North Carolina State University Athletics
Cartwright, Baseball Ground Eagles, 8-4
3/17/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. Devon Cartwright went 2-for-4 with a double, a sacrifice fly, three RBIs and two runs scored to push NC State past North Carolina Central 8-4 Tuesday night at Doak Field at Dail Park.
With the win, the Wolfpack improves to 10-8, while the Eagles fall to 3-7. Righthander Mike Russo (1-0) took the win after giving up four runs, only one earned, on three hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He also walked just one and struck out five. Jason Zinser added 3 2/3 innings of one-hit baseball and struck out seven to earn his first save of the season. Jeff Citero (1-2) was tagged with the loss for NCCU after allowing four hits and five runs, one earned, on 3 1/3 innings of work. He walked five and struck out three.
NC State jumped out to the early lead, scoring four unearned runs in the bottom of the first. NCCU center fielder Oliver Jenkins dropped a sure out that allowed Dallas Poulk to reach second base. Citero walked the next two batters to load the bases. Pat Ferguson scored Poulk on a groundout to first for the first run of the game. Harold Riggins hit a grounder to Citero, who threw home to nail Wilson at the plate. With runners on the corners and two outs, Cartwright singled to right and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Pratt Maynard and advancing Riggins to third. A wild pitch by Citero allowed Riggins to score, and Cartwright crossed the plate on a single to center by Bill Edwards.
After Russo retired the first 10 batters he faced, the Eagles managed to put something together in the fourth. Jenkins walked and advanced to second after a failed pickoff attempt by Russo resulted in an error. Russo threw away Edward Pegues’s comebacker to the mound for another error, allowing Pegues to reach safely and Jenkins to score.
Wade Moore led off the Wolfpack fourth with a walk, advanced to third on a single through the left side by Brian Bello, and scored on a single through the right side by Wilson to make it 5-1.
Riggins got the offense going again in the fifth with a leadoff single to short. Cartwright doubled to left-center, scoring Riggins and then advanced to third on an error by shortstop Anthony Wilson. A sacrifice fly to right by Edwards drove in Cartwright and put NC State up 7-1.
The Eagles solved Russo in the sixth, ending his no-hitter off a Robert Grant single to left. Cedrick Coleman came in to pinch run for Grant and advanced to third on a single through the right side by Akeem Hood. A fielding error by Edwards allowed Jenkins to reach second while Hood took third and Coleman scored. Russo hit Kurt Wilson to load the bases, and Hood stole home on a passed ball that also put runners at second and third. Blake Murray singled through the left side to move Wilson to third and score Jenkins. Russo gave way to Jason Zinser, who sat down the next two batters to get out of the inning.
The Wolfpack extended its lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Maynard walked and moved to third on a single to right field by Ferguson. Maynard later scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Cartwright.
NC State will return to Doak Field at Dail Park on Wednesday to face Elon at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WKNC-FM (88.1) and on-line at gopack.com through the Pack Pass package.
With the win, the Wolfpack improves to 10-8, while the Eagles fall to 3-7. Righthander Mike Russo (1-0) took the win after giving up four runs, only one earned, on three hits in 5 1/3 innings of work. He also walked just one and struck out five. Jason Zinser added 3 2/3 innings of one-hit baseball and struck out seven to earn his first save of the season. Jeff Citero (1-2) was tagged with the loss for NCCU after allowing four hits and five runs, one earned, on 3 1/3 innings of work. He walked five and struck out three.
NC State jumped out to the early lead, scoring four unearned runs in the bottom of the first. NCCU center fielder Oliver Jenkins dropped a sure out that allowed Dallas Poulk to reach second base. Citero walked the next two batters to load the bases. Pat Ferguson scored Poulk on a groundout to first for the first run of the game. Harold Riggins hit a grounder to Citero, who threw home to nail Wilson at the plate. With runners on the corners and two outs, Cartwright singled to right and advanced to second on the throw, scoring Pratt Maynard and advancing Riggins to third. A wild pitch by Citero allowed Riggins to score, and Cartwright crossed the plate on a single to center by Bill Edwards.
After Russo retired the first 10 batters he faced, the Eagles managed to put something together in the fourth. Jenkins walked and advanced to second after a failed pickoff attempt by Russo resulted in an error. Russo threw away Edward Pegues’s comebacker to the mound for another error, allowing Pegues to reach safely and Jenkins to score.
Wade Moore led off the Wolfpack fourth with a walk, advanced to third on a single through the left side by Brian Bello, and scored on a single through the right side by Wilson to make it 5-1.
Riggins got the offense going again in the fifth with a leadoff single to short. Cartwright doubled to left-center, scoring Riggins and then advanced to third on an error by shortstop Anthony Wilson. A sacrifice fly to right by Edwards drove in Cartwright and put NC State up 7-1.
The Eagles solved Russo in the sixth, ending his no-hitter off a Robert Grant single to left. Cedrick Coleman came in to pinch run for Grant and advanced to third on a single through the right side by Akeem Hood. A fielding error by Edwards allowed Jenkins to reach second while Hood took third and Coleman scored. Russo hit Kurt Wilson to load the bases, and Hood stole home on a passed ball that also put runners at second and third. Blake Murray singled through the left side to move Wilson to third and score Jenkins. Russo gave way to Jason Zinser, who sat down the next two batters to get out of the inning.
The Wolfpack extended its lead to 8-4 in the bottom of the sixth. Maynard walked and moved to third on a single to right field by Ferguson. Maynard later scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Cartwright.
NC State will return to Doak Field at Dail Park on Wednesday to face Elon at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WKNC-FM (88.1) and on-line at gopack.com through the Pack Pass package.
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