NC State Wolfpack

March 22, 2002

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - Pinch-runner Craig Moody scored from third base on an error with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning as NC State pulled out a thrilling 5-4 victory over Wake Forest in the first game of an ACC baseball series Friday at Doak Field.

The win lifted NC State to 18-5 overall. The game was the Pack's ACC opener. The Deacons dropped to 17-4 overall and 2-1 in the ACC. Lefthander Mike Prochaska (3-0) picked up the win with two solid innings of relief. He allowed one run on two hits, walked one and struck out one. All-ACC reliever David Bush (2-1) took the loss for the Deacons. He allowed an unearned run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out one.

The Wolfpack jumped to a 2-0 lead against Wake Forest starter Kyle Sleeth in the bottom of the first inning. Chad Orvella hit a Baltimore-chop single over the shortstop's head, and Brian Wright doubled off the wall in right-center to put runners on second and third with one out. David Hicks singled to left to drive in Orvella, and Matt Butler's sacrifice fly drove home Wright with the second run of the inning.

The Wolfpack's lead was short-lived. Starter Derek McKee hit Jeff Ruziecki with a pitch, and Ryan Hubbard, the nine hitter in the Wake Forest lineup, drilled a 3-2 pitch over the wall in right for a two-out, two-run homer that tied the game at two runs apiece. Adam Bourassa followed with a double down the line in right and took third on a balk, but Nick Blue flied out to left to end the inning.

Wake Forest broke the tie with an unearned run in the top of the fourth. Hubbard bunted up the first-base line for a single and went to second when the throw to the pitcher covering the bag was wild. Bourassa followed with a perfect bunt single up the third-base line, and Blue hit a sacrifice fly to left field to drive in Hubbard and make it 3-2.

The Deacons' lead last two innings, until Colt Morton led off the top of bottom of the sixth with his fifth home run of the season, a towering blast to left field. The Wolfpack tried to untie the score following Morton's blast, but Adam Hargrave, who doubled with one out and went to third on a passed ball, was stranded at third base.

The Wolfpack broke the tie in the bottom of the seventh off reliever Adam Hanson. Wright led off with a walk and was forced on a grounder to shortstop by David Hicks, who went to third on a perfect hit-and-run single to right by Matt Butler. Joe Gaetti got the run home with a squeeze bunt up the first-base line, giving NC State the lead at 4-3.

The Deacons came right back in the top of the eighth against Prochaska. Ruziecki led off and was hit by a pitch, and Ben Ingold sacrificed the runner to second. With two down, Bourassa hit a fly to deep left-center that kicked off the glove of Maynor, who had to slide to try and catch the ball. Bourassa wound up on third with an RBI triple that tied the game at 4-4.

The Pack almost took the lead in the bottom of the eighth. Dutton led off the inning with a walk and Hargrave sacrificed him to second. Maynor chopped a single to left, over the third baseman's head, and went to second when the left fielder threw to the plate and missed the cutoff man. That put runners on second and third with one down, but the inning ended when Orvella flied to right field and Dutton was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play.

The Pack's winning rally began with a one-out double to right-center by David Hicks. Moody pinch-ran and took third on Butler's single to right field. With two down, Morton hit a grounder that D'Antona bobbled and then threw away at first base, allowing Moody to score the winning run.