Courtesy: Brian Utesch Devon Cartwright drove in a pair of runs, but NC State fell to Clemson 13-8 on Friday.
RALEIGH, N.C. – Clemson scored six runs in the top of the first inning and never looked back Thursday, withstanding a late NC State rally and holding on for a 13-8 victory over NC State in the first game of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference baseball series at Doak Field at Dail Park.
The Wolfpack, which was eliminated from contention for next week’s ACC Tournament before the game even started, looked and played like a team with little to play for in the early innings. The Pack, which came to life in the middle and late innings, fell to 25-29 overall and 10-18 in the ACC. Clemson, playing like a team looking to nail down a No. 1 seed NCAA Tournament seed and a possible host site, won for the 12th time in its last 15 games and improved to 37-17 overall, 17-11 in the conference.
The Tigers made quick work of Wolfpack starter Jimmy Gillheeney, taking all the suspense out of the game with the six-run first inning. Chris Epps led off with a single and hustled to second when the throw from the outfield was misplayed for an error. Mike Freeman and Jeff Schaus walked to load the bases, Ben Paulsen singled in a run, and Kyle Parker and Wilson Boyd walked to force in runs. Just like that, 3-0, bases loaded and still none out.
Gillheeney finally got an out, retiring John Nester on a fly ball to shallow left field, but Brad Miller walked to force in another run and make it 4-0. Epps, batting for the second time in the inning, stroked a two-out single to center field to drive in Parker and Boyd to make it 6-0 before Delk had even thrown a pitch.
The first inning was it for Gillheeney (6-5). He was charged with all six runs on just three hits. He walked four and did not record a strikeout.
Clemson, meanwhile, continued to score. Freeman singled home Miller in the top of the third, and then drove in Jason Stoltz with a single in the fifth to give Delk and the Tigers and 8-0 lead.
With the big lead, Clemson starter Trey Delk was able to cruise through six innings. NC State’s only threat through the first four came in the second when the Pack put runners on first and second with none out, but did not score. Delk retired the side in order in the first, and faced the minimum of three batters in the third and fourth thanks to a caught stealing and a double play.
NC State finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fifth. John Gianis pinch-hit and dumped a one-out single to center field, Russell Wilson walked, and Dallas Poulk blooped a single to center to load the bases. Kyle Wilson drove in Gianis with a grondout to first base, and Delk unloaded a wild pitch to score Russell Wilson and cut the lead to 8-2.
Delk (4-1) wound up pitching six innings and allowed two runs on five hits. He walked three and struck out three.
Miller answered the Wolfpack rally in the fifth with a solo homer to right-center in the top of the sixth, and the Tigers went back to work with another big inning in the top of the seventh. Freeman led off and doubled, and Schaus and Paulsen walked to load the bases with none out. Pinch-hitter Addison Johnson grounded into a force play, erasing Paulsen at second but driving in Freeman to make it 10-2. Boyd singled to drive in Schaus, and a pair of wild pitches moved Boyd to third and scored Johnson to make it 12-2. Miller singled to right to drive in Boyd, giving the Tigers a 13-2 lead.
NC State added a run in the bottom of the seventh off of reliever Will Lamb. Russell Wilson drew a one-out walk and scored all the way from first base on Kyle Wilson’s triple to right field.
The Wolfpack finally came alive in the bottom of the ninth, and while it was too little, too late, NC State made Clemson use two additional relievers before retiring the side and ending the game. Gianis, Russell Wilson and Kyle Wilson all singled to load the bases with one out. Devon Cartwright singled up the middle to drive in a pair of runs and end the night for reliever Richard Mounce. David Haselden came in to pitch for the Tigers, and Cameron Conner pounded a double to left to drive in Kyle Wilson and cut the lead to 13-6. Harold Riggins’ two-out single through the left side of the infield scored Cartwright, and the Wolfpack’s final run came when Freeman misplayed Andrew Ciencin’s grounder to second base for an error, scoring Conner from third.
The Wolfpack and Tigers will play the second game of this three-game series on Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on WKNC-FM (88.1) and on-line at gopack.com via Pack Pass.
Courtesy: Brian Utesch
