North Carolina State University Athletics
Four Homers Leads Baseball over Aggies 17-6
5/13/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. Pat Ferguson, Matt Payne, Marcus Jones and Dallas Poulk each homered and drove in a combined 13 runs to pace No. 18 NC State to a 17-6 victory over North Carolina A&T Tuesday afternoon in the home finale at Doak Field at Dail Park.
NC State improves to 36-16 on the season, while North Carolina A&T drops below the .500 mark at 27-28.
Ferguson led the hit parade with a 2-for-3 afternoon with three runs scored and a season-best five RBI. Tommi Foschi went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Payne, Jones and Ryan Pond each had two hits apiece for the Wolfpack.
For about half the game the outcome was certainly in doubt as the Aggies grabbed an early lead.
A&T jumped on NC State starter Jeff Stallings in the first with a pair of runs on a single through the right side by Nick Rogers.
C.J. Beatty greeted reliever Erik McConnell with an RBI double to left center and it was 3-0 Aggies in the third inning. It appeared McConnell was going to limit the damage in his only inning of work by getting two outs after the Beatty double, but he walked Nelson Santos and catcher Neil Rosser promptly plated two more with another double to left center for a 5-0 lead for the visitors.
The Wolfpack’s attempt at a comeback hit a snag in the fourth and momentarily in the fifth inning by grounding into a pair of double plays. However in the fifth, the Pack took advantage of two more walks to keep its rally going. In the process it chased A&T starter Donald Howerton from the game.
Reliever Chris Eggers (5-6) came in and gave up what seemed to be an innocent infield single to Pond, but on the play shortstop Nick Mayo threw the ball into right field attempting to get the force out at second, which allowed the Pack to get on the scoreboard.
Payne followed with a two-run single to right and the Pack was back in it, down 5-3. The two-out magic continued when Jones squared things up 5-all with his seventh big fly of the season, a line drove, opposite field shot to right field.
Two more walks by Eggers brought in lefty Tim Johnson to face Ferguson and he responded with a three-run blast to right for his team-best ninth homer of the year and an 8-5 Wolfpack advantage.
The eight runs in the fifth tied for the most runs scored in a single inning this year. The Pack also pushed across eight runs in the third inning of an 18-6 win over Wake Forest in the second game of a doubleheader back on April 6.
Drew Taylor (3-2) picked up the win with three scoreless relief innings. He scattered four hits and struck out two.
NC State blew it open with seven more runs in the eighth. Payne crushed a lead off shot just left of the scoreboard and the Pack was well on its way. Poulk later smashed a three-run shot in the inning.
NC State wraps up the regular season beginning this Thursday with a three-game set at third-ranked Florida State. All three games are slated for a 7 pm. The entire series will be televised on the Sun Sports Network, will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and will be available on-line on gopack.com through Pack Pass.
NC State improves to 36-16 on the season, while North Carolina A&T drops below the .500 mark at 27-28.
Ferguson led the hit parade with a 2-for-3 afternoon with three runs scored and a season-best five RBI. Tommi Foschi went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI, while Payne, Jones and Ryan Pond each had two hits apiece for the Wolfpack.
For about half the game the outcome was certainly in doubt as the Aggies grabbed an early lead.
A&T jumped on NC State starter Jeff Stallings in the first with a pair of runs on a single through the right side by Nick Rogers.
C.J. Beatty greeted reliever Erik McConnell with an RBI double to left center and it was 3-0 Aggies in the third inning. It appeared McConnell was going to limit the damage in his only inning of work by getting two outs after the Beatty double, but he walked Nelson Santos and catcher Neil Rosser promptly plated two more with another double to left center for a 5-0 lead for the visitors.
The Wolfpack’s attempt at a comeback hit a snag in the fourth and momentarily in the fifth inning by grounding into a pair of double plays. However in the fifth, the Pack took advantage of two more walks to keep its rally going. In the process it chased A&T starter Donald Howerton from the game.
Reliever Chris Eggers (5-6) came in and gave up what seemed to be an innocent infield single to Pond, but on the play shortstop Nick Mayo threw the ball into right field attempting to get the force out at second, which allowed the Pack to get on the scoreboard.
Payne followed with a two-run single to right and the Pack was back in it, down 5-3. The two-out magic continued when Jones squared things up 5-all with his seventh big fly of the season, a line drove, opposite field shot to right field.
Two more walks by Eggers brought in lefty Tim Johnson to face Ferguson and he responded with a three-run blast to right for his team-best ninth homer of the year and an 8-5 Wolfpack advantage.
The eight runs in the fifth tied for the most runs scored in a single inning this year. The Pack also pushed across eight runs in the third inning of an 18-6 win over Wake Forest in the second game of a doubleheader back on April 6.
Drew Taylor (3-2) picked up the win with three scoreless relief innings. He scattered four hits and struck out two.
NC State blew it open with seven more runs in the eighth. Payne crushed a lead off shot just left of the scoreboard and the Pack was well on its way. Poulk later smashed a three-run shot in the inning.
NC State wraps up the regular season beginning this Thursday with a three-game set at third-ranked Florida State. All three games are slated for a 7 pm. The entire series will be televised on the Sun Sports Network, will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and will be available on-line on gopack.com through Pack Pass.
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