Wake Forest University
NC State
NC State Inches by Wake Forest, 3-2
5/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
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By Jay Garneau, Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeBaseball)
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Wake Forest jumped out to an early lead, but NC State battled back and hit a go-ahead single in the top of the ninth to inch past the Demon Deacons, 3-2, at Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park on Saturday evening.
Wake Forest (26-23, 11-15 ACC) raced out to a quick 2-0 lead over the Wolfpack (29-18, 13-12 ACC). In the first, Jonathan Pryor doubled and came around to score on a Nate Mondou RBI groundout.
Another run-scoring groundout from Kevin Conway brought home Gavin Sheets in the third, pushing the margin to 2-0.
Wake Forest had chances to add to that lead. Will Craig and Ben Breazeale were in scoring position with one away in the fourth before a pickoff and groundout ended the threat.
In the fifth, a hard-hit ball by the Wolfpack's Joe Dunand was ruled to have cleared the fence inside the foul pole for a solo homer that made the score 2-1.
In the sixth, the Deacons were thrown out at second trying to stretch a single into a double.
Another NC State solo blast from Brock Deatherage in the sixth evened the score at 2-2.
Drew Freedman led off the eighth with a line-drive single, but a failed sacrifice bunt, popout and strikeout ended that inning.
In the ninth, Preston Palmeiro singled and was sacrificed to second before scoring on a two-out single by Bubby Riley to give NC State the lead.
Stuart Fairchild and Joey Rodriguez were hit by pitches with two outs in the ninth, but a strikeout forced by Tommy DeJuneas ended the game as he recorded his fifth save.
Curt Britt allowed two runs - one earned - in 7.0 innings for NC State, while Will Gilbert (3-1) picked up the win with 1.2 scoreless frames in relief.
Craig was excellent on the mound outside of the two solo homers. In 6.0 innings, he allowed three hits, no walks and struck out six.
Parker Dunshee (5-3) took the loss in relief, allowing one run in 3.0 innings with a pair of strikeouts.
Pryor led the Wake Forest offense with a pair of hits and run scored, while Freedman went 1-for-1 with a walk and sac bunt.
Before the game, Wake Forest honored the 1955 College World Series championship team for its 60th anniversary, which still stands as the only ACC team to have won a national title.
The Demon Deacons and Wolfpack will meet in the series finale on Monday at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.
