NC State
10-4
Florida Atlantic
15-3
#Pack9 Upends No. 20 FAU, 9-5
3/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Box Score | Box Score
| Play-by-Play
| Top Performers: Jake Armstrong (2-for-4, 2B, 4 RBI), Joe O'Donnell (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K) |
| 1 |
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7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |
| NC STATE |
0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 9 |
13 | 1 |
| FAU | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
Facing road contests in eight of its next nine, NC State baseball got off on the right foot, rallying from a three-run fifth-inning deficit to down No. 20 Florida Atlantic 9-5 on Wednesday in Boca Raton, Fla.
All nine members of the Wolfpack (10-4) lineup provided at least one hit. Joe Dunand broke out with his first collegiate homer, part of a 2-for-4 day with a double, two runs, and two RBIs. The Pack has homered at least once in each of its last four games, following eight bombs over the weekend against Clemson.
Jake Armstrong supplied a season-high four RBIs in a 2-for-4 game with a double. Andrew Knizner and Preston Palmeiro contributed the Pack's only other multi-hit efforts.
Joe O'Donnell struck out the side in a perfect ninth to preserve the win, snapping the Owls (15-3) nine-game winning streak. Florida Atlantic had won its last 11 games at FAU Stadium.
Tommy DeJuneas has not allowed a hit in his first 10 collegiate innings, fanning two and walking a pair in two innings of work.
Jon Olczak (1-0) scored the win by working out of a jam in the fifth and shutting out the Owls in the sixth, leaving after State's five-run rally in the seventh. Ryan Williamson, Curt Britt, and Will Gilbert combined to work the first 4 2/3.
Trailing 4-1 heading into the sixth, NC State made its first comeback push thanks to a two-out rally. Palmeiro started it with a single through the left side, and Knizner followed with one of his own to put runners on the corners. Armstrong fired a double into the left field corner, scoring Palmeiro easily. A stumble by the left fielder allowed Knizner to score on the error, trimming the FAU lead to 4-3.
The tide turned for good in the seventh, as three Wolfpackers reached on bunts to spark a five-run rally. Joel McKeithan lit the fuse with a leadoff bunt single to first. Dunand's double to right center tied the game. Fincher doubled to left, scoring Dunand and giving the Pack a 5-4 lead. Brock Deatherage followed with a bunt, and reached on an error at second. Logan Ratledge executed a safety squeeze to score Fincher and reach with a bunt single. With two away and two in scoring position, Armstrong's double plated the last two, putting State ahead 8-4.
NC State returns to action on Friday, March 13 at 7 p.m. in Coral Gables to visit Miami. Radio coverage will be provided by 88.1 WKNC. Fans can follow along with Twitter updates from @NCStateBaseball, or live stats from GoPack.com.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Olczak, Jon (1-0)
L: Monkman (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Palmeiro, Preston 1 ; Armstrong, Jake 1 ; Dunand, Joe 1 ; Fincher, Jake 1
HR: Dunand, Joe 1
RBI: Ratledge, Logan 1 ; Knizner, Andrew 1 ; Armstrong, Jake 4 ; Dunand, Joe 2 ; Fincher, Jake 1
SH: Deatherage, Brock 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Deatherage, Brock 1 ; Ratledge, Logan 1 ; Palmeiro, Preston 2 ; Knizner, Andrew 1 ; McKeithan, Joel 1 ; Dunand, Joe 2 ; Fincher, Jake 1
CS: Deatherage, Brock 1
Batting:
2B: Kerr 1 ; Lashley 1
RBI: Lashley 1 ; Sanger 1 ; Puerta 1 ; Chatham 1
SH: Lashley 1
SF: Sanger 1 ; Chatham 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kerr 3 ; Collins 2
SB: Kerr 1
HBP: Dicks 1
