North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Keeps Rolling, Downs JMU 6-2
2/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
CONWAY, S.C. — NC State made the most fo its eight hits, got solid pitching from four different hurlers, and slammed the door in the ninth when Friday’s offensive hero, Russell Wilson, earned his first college save as a pitcher.
Wilson nailed down the Wolfpack’s 6-2 victory over James Madison in the second round of Baseball at the Beach, improving NC State to 6-0, the Pack’s best start since an 8-0 beginning in 2007. James Madison, which opened play Friday with a loss to Coastal Carolina, fell to 0-2.
In his first start, six days ago vs. La Salle, Wolfpack starter Danny Healey had trouble putting hitters away after getting ahead in the count. He had the opposite problem in the first inning Saturday, falling behind in the count. Two walks and two hits, both in hitter’s counts, led to a 1-0 lead for JMU. David Herbeck singled to left with one down and Trevor Knight walked. Matt Browning followed with a single to left to drive in Herbeck and make it 1-0. McKimmon Langston drew a two-out walk to load the bases, but Healey avoided further damage by getting Mike Fabiaschi to ground into a force play.
Healey was fine after that, allowing just one hit and two walks in his final three innings, but he was done after four, giving way to a bullpen that allowed just one run on six hits over the final five innings. Grant Sasser (1-0) got the win, allowing one run on two hits in three solid innings, and Ethan Ogburn and Wilson worked the final two innings, allowing only a hit and two walks.
The wheels came off for JMU and starter Kyle Hoffman (0-1) in the top of the fourth. With one down, Drew Poulk singled up the middle and went to third when Tarran Senay singled through the right side of the infield. Dallas Poulk got his cousin home with a suicide squeeze bunt, tying the score at 1-1, and John Gianis walked to put runners on first and second for Chris Diaz, who singled up the middle to drive in Senay. Gianis went to third on the play, beating the throw from center field, and Diaz went to second on the throw to third. Langston tried to nail Diaz advancing, but his throw from third went down into the right-field corner, allowing both Gianis and Diaz to score, giving the Wolfpack a 4-1 lead.
The Pack made it 6-1 in the top of the fifth. Maynard walked and Danny Canela stroked a two-run homer down the right-field line and off the foul pole.
The Dukes got one run back in the bottom of the seventh on David Herbeck’s long solo homer to left.
James Madison threatened in the bottom of the ninth, but Wilson, who entered the game with runners on first and second and none out, pitched through trouble to record the save,setting down the side on a force play, a strikeout and an infield pop-up.
NC State will conclude play in the Baseball at the Beach tournament on Sunday. The Wolfpack will play host Coastal Carolina at Myrtle Beach’s BB&T Coastal Field. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on-line at gopack.com through the Pack Pass package.
