March 18, 2006
RALEIGH, N.C. – Jon Still’s RBI single capped a three-run 10th-inning rally at No. 19 NC State (21-4, 5-0 ACC) defeated No. 1 Georgia Tech (17-3, 2-3), 12-11, on Saturay afternoon at Doak Field.
After the Yellow Jackets scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning, the Wolfpack answered with three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to win the game, 12-11. Caleb Mangum drew a leadoff walk and scored on Matt Camp’s one-out double. After Bobby Hubbard flew out for the second out of the inning, Aaron Bates followed with a RBI double that tied the score at 11-11 before Still delivered the game winning hit.
The Yellow Jackets, who hit four home runs in the game, rallied from a 9-3 deficit and scored eight unanswered runs to take an 11-9 lead before the Wolfpack won the game in the bottom of the 10th.
NC State reliever Sam Walls (2-0) picked up the win despite allowing four runs in 3.2 innings. Tech reliever Matt Wieters (0-1) was charged with the loss.
Wes Hodges, Jeff Kindel and Wally Crancer each had three hits in the game, while Kindel, Crancer, Wieters, and Danny Payne each homered and drove in two runs.
Bates paced the NC State offense with a 4-for-6 performance, while Cam and Mangum each had three hits.
Trailing 9-3 after six innings, the Yellow Jackets climbed back into the game with a four-run seventh inning. Tech cut the lead to 9-7 on a pair of two-run homers from Danny Payne, his third of the year, and Matt Wieters, his third.
NC State threatened in the bottom of the seventh inning, loading the bases with one out. But Wieters came out of the Tech bullpen and induced a double play ground ball to end the inning without allowing a run to score.
The Yellow Jackets tied the game at 9-9 with two runs in the eighth inning. After the first two hitters of the inning were quickly retired, Danny Payne singled through the right side and scored on a RBI double from Wes Hodges. Hodges scored the tying run when NC State second baseman Ramon Carona mishandled a ball off the bat of Jeff Kindel.
Tech scored two runs in the top of the 10th inning to make the score 11-9. Hodges had a one out single and moved to second base on a groundout from Wieters. After Kindel was intentionally walked, Luke Murton dropped a RBI single into shallow center field that scored Hodges. Wally Crancer followed with a RBI single up the middle that scored Kindel with the second run of the inning.
Jeff Kindel staked the Yellow Jackets to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with a two-run homer, his fourth of the season. NC State answered with a two-out RBI single from Brian Aragon to make the score 2-1 in the bottom of the inning.
The Wolfpack scored two runs in the second inning to take a 3-2 lead. Matt Mangini hit a solo home run, his team-leading fifth of the year, while Caleb Mangum tripled and scored on a RBI groundout from Jonathan Diaz.
NC State extended the lead to 4-2 with an unearned run in the third inning. Aaron Bates doubled, took third on an errant pickoff attempt and scored on a RBI groundout from Aragon.
A solo home run from Wally Crancer, his second of the year, pulled the Yellow Jackets to within 4-3 in the fourth inning. Crancer’s shot could have tied the game, but Luke Murton was picked off first base prior to the pitch that was hit for the home run.
NC State answered with four runs, all with two outs, in the bottom of the fourth inning to make the score 8-3. The Yellow Jackets hit two batters, had a wild pitch and a passed ball, and committed a costly throwing error as the Wolfpack scored four runs on three singles.
Bates hit a solo home run, his fourth, to extend the Wolfpack’s lead to 9-3 in the sixth inning.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision. NC State starter Eric Surkamp worked 5.2 innings and allowed three runs on six hits. Tech’s Tim Gustafson made his first start of the year and allowed eight runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings.
Georgia Tech and NC State will conclude the series on Sunday at 1 p.m.
