North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Drops Opener to Rhode Island, 11-8
2/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. Oliver Palmer drove in the go-ahead runs with a seventh-inning single, and Dan Rhault homered twice and drove in five runs to lift Rhode Island to an 11-8 victory over host NC State in first-round action at the Summit Hospitality Invitational. The game was the season-opener for both teams.
The Rams fell behind 5-0 to Wolfpack starter Jake Buchanan, but scored twice in the fourth, twice in the sixth and five times in the eighth to put the game away. The Wolfpack jumped to a 2-0 lead on Pratt Maynard’s two-run single in the bottom of the first, scored an unearned run in the second on a two-base error by Rhault at shortstop and Dallas Poulk’s double to left, then made 5-0 on Chris Schaeffer’s two-run homer in the third.
Buchanan, who pitched five strong innings for the Wolfpack, set down the first 10 Rhode Island batters of the game before allowing a one-out single to Oliver Palmer and a two-run home run to Rhault. Kyle Wilson’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth pushed the lead to 6-2.
Buchanan, who allowed just the two runs on four hits, gave way to reliever Kyle Rutter to start the sixth inning. Rhault greeted Rutter with his second two-run homer of the game to cut the lead to 6-4. Drew Martin singled in a run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-4, but Mike LeBel and Burns drove in a run apiece in the top of the seventh to make it a one-run game again at 7-6.
That set up the Rhode Island eighth. Burns tied it at 7-7 with a bases-loaded walk, and Palmer singled to left to drive in a pair and give the Rams the lead at 10-9. Rhault picked up his fifth RBI of the game with a single to right, and Palmer capped the inning by scoring on a wild pitch. NC State added a run in the bottom of the eighth on Kyle Wilson’s two-out single through the right side.
Reliever Luke Demko, who pitched out of a jam for Rhode Island in the bottom of the seventh, got the win for the Rams after working 2 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out seven. Freshman righthander Cory Mazzoni was charged with the loss for NC State.
The Wolfpack will face Xavier on Saturday in day two of the Summit Hospitality Invitational. Game time is set for 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and on Pack Pass on gopack.com.
The Rams fell behind 5-0 to Wolfpack starter Jake Buchanan, but scored twice in the fourth, twice in the sixth and five times in the eighth to put the game away. The Wolfpack jumped to a 2-0 lead on Pratt Maynard’s two-run single in the bottom of the first, scored an unearned run in the second on a two-base error by Rhault at shortstop and Dallas Poulk’s double to left, then made 5-0 on Chris Schaeffer’s two-run homer in the third.
Buchanan, who pitched five strong innings for the Wolfpack, set down the first 10 Rhode Island batters of the game before allowing a one-out single to Oliver Palmer and a two-run home run to Rhault. Kyle Wilson’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fourth pushed the lead to 6-2.
Buchanan, who allowed just the two runs on four hits, gave way to reliever Kyle Rutter to start the sixth inning. Rhault greeted Rutter with his second two-run homer of the game to cut the lead to 6-4. Drew Martin singled in a run in the bottom of the sixth to make it 7-4, but Mike LeBel and Burns drove in a run apiece in the top of the seventh to make it a one-run game again at 7-6.
That set up the Rhode Island eighth. Burns tied it at 7-7 with a bases-loaded walk, and Palmer singled to left to drive in a pair and give the Rams the lead at 10-9. Rhault picked up his fifth RBI of the game with a single to right, and Palmer capped the inning by scoring on a wild pitch. NC State added a run in the bottom of the eighth on Kyle Wilson’s two-out single through the right side.
Reliever Luke Demko, who pitched out of a jam for Rhode Island in the bottom of the seventh, got the win for the Rams after working 2 1/3 innings and allowed one run on two hits. He walked three and struck out seven. Freshman righthander Cory Mazzoni was charged with the loss for NC State.
The Wolfpack will face Xavier on Saturday in day two of the Summit Hospitality Invitational. Game time is set for 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and on Pack Pass on gopack.com.
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