Wake Forest University
No Carolina St
Wake Hangs On To Beat NC State
4/20/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 20, 2001
WINSTON-SALEM, NC - The 23rd-ranked Wake Forest baseball team got the final tally in an 8-7 win over NC State on Friday night at Ernie Shore Field. Senior Cory Sullivan's two-out bunt single scored Matt Price from third base as the Deacons captured an important Atlantic Coast Conference victory.
The win gave head coach George Greer his 500th win at Wake Forest. He becomes just the seventh head coach in 47-year ACC history to reach the 500-win plateau at a member school.
Wake Forest (29-12, 12-7 ACC) built a seemingly insurrmountable 7-2 lead after seven innings and Sullivan, who made the start for Wake Forest appeared to be on cruise control. Sullivan had allowed just two runs on six hits through seven frames. In the eighth, however, NC State loaded the baseswith nobody out. Freshman Adam Hanson came on in relief but the floodgates opened as four Wolfpack runs came across.
With one out, the Deacons turned to closer Dave Bush. The Wolfpack tied the game at seven on Justin Riley's RBI single through the middle before Bush could get out of the inning.
The Deacons immediately responded with what would be the winning run in the eighth. The leadoff hitter, Price, was hit by new Wolfpack pitcher Daniel Caldwell. Jamie Athas laid down a sac bunt to move Price to second base and then stole third. Stephen Ghutzman chopped out to first base and Price was forced to hold at third. That set the stage for Cory Sullivan, who had gone zero-for-four prior to his final at-bat. His two-out bunt single down the first base line caught the Wolfpack defense off-guard. He easily reached first base as Price came in as the winning run.
Bush struck out the final two batters of the game to earn his third win of the season.
With the victory, Wake Forest improves to 29-12 overall and 12-7 in the ACC. NC State falls to 23-19 and 7-9 on the year. The two teams continue their weekend series on Saturday night at Ernie Shore Field at 7:00 p.m. Sophomore Ryan Braun gets the start for the Deacons while Jason Blanton gets the nod for NC State.
