ECU falls to Wolfpack
Published 10:05 pm Tuesday, April 5, 2011
RALEIGH — Pratt Maynard’s two RBI single highlighted a three-run seventh as N.C. State (18-12) came from behind to beat East Carolina (20-8) 4-2 Tuesday night at Doak Field.
Trailing 2-1 in the seventh, Chris Diaz led off with a bunt single and Brett Williams reached on an error before Chris Schaeffer loaded the bases on a bunt single that an extended Shawn Armstrong could not come up with. Maynard pushed across the go-ahead run on a single through the right side scoring Diaz and Williams before Andrew Ciencin flied out to center scoring Schaeffer to finish the comeback.
Chris Overman improved to 5-0 on the season after tossing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief where he allowed two hits and struck out four. Danny Healey made his eighth start of the season surrendering two runs (both earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks. D.J. Thomas didn’t allow a run in 2.2 innings of relief.
Armstrong (1-1) was saddled with the loss allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits in two-thirds of an inning. Starter Zach Woods went 5.1 innings allowing one run (earned) on six hits with seven punch outs. Seth Simmons worked two innings of scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts in his 14th outing of the season.
ECU jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the third inning thanks to Corey Thompson’s two-run home run to center. Ben Fultz, who was 2-for-4 on the night, walked to start the frame and with a slash-and-run on, Thompson saw a belt-high fastball and deposited it over the center field wall.
Matt Bergquist pulled the Wolfpack within one, 2-1, in the bottom of the third on a solo home run down the left field line, his first of the season.
From that point on, Thomas and Overman were locked in scattering four hits over the next six innings with four strikeouts.
The freshman duo of Fultz and Jack Reinheimer each were 2-for-4 on the night leading the way for the Pirates. In his last three games, Fultz is hitting a team-best .600 (6-for-10) with a pair of runs scored.
ECU will be back in action on Wednesday, April 6 when they play host to Elon at 6 p.m. (EST). Freshman Austin Chrismon is scheduled to make his second start of the season for the Pirates.