North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Slips Past Clemson, 5-4
3/21/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
CLEMSON, S.C. A good baseball game should keep the fans on the edge of their seats until the last out. NC State’s 5-4 victory over Clemson on Friday night at Kingsmore Stadium did all of that and more, keeping the crowd of 4,560 in suspense all the way until Ryan Pond outraced Kyle Parker to the first-base bag to record the game’s final out with the potential tying run in scoring position and the go-ahead run heading for second base.
The Wolfpack, which improved to 13-5 overall and 4-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, pushed the winning run home when Clemson left fielder Jeff Schaus caught Nick Stanley’s fly ball in foul territory in the top of the eighth inning, allowing Matt Payne to score from third base on the sacrifice fly. The ball was foul only by a matter of a foot or so, leaving Schaus little choice but to make the catch and not chance letting the ball drop fair. Payne’s run made a winner of Joey Cutler (4-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Clemson reliever Casey Harman (0-2), who came in to finish the sixth inning, gave up the single to Payne and was charged with the loss after allowing the one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. The loss dropped the Tigers to 12-7 overall and a shocking 2-5 in the ACC.
NC State took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Tommy Foschi led off with a double to left, took third on a groundout and scored on Marcus Jones’s double to right. Jones came around to score on Payne’s single through the left side of the infield.
Starting pitcher Eric Surkamp made the 2-0 lead hold up until the bottom of the fifth, when Ben Paulsen and Parker belted back-to-back home runs. Paulsen’s was a three-run shot, and the Tigers led 4-2 heading into the sixth.
Ryan Hinson, who started for Clemson, was strong through five innings. Aside from the two-run third, he allowed just two other hits before hitting the wall and flaming out in the sixth. Payne led off with a screaming triple over the head of right fielder Alex Lee. Tigers catcher Doug Hogan caught Payne napping too far off third base, however, and picked him off for the first out of the inning. Pond and Russell Wilson followed with back-to-back solo home runs to tie the game at 4-4. Wilson’s homer to left-center cleared the ACC Select camera stand next to the scoreboard and carried into the parking lot beyond the center-field fence.
Surkamp worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning, then turned the game over to the bullpen, which pitched three scoreless innings to close out the game, but not without some adventures and near-calamaties. Cutler walked Paulsen with one down in the seventh, and Parker followed with a drive to the alley in right-center. Paulsen clearly thought the ball would split the outfielders and roll to the wall, but Marcus Jones tracked the ball down and made a tremendous catch, then turned and doubled Paulsen off first base on a close play.
Alex Sogard walked Schaus to lead off the bottom of the eighth, then surrendered a single to John Nester. Mike Freeman grounded to second baseman Dallas Poulk, who went to tag Nester in the basepaths, then dropped the ball. Poulk recovered the ball but appeared to throw too late to retire Freeman at first base. Nester was called out for leaving the basepaths, however, and first-base umpire Tony Maners called Freeman out at first, prompting a brief protest from Clemson coach Jack Leggett.
Closer Jimmy Gillheeney came in to pitch the ninth for the Wolfpack, and Tigers leadoff hitter Stan Widmann greeted him with a sharply stroked double down the left-field line. Gillheeney recovered and struck out Wilson Boyd, but pitched around Doug Hogan, walking him on five pitches. Gillheeney struck out Paulsen looking at a changeup for the second out, but then was late covering the bag when Parker grounded to Pond at first base. Pond just beat Parker to the bag for the final out.
NC State and Clemson will resume their three-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and can be heard on the internet at gopack.com through Pack Pass.
The Wolfpack, which improved to 13-5 overall and 4-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference, pushed the winning run home when Clemson left fielder Jeff Schaus caught Nick Stanley’s fly ball in foul territory in the top of the eighth inning, allowing Matt Payne to score from third base on the sacrifice fly. The ball was foul only by a matter of a foot or so, leaving Schaus little choice but to make the catch and not chance letting the ball drop fair. Payne’s run made a winner of Joey Cutler (4-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
Clemson reliever Casey Harman (0-2), who came in to finish the sixth inning, gave up the single to Payne and was charged with the loss after allowing the one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. The loss dropped the Tigers to 12-7 overall and a shocking 2-5 in the ACC.
NC State took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Tommy Foschi led off with a double to left, took third on a groundout and scored on Marcus Jones’s double to right. Jones came around to score on Payne’s single through the left side of the infield.
Starting pitcher Eric Surkamp made the 2-0 lead hold up until the bottom of the fifth, when Ben Paulsen and Parker belted back-to-back home runs. Paulsen’s was a three-run shot, and the Tigers led 4-2 heading into the sixth.
Ryan Hinson, who started for Clemson, was strong through five innings. Aside from the two-run third, he allowed just two other hits before hitting the wall and flaming out in the sixth. Payne led off with a screaming triple over the head of right fielder Alex Lee. Tigers catcher Doug Hogan caught Payne napping too far off third base, however, and picked him off for the first out of the inning. Pond and Russell Wilson followed with back-to-back solo home runs to tie the game at 4-4. Wilson’s homer to left-center cleared the ACC Select camera stand next to the scoreboard and carried into the parking lot beyond the center-field fence.
Surkamp worked a 1-2-3 sixth inning, then turned the game over to the bullpen, which pitched three scoreless innings to close out the game, but not without some adventures and near-calamaties. Cutler walked Paulsen with one down in the seventh, and Parker followed with a drive to the alley in right-center. Paulsen clearly thought the ball would split the outfielders and roll to the wall, but Marcus Jones tracked the ball down and made a tremendous catch, then turned and doubled Paulsen off first base on a close play.
Alex Sogard walked Schaus to lead off the bottom of the eighth, then surrendered a single to John Nester. Mike Freeman grounded to second baseman Dallas Poulk, who went to tag Nester in the basepaths, then dropped the ball. Poulk recovered the ball but appeared to throw too late to retire Freeman at first base. Nester was called out for leaving the basepaths, however, and first-base umpire Tony Maners called Freeman out at first, prompting a brief protest from Clemson coach Jack Leggett.
Closer Jimmy Gillheeney came in to pitch the ninth for the Wolfpack, and Tigers leadoff hitter Stan Widmann greeted him with a sharply stroked double down the left-field line. Gillheeney recovered and struck out Wilson Boyd, but pitched around Doug Hogan, walking him on five pitches. Gillheeney struck out Paulsen looking at a changeup for the second out, but then was late covering the bag when Parker grounded to Pond at first base. Pond just beat Parker to the bag for the final out.
NC State and Clemson will resume their three-game series on Saturday at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and can be heard on the internet at gopack.com through Pack Pass.
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