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NC State Slips Past No. 7 Tar Heels, 6-5
April 29, 2005 | Baseball
April 29, 2005
RALEIGH, N.C. - Seventh-ranked North Carolina scored twice to send the game to the bottom of the ninth, but NC State third baseman Matt Devine came through with a walk-off RBI single to lift the host Wolfpack (31-12, 12-10 ACC) to a 6-5 victory over the Tar Heels (35-9-1, 14-5-1 ACC) Friday at Doak Field. The loss snaps a seven-game winning streak for Carolina.
Down to its last strike against State closer Joey Devine in the top of the inning, Carolina rallied to tie the game at five on a two-run double by freshman shortstop Josh Horton. After fouling off several pitches in a row, Horton laced a ball past the first base bag to drive in center fielder Chase Younts, who reached on an error, and second baseman Greg Mangum, who singled with two outs to keep the inning alive.
The Wolfpack then rallied to take the game in bottom of the inning on Matt Devine's single to left field off Carolina reliever Jonathan Hovis. The hit plated pinch runner Ryan Johnson, who scored from second on the play.
Joey Devine (4-2) earned the win for NC State after striking out four over 1.1 innings. He allowed two unearned runs on three hits and one walk. Hovis (5-2) allowed two runs on five hits and five walks over 2.1 innings.
Younts drove in the Tar Heels' first two runs with a single and a sacrifice fly. Junior left fielder Mike Daniel went 2-for-3 to extend his current hitting streak to a career-best eight games. Horton also drove in two for Carolina, which struck out a season-high 18 times.
Designated hitter Mike Jensen went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored, and catcher Jake Muyco was 2-for-4 with an RBI single to lead NC State at the plate. Second baseman Ramon Corona also added two hits.
Both starters went deep into the game but neither figured into the decision. State righty Andrew Brackman struck out a career-high 12 batters over seven innings. He allowed three runs on four hits and two walks. Carolina left-hander Andrew Miller lasted six-plus innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks. He struck out five to push his season total to 83.
UNC took a 1-0 lead in the second but squandered a chance to put more on the board, leaving the bases loaded for the fourth time in the last two games. Third baseman Chad Flack stuck out but reached on a fielder's choice and came around to score on a single to right center by Younts for the one-run advantage. Brackman then struck out the final two batters of the inning to leave the bases packed.
Two innings later, Younts drove in his second run of the night with a sacrifice fly. Right fielder Jay Cox doubled off the wall in left to start the rally. He took third on a Justin Webb groundout and then raced home when Younts flied out to left for a 2-0 Carolina lead.
Jensen cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth with the solo homer to right, and the Wolfpack added an unearned run in the fifth to knot the score at two. Muyco struck out but reached on a passed ball and later came around to score on a double down the left field line by center fielder Matt Camp. Jensen's home run was just the second allowed by Miller this season.
The Tar Heels reclaimed the lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI groundout by Cox. Daniel reached on an infield single to first base, took second on a balk and third on a wild pitch before Cox slapped a grounder to second to drive him in. The lead was short-lived, however, as the Wolfpack tied the score at three in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Muyco.
State scored for the fourth straight inning the seventh to take the 5-3 lead. Left fielder Ryan Pond drove in two with a bases-loaded double to right center off Hovis. The hit drove in Camp, who was hit by a pitch by Miller, and Corona, who singled off Hovis.
Carolina committed three errors Friday and now has 12 in its last three games.
The series continues at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. UNC righty Daniel Bard will take the hill for the Tar Heels Saturday. Sunday's game will be televised by C-SET.
