NC State Trumps Top-Ranked Georgia Tech 8-1

Friday, March 17

Raleigh, N.C.

3:00 PM

NC State

20-4, 0

Georgia Tech

17-2, 0

Georgia Tech

NC State

3/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

March 17, 2006

Final Stats

RALEIGH, N.C. - Ramon Corona led NC State's 12-hit attack with three hits and two RBIs, and four Wolfpack pitchers combined to throw a four-hitter at No. 1-ranked Georgia Tech and the Pack defeated the Jackets 8-1 in the first game of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference baseball series at Doak Field at Dail Park.

The Wolfpack improved to 20-4 overall and a perfect 4-0 in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets dropped to 17-2 and 2-2. Sophomore lefthander Chris Engle (1-0), the second of NC State's four pitchers, got the win after working 2 1/3 shutout innings. He allowed one hit, walked two and struck out two. Georgia Tech starter Blake Wood (5-1) got his first loss in 13 starts, allowing five runs, two of them earned, on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four and did not record a strikeout.

In addition to Corona, Aaron Bates had a pair of hits and drove in a run, and Brian Aragon went 2-for-3 and had two RBIs. Caleb Mangum homered and doubled in five at-bats.

The Wolfpack put two unearned runs on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Corona reached on a one-out error on first baseman Whit Robbins, and Bates walked. Aragon stroked a double the opposite way down the left-field line to drive in Corona, and Ryan Pond's grounder to shortstop scored Bates with the second run.

Jonathan Diaz singled to right field with one out in the bottom of the second and went to second when right fielder Jeff Kindel booted the ball for an error. Matt Camp grounded to shortstop to move Diaz to third, and Corona's single to right drove the run in to make it 3-0 after two.

Camp got the rally started in the bottom of the fourth with a one-out infield single. Corona beat out a bunt for a single, and Camp went all the way to third on the play when catcher Andy Hawranick's throw got past first base for an error. Bates singled to left to drive in Camp, and Corona scored from second when Aragon's infield single deflected off Robbins' glove as he made a diving stab at the ball.

Tech finally got to Wolfpack starter Eryk McConnell in the top of the fifth. Michael Fisher drew a one-out walk and Danny Payne singled to center field. Wes Hodges walked to load the bases. Engle came in to relieve McConnell to pitch and got Kindel to ground out to first base. Fisher scored on the play to cut the lead to 5-1, but Engle pulled the string on a 2-2 changeup to get Wieters swinging and end the inning. McConnell worked 4 1/ 3 innings and allowed one run on three hits. He walked four and struck out six.

Mangum got that run back with a leadoff home run to left in the bottom half of the inning, and the Wolfpack tacked on two more before the inning was over. Camp drew a one-out walk and went to second on a wild pitch. Corona singled to center to drive in Camp and make it 7-1. Bates singled up the middle to put runners on the corners, still with one down. Ryan Turner came out of the bullpen for Georgia Tech, and Aragon attempted to squeeze home a run. Turner made the tag at the plate for the out, but then hit Ryan Pond with a pitch to load the bases and walked Jon Still to force in a run and make it 8-1.

NC State and Georgia Tech will play the second game of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and online at gopack.com.