Courtesy: NC State Andrew Ciencin had both NC State hits in the Wolfpack's 5-1 loss Wedneday at UNCW.
WILMINGTON, N.C. -- Grayson Evans and Cody Stanley had two RBIs apiece and Ben Thielsen scored two runs Wednesday as UNC Wilmington used eight pitchers to shut down NC State 5-1 at Brooks Field. The Seahawks improved to 25-17 with the victory. The loss dropped the Wolfpack to 22-27.
Both teams used a predetermined pitching split, and the two squads wound up using a total of 16 pitches. Justin Bradley (3-3), the second of eight UNCW pitchers, earned the victory after allowing one hit in two shutout innings of work. Vance Williams (0-1), the second pitcher for the Pack, took the loss. He went two innings and allowed two runs on two hits. Williams struck out three and walked two.
NC State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Kyle Wilson led off with a walk and moved to second on a Devon Cartwright sacrifice. After stealing third base, Wilson scored when Drew Poulk grounded out, giving the Pack the early advantage.
UNC Wilmington grabbed the lead in the bottom of the third inning off Williams. Matt Holt led off and doubled to right-center field. Williams hit Ben Theilsen with a pitch to put two runners on with one out. Both baserunners moved up a base on a Mike Rooney flyout to center. Cody Stanley loaded the bases with a two-out walk, and Grayson Evans lined a ball past Williams and up the middle driving in Holt and Theisen to give the Seahawks a 2-1 lead. Williams struck out Andrew Cain to end any further damage.
The Seahawks extended their lead to four runs in the bottom of the seventh. Thomas Pope rolled a one-out single through the left side of the infield against Wolfpack reliever Alex Sogard to start the rally for UNC Wilmington. Thielsen reached on a four-pitch walk. Two hitters later, Cody Stanley ripped a line drive over the head of Cartwright in left field for a two-run double, bringing in Pope and Thielsen and giving the Seahawks a 4-1 lead. Evans continued the two-out rally alive with a walk, chasing Sogard from the game.
Faced with a two-out, two-on situation, reliever Jake Buchanan got Andrew Cain to roll a hard grounder up the middle. Shortstop Dallas Poulk slid and stopped the ball from going through to the outfield, but he was unable to hang on and make a play. The infield single loaded the bases for UNC Wilmington. Robbie Monday gave the Seahawks a 5-1 advantage by working a bases-loaded walk off Buchanan.
The Pack will return to action on Friday, May 8 with an ACC weekend series against North Carolina at Doak Field at Dail Park. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. pon Sunday All three games will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and over the internet on gopack.com via Pack Pass.
Courtesy: NC State
