April 13, 2010

Box Score

RALEIGH, N.C. (NCCUEaglePride.com)- Riding the back of freshman Glenn Frye's (Lillington, N.C.) astounding performance on the hill, the North Carolina Central University baseball team hung tight with NC State University for six innings before allowing the Wolfpack to pull away due to costly errors down the stretch dropping an 11-0 decision on Tuesday night at Doak Field at Dail Park.

Less than a month ago on March 16, the name of the game was offense as the teams combined for 30 runs and six round trippers, but the score of Tuesday's affair saw NC State holding a 1-0 lead through the first four innings.

The Pack (22-12) earned its first run of the night on Dallas Poulk's leadoff homer down the right field line in the bottom of the first inning, but from that point on it was combination of Frye's veteran poise and the solid Eagle defense that kept NCCU right with the Wolfpack.

The Diamond Eagle defense made the highlight reels in this one, especially with NC State threatening in the bottom of the second inning when senior third baseman Kurt Wilson (Riverdale, Ga.) turned the unassisted double-play with runners at first and second inning and one out, keeping the deficit at 1-0.

After two runs had plated for NC State in the bottom of the fifth putting them up 3-0, freshman Nate Smith (Raleigh, N.C.) made a spectacular diving catch in right center field robbing NC State of another run and leaving the score at 3-0 after five complete.

As for the Eagle offense, credit must be given to the Wolfpack pitching staff who combined for 14 strikeouts and allowed only one hit through the first four innings.

The best chance that NCCU had to get on the scoreboard took place in the fifth when with one out Ross Plummer (Winston-Salem, N.C.) walked followed by a Kurt Wilson single who then advanced to second on an errant throw, but Plummer was thrown out at home after moving over to third base.

In the top of the sixth, Akeem Hood (Raleigh, N.C.) led off with a walk, but was picked off. Freshman Jasper Jones (Hookerton, N.C.) also walked as did freshman Derrell Parker (North Miami Beach, Fla.). With runners on first and second and two outs, sophomore Anthony Wilson struck out swinging to leave two runners stranded.

NC State pulled away with three runs in the seventh inning off just two hits and three Eagle errors, but it was the eighth inning that was NCCU's undoing as Andrew Ciencin lead off with a solo home run to left center. Back-to-back singles and walk saw the bases become loaded for Drew Poulk as he drove in two runs to help blow the game wide open. The Pack went on to score five runs on seven hits in the frame to lead it 11-0 heading into the ninth inning.

NCCU (1-32) loaded the bases to avoid the shutout but could not get the run across as the Pack ended the game by turning a double play.

All in all, the Eagles left eight runners on base, and Frye pitched 6.0 innings scattering eight hits and four earned runs showing what the future holds from the young pitcher.

NCCU has a weekend home-and-home slate ahead against the Davidson College Wildcats beginning with doubleheader action on Saturday with a 1:00 first pitch in Huntersville, N.C., and a single-game at the Durham Athletic Park this Sunday afternoon at 1:00.

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