Courtesy: NC State Devon Cartwright doubled twice, drove in a run and scored three times Saturday to lead NC State to an 11-2 victory over North Carolina A&T.
CHARLESTON, S.C. — NC State did not take long to bounce back from Friday’s disaappointing loss to Louisville. The Wolfpack made quick work of North Carolina A&T Saturday, jumping to an 8-0 lead through three innings and cruising to an 11-2 victory at the Charleston Firefighter Memorial Classic at Riley Park.
Devon Cartwright, leading off and playing center field, led off the game with a double into the left-field corner, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on Ryan Pond’s sacrifice fly. An RBI single later in the inning by Russell Wilson staked NC State starter Alex Sogard to a 2-0 lead before he even threw a pitch.
Sogard set the Aggies down in order in the bottom of the first, striking out two, and Pond made it 5-0 with a three-run homer in the top of the second inning. Matt Payne’s two-run single highlighted a three-run third inning for the Wolfpack and probably put the game away, especially considering the way Pack pitchers worked.
Sogard went four innings and allowed a solo homer to Lester Rivenbark in the third and an RBI double to C.J. Beatty in the fourth. Sogard allowed five hits and struck out five without issuing a walk. Clayton Shunick (1-0) worked the final five innings to record his first win of the season. Shunick allowed three hits, did not walk a batter, struck out six and retired 11 of the last 12 men he faced.
The Wolfpack added two runs in the top of the seventh on an error and a sacrifice fly by Drew Martin, then finished off the scoring on Cartwright’s RBI double to left, his second two-bagger of the game.
NC State will finish play at the Charleston Firefighter Memorial Classic on Sunday with a 2 p.m. game vs. The Citadel. The game will be joined in progress by WKNC (88.1 FM) following the conclusion of the NC State-Maryland women’s basketball game.
Courtesy: NC State
