In another rain-delayed Raleigh Regional contest, the NC State Wolfpack fell to the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers, 4-0, on Saturday night at Doak Field. The Chanticleers scored runs in the first and eighth innings, and rode their strong pitching staff to a win over the Wolfpack.
The Wolfpack started junior righthander Cory Wilder, hoping he could replicate the results from his start against Florida State, when he went five innings and allowed two runs on three hits.
Unfortunately for NC State, Wilder was not sharp in this outing. He lasted four innings, allowing only one run on five hits. However, he played with fire for three of his four innings, but was able to minimize the damage when Chanticleers reached scoring position.
Wilder issued two walks to lead off the game, before a bunt single by senior right fielder Connor Owings loaded the bases with no outs. After a strike-out, junior designated hitter G.K. Young singled in the first run of the game on a ground ball through the hole in the left side of the infield.
Wilder would induce an inning-ending double play on the next batter, escaping further damage.
“They got that one run early, which I would’ve like to have not seen score,” Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent said.
Wilder again escaped damage in the second inning on a line drive that caught a Chanticleer leaning too far off the base at second. Wilder again stranded a Chant in scoring position in the third and then worked a perfect fourth before Avent turned to the bullpen.
After sophomore reliever Cody Beckman worked 2.1 scoreless innings of relief, the wheels fell off for the Wolfpack in the eighth with sophomore Tommy DeJuneas on the mound. The hard-throwing righthander gave up two runs on three hits in the inning, pushing the Chanticleer lead to 3-0 and putting the game out of reach for the punchless Pack offense.
The Wolfpack mustered four hits off Coastal Carolina starter Alex Cunningham before being stymied for the final 3.2 innings by senior righthander Mike Morrison.
The Wolfpack had several opportunities to get on the board, but was unable to bring runners in scoring position around to score. In total, the Wolfpack finished the contest hitting 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and just 1-for-9 with runners on base.
The Wolfpack threatened in the top of the first on a two-out triple by junior first baseman Preston Palmeiro, but sophomore shortstop Joe Dunand popped out to end the inning.
The Wolfpack put two runners on in the third inning with two outs but Palmeiro grounded out to second to keep the game at 1-0.
The Wolfpack had its best chance to score in the bottom of the sixth inning, when Dunand doubled to right field and advanced to third on a sacrifice. The Pack could bring him no further however, and the shut-out was preserved.
As has been the case for most of the Raleigh Regional, weather played a major factor in this contest. The game’s start time was delayed over an hour by rain that forced the evacuation of the stadium. After the game was started at 9:25 P.M. on Saturday night, it was suspended in the top of the ninth inning by lightning and rain. The contest was resumed on Sunday, exactly twelve hours after the game was suspended.
After the suspension, Coastal Carolina tacked on another run in the inning, bringing the score to 4-0 before shutting down the Wolfpack in the bottom of the ninth.
The win puts Coastal Carolina in the driver’s seat in the Raleigh Regional. To dig its way out of the loser’s bracket, NC State will need to win three-straight games (one against Navy, two against Coastal Carolina) to advance to the Super Regional.
“We have to win three games now,” Avent said. “It’s gonna be difficult, but these guys have persevered all year. If they’ve been anything they’ve been tough but it’s gonna take every guy in that dugout to get this done.”
