University of Richmond Athletics
University of Richmond
No Carolina St
Baseball Falls To N.C. State, 11-4
03/08/2002 | Baseball
March 8, 2002
RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina State pounded out 16 hits and scored more runs than Richmond allowed in the last seven games combined to take the first game of a three-game weekend series, 11-4, in Raleigh, N.C. The loss snapped Richmond's season-opening 10-game win streak, while the Wolfpack increased their win streak to 11 games.
N.C. State (13-3) catcher Colt Morton led way, going 4-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Starter Daniel Caldwell picked up the win after throwing 8.0 innings, allowing 12 hits and four runs.
The Richmond (10-1) offense was led by sophomores Matt Craig and Bryan Pritz. Craig was 2-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while Pritz went 2-4 with two runs scored. Freshman Jim Fasano stroked three hits on the day. Junior Mike McGirr (2-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing seven runs, five earned, on 11 hits in 5.0 innings.
Richmond began the weekend with a two-run first on a pristine afternoon at Doak Field. Center fielder Pritz led off the game with a double down the left field line. After a ground out, short stop Craig bounced an RBI single up the middle. After a strikeout, Craig came home on a David Reaver two-out single to right field.
N.C. State tied the game with two in its half of the first. After McGirr recorded the first out, Chad Orvella walked and moved to third on a Brian Wright single to left field. First baseman David Hicks followed with his own single to left field that scored Orvella. Richmond left fielder Vito Chiaravalloti's cutoff throw sailed over its target and Wright scored on the error. McGirr settled and retired the next two batters to end the frame.
The Wolfpack scored two more runs in the second to take a 4-2 lead. Morton led off the frame with a single to left. After going 0-1 on the next batter, McGirr hit Adam Hargrave to put runners at first and second. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runners into scoring position, McGirr struck out Jeremy Dutton for the second out. Orvella then hit a chopping ball to third and beat Reaver's throw. Morton scored on the play. Wright then smacked a rocket to short that hit off Craig's glove and scored Hargrave.
Three more runs in the third increased the lead to 7-2 for the home squad. Tim Coffield, Hargrave and March Maynor all scored in the inning. The only RBI went to Dutton on a single up the middle. The Wolfpack added another in the sixth when Tim Coffield's sac fly scored Wright to make the lead 8-2.
The Spiders rallied for two in the seventh. Pritz set the table once again with a lead off single up the middle. Craig delivered a double to left center that scored the centerfielder. Craig later scored on a Reaver single to left that closed the gap to 8-4.
Colt Morton's fourth home run of the season gave the Wolfpack a 9-4 lead after seven innings. N.C. State strung together four singles in the eighth to take an 11-4 lead. Coffield's single through the left side accounted for the 10th run, while Morton's single through the left side accounted for the 11th.
The Spiders and Wolfpack will play the middle game of this three-game set on Saturday, March 9 at 1:30 p.m.
