NC State Shuts Out East Carolina 3-0

Wednesday, April 20

Greenville, N.C.

7:00 PM

NC State

28-11

East Carolina

21-15

NC State

East Carolina

Jason Duncan ran his consecutive-scoreless-innings streak to 15 on Wednesday and combined with Andrew Brackman and Joey Devine on a two-hit shutout to beat East Carolina 3-0.

4/20/2005 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

April 20, 2005

Final Stats

GREENVILLE, N.C. - Andrew Brackman's first college start was a gem, and NC State provided just enough offense as Brackman and two relievers combined on a two-hit shutout Wednesday night as the Wolfpack defeated East Carolina 3-0 at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The shutout was the fourth by Wolfpack pitchers in the last 12 games.

The win, NC State's sixth in the last seven games and its 12th in the last 15 games, lifted the Pack to 28-11. East Carolina lost for the second time in as many nights to drop to 21-15.

Brackman (1-0) was surprisingly effective for just his third college appearance. He worked six innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out six. Joey Devine worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning, striking out all three men he faced, to record his ninth save of the season. ECU starter Ricky Brooks (3-3) allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked two and struck out two.

Wolfpack shortstop Jonathan Diaz was the only player for either team to collect more than one base hit. Diaz had a pair of singles in three at-bats and drove in a run. Ramon Corona hit the game's only home run, a solo shot in the top of the seventh.

Aaron Bates got the Wolfpack started in the top of the fourth by drawing a walk. Aaron Cone reached on an error by second baseman Brett Lindgren, with Bates taking third on the play. Brian Aragon doubled into the gap in right-center to score Bates and put runners on second and third with none out. Matt Devine grounded out for the first out, with both runners holding. Lefthander Scott Andrews came out of the bullpen to face the lefthanded-hitting Bryan Kinneberg, who worked Andrews for a walk to load the bases with one out. Diaz singled up the middle to drive in one run, but Kinneberg was tagged out at third for the final out of the inning before Aragon could score from second, leaving the Wolfpack with a 2-0 lead. Corona made it 3-0 with a leadoff homer to left field in the top of the seventh.

That was plenty of offensive support for Brackman, who finished strong by retiring eight of the last nine men he faced. Brackman struck out the side in the second inning, one of just two times he set the Pirates down in order. He allowed more than one baserunner in an inning just once, in the fourth, and he stranded five runners, two of them in scoring position.

Brackman left after the sixth inning having thrown 89 pitches, and the Wolfpack bullpen took over from there. Lefthander Jason Duncan pitched the seventh and eighth innings, retiring all six men he faced. Duncan ran his string of consecutive scoreless innings to 15. He now has retired the last 15 men he has faced covering his last three appearances. In his last 8 1/3 innings, he has allowed no runs on two hits, walked one and struck out 14.

Devine has now recorded saves in each of his last four appearances and is a perfect 9-for-9 in save situations this season. Devine has walked three and struck out 46 in 31 1/3 innings this season. He has faced 64 consecutive hitters over the last 17 innings without issuing a walk.

The Wolfpack will return to Atlantic Coast Conference action this weekend with a three-game series against Clemson at Doak Field. Game times are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 1 p.m. on Sunday. All three games will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and will be available on the internet on gopack.com through Yahoo's subscription service. The Saturday game will be telecast on cable affiliate CSET.

Prior to the Saturday game against Clemson, NC State officials will formally dedicate the renovated Doak Field.