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March 18, 2000
RALEIGH, N.C. — Sophomore lefthander Dan D’Amato threw the firstcomplete game of his career Saturday, shutting down Virginia on four hitsas NC State defeated the Cavaliers 4-2 in ACC baseball action at DoakField.
D’Amato, who improved to 4-2 with the win, walked one and struckout seven. Virginia lefthander Brandon Creswell (1-4) was the hard-luckloser after allowing four runs, three of them earned, on 11 hits in acomplete game (albeit eight innings) of his own. Creswell walked two andstruck out six.
The win was NC State’s fifth in a row, the Wolfpack’s longestwinning streak of the season, and lifted the Pack to 15-7 overall and 4-1in the ACC. Virginia dropped to 11-12-1 overall and 0-2 in theconference.
NC State scored single runs in each of the first four innings.Brian Wright walked to lead off the bottom of the first, went to secondon a Jason Smith sacrifice, and scored on Dan Mooney’s RBI single. JoshSchmitt reached on a one-out single in the second, stole second base,went to third on a passed ball, and scored on John Whitley’s two-outsingle to left.
Virginia tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the third. MichaelFloyd walked to lead off and stole second. Robbie Marvin beat out a buntto first base, and Floyd came around to score when the throw to thepitcher covering the bag was mishandled for an error. Marvin then stolesecond and scored on Hunter Wyant’s RBI single.
Wright led off the bottom of the third with a single, took secondon Smith’s second sacrifice bunt of the game, and scored on MikeProchaska’s single to right field. Schmitt led off the bottom of thefourth with a single, went to second on a sacrifice by Eric Mosley, andscored on Chris Goodman’s RBI single to center field.
Both pitchers settled in from there, and neither team had abaserunner reach scoring position after the fourth inning. Creswellretired 10 of the final 13 men he faced, and two of the three NC Staterunners who reached base over the final four innings were retired on thebasepaths. D’Amato retired 10 men in a row from the fourth inning intothe seventh, and set down 17 of the last 19 men he faced.
The two teams will meet in the series finale on Sunday at DoakField. Game time will be 1:30, as originally scheduled.