April 6, 2008

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State completed the weekend series sweep of Wake Forest with an 18-6 defeat of the Demon Deacons in game two of a Sunday afternoon doubleheader at Doak Field.

With the loss, the Deacons drop to 12-18 overall and 5-9 in the ACC. The Wolfpack improve to 20-9 overall and 8-6 in conference play with the victory.

NC State took three games from Wake Forest over the weekend, including a sweep of a doubleheader on Sunday. The Wolfpack earned a 14-4 win in game one of the twinbill.

In game two, NCSU pounded out a season-high 23 hits against five Deacon pitchers. The Wolfpack scored four in the first and eight in the third to quickly take control of the game.

Wake Forest finished with 14 hits on the day but could not keep pace with NC State. Five Deacons had multi-hit days, led by Dustin Hood's three base hits. Hood went 3-for-4 with an RBI. Ben Terry and Mike Murray each homered for Wake. Terry was 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs, while Murray finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run. Allan Dykstra andWilly Fox also had two hits apiece, while Nathan Frazier scored twice and stole a base.

Starter Brad Kledzik (1-3) took the loss for Wake Forest. The righthander, who was making his first start of the season, allowed nine runs (seven earned) on nine hits. Prior to Sunday's outing, Kledzik had served as the Deacons' closer this season. He was a weekend starter for Wake each of the previous two campaigns.

The Wolfpack jumped on Kledzik and the Deacons early with four runs in the first inning. Devon Cartwright started the rally with a one-out double to left. After Matt Payne was hit by a pitch, Jeremy Synan hit a bases-clearing triple to deep centerfield. Marcus Jones followed with a single to drive in Synan. A double from Ryan Pond and an ensuing single by Chris Schaeffer brought in the fourth run of the inning.

Wake Forest got on the board with a run in the third. Frazier reached on a one-out bunt single and then stole second base. One out later, Hood singled to center to drive in Frazier.

NC State put the game out of reach with eight runs off Kledzik and reliever Alex Wiesner in the third inning. The Wolfpack sent 14 batters to the plate, eight of which recorded hits. The Deacons had an error and a passed ball in the inning, making only three of the eight runs earned.

Wake cut the deficit to 12-2 with a run in the fourth. Murray hit the first pitch of the frame to rightfield for his second homer of the season.

The Wolfpack picked up in the fourth where they left off in the third, scoring two more runs off Wiesner. Tommy Foschi led off with a double down the leftfield line. Dallas Poulk followed with a home run to right.

The Deacons continued their comeback with another run in the fifth. Terry reached on a one-out single, and Andy Goff followed with a double into the rightfield corner. Fox drove in Terry with a sacrifice fly to left.

NC State added three more runs against Ryan McGrath in the sixth. The Wolfpack benefited from three HBPs, getting just two hits in the rally. Ben Hunter came on with the bases loaded and one out and got the Deacons out of the jam.

Wake Forest scored twice in the seventh courtesy of a Terry home run. Frazier reached on a leadoff walk. Terry then hit an 0-1 pitch from Jeff Stallings to right for his first home run of the season.

The Wolfpack pushed an unearned run across against Brandon Johnson in the eighth. Nick Stanley reached on a two-base error, and Foschi doubled him home one out later.

The Deacons rallied for a run off Wolfpack closer Jimmy Gillheeney in the ninth. Fox reached on a one-out, two-base error. Dykstra and Murray followed with consecutive singles to drive him in.

Starter Eryk McConnell (4-1) earned the win for NC State. The former All-American closer surrendered three runs on seven hits with three strikeouts in five innings pitched.

Synan and Foschi led the Wolfpack at the plate. Synan went 5-for-6 with four RBIs and four runs scored, while Foschi finished 4-for-6 with two RBIs and a pair of runs.

Hunter pitched 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Deacons, allowing two hits.

Defensively, Eric Williams made a nice catch in leftfield in the third. With runners at second and third and no outs, Williams made a diving over-the-shoulder catch at the warning track in left center.

Wake Forest is back in action on Wednesday when the Deacons host Triad-rival High Point at 3 p.m.