth and allowing a harmless two-out double in the fifth.

But with runs at a premium, the Wolfpack squandered two big scoring opportunities in the middle innings, wasted another chance in the eighth, and then couldn't punch the tying run across despite loading the bases in the ninth. Conor Clougherty led off the top of the fifth with a walk, and was safe at second when Kimball threw wide of the bag on Ryan Johnson's sacrifice attempt. Jake Muyco bunted the runners to second and third, but Seahawks catcher Neal Eicchorn picked Clougherty off third base for the second out, and then nailed Johnson attempting to steal third for the final out of the inning.

Marc Maynor led off the top of the sixth with a single up the middle and went to second on Jonathan Diaz's sacrifice bunt. Matt Camp grounded to first to move Maynor to third with two outs, but Kimball struck out Tim Holt looking to end the inning.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Cretarolo hit Matt Poulk with a pitch, and Tim Preston singled up the middle. Pinch-hitter Jon Davis struck out, but Chip Grawey hit a sharp grounder to David Hicks at first base. Grawey beat Cretarolo to the bag on a very close, disputed play.

The Wolfpack's frustration mounted in the top of the eighth when another scoring opportunity went by the boards. Johnson led off and walked, and with one away, Maynor walked to put runners on first and second. Dustin Knight came up as a pinch-hitter for Diaz, and the Seahawks made a pitching change, bringing in Cross, who promptly picked Johnson off second base for the second out of the inning. Knight's soft line drive was right at second baseman Jonathan Batts to end the inning.

Matt Camp led off the ninth with an opposite-field single through the left side of the infield and went to second on a wild pitch. Cross struck out pinch-hitter Lee Mezistrano on a close pitch, and got Jason St. Julien on a fly ball to left field. But Cross intentionally walked David Hicks, and then walked pinch-hitter Bryan Kinneberg. Cross caught Johnson looking for the final out.

The Wolfpack will return to action this weekend with a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series with Virginia at Doak Field. Game times will be 7 p.m. on Friday, and 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The games will be broadcast on WKNC-FM (88.1), and live stats will be available on gopack.com via the Gametracker.