Wolfpack outlasts Spartans

The baseball team carried a 4-1 lead into the top of the ninth where a shaky bullpen let the Spartans get a breath of life off two walks and three hits. Heroics from junior Drew Poulk and redshirt sophomore Chris Schaeffer secured the victory for the Pack. All four of the Pack’s runs were accounted for by junior Wade Moore with two RBIs and two runs. The game also saw sophomore Russell Wilson take the diamond for the first time this season.

The game saw no offensive production until the bottom of the second when the Pack posted three runs. Drew Poulk led off the inning with a single followed by Pat Ferguson getting on via an error on a fielder’s choice pushing Poulk to second.

Wilson got on with a fielder’s choice. Moore then drove in Ferguson and Wilson with a double. Moore then stole third and scored on an error by the catcher.

According to Moore, confidence at the plate has really made him more comfortable in the batter’s box.

“[I felt] really comfortable, I’ve been feeling real good at the plate for about two weeks now, really confident,” Moore said. “Anytime you contribute it’s nice, especially in a win like this, trying to get back on track trying to knock off some of these mid-week games as well as ACC games.

“I was really happy to contribute, and I know if I don’t get it done, I have just as much confidence in the next guy.”

The Pack ran into some trouble in the top of the fourth when two walks and a single loaded the bases with no outs. Pack starter freshman Zak Sinclair was pulled for redshirt junior Alex Sogard after pitching three innings and  allowing two hits.

Sogard was able to pitch out of the jam, allowing only one run on a passed ball by redshirt sophomore catcher Chris Schaeffer. Sogard struck out the first five batters he faced, striking out six total, walking one and allowing two hits in three innings of work.

The score remained the same until the top of the ninth, when redshirt senior Kyle Rutter took the mound with runners on first and second and no outs. Rutter struck out the first batter he faced before walking the next to load the bases with only one out.

Rutter then struck out the next batter before giving up an RBI single on a ball that went between third and short to make the score 4-2 with two outs and the bases loaded. 

The next batter hit another RBI single that went almost in the exact same spot, scoring one run. The inning ended when the runner from second attempted to score on the hit. A frozen rope from leftfielder Drew Poulk to a perfectly positioned catcher, Chris Schaeffer, beat the runner in a bang bang play to end the game.

“Drew Poulk hadn’t had many plays out there all day, he had that leadoff single down the line. So he sits there in 55-degree weather with three hours and 15 minutes between the two balls he had to handle and he threw a perfect strike to the plate,” coach Elliott Avent said.

“I think Chris Schaeffer did a great job blocking the plate, as well as you can block it in college baseball, and put the tag down. It was a great play by two players.”