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Virginia Falls To N.C. State In ACC Tournament Quarterfinals, 6-2
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May 18, 2001
FORT MILL, S.C. – The University of Virginia baseball team dropped a 6-2 decision to the N.C. State Wolfpack this afternoon in the quarterfinals of the 2001 ACC Tournament at Knights Stadium. The Cavaliers held an early 2-0 lead before N.C. State scored six unanswered runs to eliminate UVa from the tournament.
Virginia jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when David Stone walked and then scored a run after the Wolfpack committed two errors. The first error sent Stone to third base when NCSU shortstop Adam Miller mishandled a ball, and the second error allowed him to score a run when pitcher Corey Mattison threw the ball away into foul territory in right field on a failed pickoff attempt.
The Cavaliers extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the third inning when Chris Sweet hit his second home run of the season, a solo home run to left field. N.C. State cut Virginia’s lead to 2-1 in the bottom half of the inning when Sean Walsh hit an RBI-single to left field that scored Miller from second base.
The Wolfpack took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning when Colt Morton and Justin Riley each scored a run on RBI’s by Joe Gaetti (ground out) and Miller (single to left field) to give NCSU a 3-2 lead.
N.C. State held its one-run lead until the bottom of the seventh when the Wolfpack added another run to take a 4-2 lead when Jamey Shearin hit a bases loaded RBI-single up the middle to score Gaetti. UVa pitcher Chris Marinak got NCSU’s Colt Morton to fly out to center field with the bases loaded to end the inning.
The Wolfpack took a 6-2 lead in the bottom of the eighth inning when Gaetti hit a two-run, home run to center field that drove in Riley to give NCSU a four-run cushion. That would be all the scoring NCSU would need as it held on for the four-run victory over UVa.
Virginia starting pitcher Joe Koshansky (4-6) went 6.2 innings and allowed four runs (two earned) on nine hits and struck out two batters in the loss. N.C. State’s starting pitcher Corey Mattison (2-3) pitched 7.1 innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on just four hits with a game-high seven strikeouts in the win. NCSU’s Josh Miller picked up his sixth save of the season after pitching a scoreless 1.2 innings to close out the game.
With the loss, Virginia finishes the 2001 season with a record of 25-31 overall. The Cavaliers were 9-12 in the ACC and finished the ACC Tournament with a mark of 1-2. N.C. State improves to 30-28 with the victory.
– UVa –