Two days after MLB superstar Alex Rodriguez delivered the ceremonial first pitch of N.C. State’s 2006 season, the Wolfpack completed their three-game home sweep of Delaware State on Sunday, defeating the Hornets 17-0 at Doak Field.
Rodriguez, a neighbor of sophomore Ramon Corona in Coral Gables, Fla., surprised his neighbor and the team Friday afternoon when he threw the first pitch.
“I found out right before the first game when I looked up and saw him in the stands,” Corona said. “He said we’ve just got to work hard and have a winning attitude. He said it all pays off in the end if you keep working.”
Picking up his first win of the season, senior left-hander Jason Duncan retired the Hornets in the top of the first inning after four batters — allowing a single to left field to Brandon Hostetter.
The Pack managed to load the bases with only one out in the bottom of the first, thanks in part to Hornets’ pitcher Billy Keyes, who hit both Corona and junior Aaron Bates with pitches. After a rip to left field by junior Jon Still that gave State a 2-0 lead, sophomore Matt Mangini drove in another run to put the Pack up 3-0 at the end of the first inning.
State never trailed in the game or in the series.
The game liquefied for Keyes in the second inning when State loaded the bases with no outs, setting up an RBI factory, which produced eight scores, to extend the Pack’s lead to 11-0.
“We didn’t do anything different from any other time or any other pitcher,” senior center fielder Matt Camp said of State’s dominance of Keyes. “We knew what we were looking for, and we didn’t want to force anything. We just make sure to take care of the little things.”
Right-hander Josh Schmidt relieved Keyes after the second inning.
Sophomore right-hander Matt Payne came in for Duncan to start the fourth and kept the Hornets scoreless for three innings, when freshman lefty Eric Surkamp took the mound in the seventh. Surkamp threw 20 pitches, which forbade the Hornets from scoring.
“He looked pretty good,” coach Elliot Avent said with a grin. “He was a highly recruited player who missed a lot of the fall with mono, but he’s a competitive player from a great high school with great coaching. He looked very, very good tonight.”
Mangini, a 2004 graduate of Apex High School, had 11 hits in the series against Delaware State — compared to five all of last season. He took over for former Pack fixture Matt Devine at third base this season.
“I’ve got confidence out there,” Mangini said. “To be honest, I don’t think I’m swinging my bat that well. I don’t think I’m getting around the ball quick enough.”
State’s next game is Friday at 3 p.m. against Hofstra. It’s the opener of a three-game series against the Pride in Raleigh.
“It’s always more about us than it is the other team,” Avent said. “We’re just going to focus and regroup on some things we know we did well and work on things we know we need to get better at.”