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No. 22 Tar Heels Fall Again At No. 6 NC State, 8-6
April 26, 2003 | Baseball
April 26, 2003
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State (36-9, 13-4 ACC) defeated North Carolina (32-14 10-7 ACC), 8-6 on Saturday afternoon at Doak Field. After an hour long rain delay at the beginning of the game, the Tar Heels were handed their second loss in as many games in Raleigh. Carolina pitchers issued eight walks and the UNC offense left eight runners on base in the defeat.
The Wolfpack jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Justin Riley launched a solo homer over the red wall in left field, giving NC State its first run. After a walk to last night's hero, Colt Morton, and a single by Joe Gaetti, Conor Clougherty doubled down the right field line. Both runners scored on the play, extending the lead to three runs.
Carolina got on the board with a run in the top of the third. Wes Moyer walked to lead off the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Greg Mangum. A Chad Prosser single advanced Moyer to third, then as Prosser advanced to second on a wild pitch, Moyer came home on the throw.
The Tar Heels tied the score at 3-3 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth inning. NC State starter Vern Sterry retired the first two batters he faced, but an error by first baseman Justin Riley allowed Jeremy Cleveland to reach base with two outs. The next batter was Sean Farrell who ripped his tenth home run of the season over the left field wall on a 2-0 pitch to even the score.
NC State reclaimed the lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. A single and two walks allowed by Carolina reliever Matt Danford loaded the bases with no outs. After a pitching change, Matt Camp doubled down the left field line, scoring Morton and Gaetti.
Carolina tied the score with two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Prosser reached on an error leading off the inning and Cleveland followed with a bloop single to right. Farrell then singled sharply up the middle, scoring Prosser. With one out and two runners in scoring position, Sammy Hewitt hit a sacrifice fly deep to right field and allowed Cleveland to come home with the tying run.
The Wolfpack again reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the seventh. Camp reached on a fielder's choice and came around with the go-ahead run two batters later on a bunt single by Adam Hargrave. A single by Jeremy Dutton and an error by Carolina centerfielder Blair Waggett brought two runners around to give NC State an 8-5 lead.
Cleveland homered off Wolfpack closer Joey Devine in the top of the ninth to bring Carolina within two runs, but Devine finished out the inning to end UNC's threat.
The third and final game between the Tar Heels and Wolfpack will be played on Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.
