Baseball Edged by Wolfpack, 2-1

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March 26, 1999

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – For the second time in three weeks,University of Virginia sophomore pitcher Brandon Creswell found himselfnipped in an Atlantic Coast Conference pitchers’ dual. This time, it wasNo. 26 North Carolina State’s Rodney Ormond bettered the Cavalier Southpawas the Wolfpack downed the Wahoos 2-1 here Friday afternoon.

With the loss, Virginia falls to 10-17 on the season and 2-4 in ACCplay. State improves to 22-6 and 2-5. This was the 135th all-time meetingbetween the two schools with NCSU now holding a 80-54-1 lead in the series.

The Wolfpack got on the board first with a run in the secondinning. With runners at second and third, Wolfpack catcher Dan Mooney laiddown a sacrifice bunt, scoring Todd DeMakes from the hot corner. Stateadded a run in the third when Matt Postell laced a double to thecenterfield wall to plate Jason Smith.

UVa battled back with a run in the bottom of the fourth. DavidStone singled to left with two outs and runners on the corners, scoringJulian Gonzalez. However, the Cavaliers’ chances for a big inning werethwarted when Hunter Wyant was thrown out at third trying to go corner tocorner on the play.

The Cavaliers got a runner in scoring position only once more onthe afternoon. In the sixth, Gonzalez led off with a double and Virginiaeventually worked the bases loaded with two outs. Stone then ripped a linedrive into left-center, but a hustling Jason Schmitt made the catch to endthe inning.

Both pitchers went the distance. Creswell (4-3) allowed two runs onsix hits with a walk and six strike outs. The Newport News, Va., nativelost another 2-1 decision to Florida State’s Nick Stocks two weeks ago inTallahassee, Fla. Ormond (4-1) allowed seven hits with a walk and fivestrike outs.

Five Wolfpack batters collected hits, including Jason Smith withtwo in four trips to the plate. Gonzalez and Stone each had two hits forthe Cavaliers.

Virginia and North Carolina State will play the second game of thisthree-game series here Saturday at 2 p.m. It will be a battle of lefties asDan D’Amato (4-1) will take the hill for the Wolfpack and Jon Metzger (0-0)will toss for the Cavaliers.

No. 26 NORTH CAROLINA STATE 2, VIRGINIA 1

NCSU (22-6, 2-5)    011 000 000 -  2  6  2UVa (10-17, 2-4)    000 100 000 -  1  7  2

WP – Ormond (4-1). LP – Creswell (4-3). Sv – None.Ormond and Mooney; Creswell and Rueffert. T – 2:11. A – 143.