North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Gets Back on Track Over UNCW, 5-2
2/27/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Grayson Evans and Daniel Hargrave got UNC Wilmington started with back-to-back singles in the top of the first, both advancing a bag on a sac-bunt from Jes Synder. But Wolfpack starter Jimmy Gillheeney fanned Jonathan Batts and got Steve Halford to ground out to short, exiting the inning without letting the Seahawks on the board.
It was the second time in as many innings that Gillheeney had pitched with runners on second and third with one out and refused to let the opposition score. He kept North Carolina A&T from crossing the plate during his final inning against them on Feb.21.
NC State pulled ahead with an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as Mike Roskopf drilled the bottom of the scoreboard in center field with a Hatcher pitch. The solo shot was Roskopf’s first of the season.
UNCW answered back in the top of the fourth as Batts walked and Halford singled to left-center. Mark Carver followed by launching a double that landed on the warning track in left-center, scoring Batts and pushing Halford to third.
Pond sent a one-out single thought the left side in the bottom of the fourth and moved to second as Roskopf drew a walk. When Caleb Mangum swung and missed the first strike of his at-bat, Pond was gunned down at third on a rope throw from Batts behind the plate. Mangum’s grounder to short went uncontested, and UNCW got out of the inning unscathed.
Rutter took over on the mound for the Wolfpack in the top of the sixth, marking his fourth appearance of the season, and quickly retired the Seahawks in order.
A throwing error by Synder at short allowed Corona to reach first as he led off NC State’s portion of the sixth. Corona advanced on a Synan grounder to first before Pond walked and Hatcher was relieved on the mound by Andrew Morgan.
Corona and Pond welcomed Morgan with a double steal on the basepaths, before Roskopf walked to load the bases with one out for Mangum. Cody Dickens then took the ball for the Seahawks and gave up a Baltimore chop single over third base, scoring Corona and Pond, and putting the Pack up 3-1.
UNCW shortened NC State’s lead in the top of the seventh as Evans collected a two-out walk, stole second, and then scored on a Hargrave double down the left-field line.
The Pack added two runs to its lead on a handful of Seahawk miscues in the bottom of the seventh. Gutierrez scored on a fielding error by Snyder at short and Pond reached first on a throwing error by Halford at third, allowing Corona to score.
NC State will return to action this weekend at the Keith LeClair Classic, which will be held Greenville, N.C. The Wolfpack will play Western Carolina on Friday at 1 p.m., East Carolina on Saturday at 3 p.m., and Pepperdine on Sunday at 11 a.m. Jeff Stallings will start for the Wolfpack on Friday, Andrew Brackman on Saturday, and Eric Surkamp on Sunday.
