Maryland
NC State (ACC Tournament)
NC State Tops Maryland 11-5 In The Opening Round Of The ACC Tournament
5/15/2001 8:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 15, 2001
FORT MILL, S.C.- NC State second baseman Jeremy Dutton went 3-for-4 with three RBIs as the Wolfpack downed Maryland, 11-5, in the opening round of the 2001 ACC Tournament at Knights Stadium in Fort Mill, S.C.
The Wolfpack broke a scoreless tie in the third with three runs. Two balks by Maryland starting pitcher Todd Ainsworth and an error by third baseman Steve Oursler led to the three-run inning for NC State. After back-to-back balks by Ainsworth, second baseman Jeremy Dutton scored the game's first run. NC State third baseman Sean Walsh then hit a bloop single to right to score Brian Wright to put the Pack up 2-0. The final blow came when designated hitter J.R. Riley grounded out to second to score Walsh and make the score 3-0.
NC State added to its lead in the fourth with two more runs. The Wolfpack's first tally of the inning came when Dutton singled to right field to score first baseman David Hicks. Wright then drove in a run on a fielder's choice to pad the Wolfpack advantage to 5-0.
The Terps got back into the game in the fifth with a pair of runs. After center fielder Daryl Whitmer walked and stole second, left fielder Brian Patenaude lined a single to right center to score Whitmer and make the score 5-1. Later in the inning, third baseman Steve Oursler smacked his 20th double of the year to left center to bring home Patenaude and cut the deficit to 5-2.
NC State came right back with four runs in the home half of the fifth. After the Wolfpack loaded the bases, Maryland reliever Jared Stuart walked two to force in a pair of runs and another runner scored on a passed ball to put the Wolfpack ahead 8-2. An infield single by Wright forced home the final run of the inning to put NC State up 9-2.
The Terrapins got one run back in the seventh to make the score 9-3, NC State. After Whitmer doubled to the gap in right center, second baseman John McCurdy hit an infield single and Whitmer scored on the play.
NC State came right back again with two runs in the bottom of the seventh. After shortstop Adam Miller lined a RBI double down the right field line, Dutton drove in his third run of the game with a single to right to make the score 11-3.
McCurdy nailed his sixth home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the Maryland ninth to make the final score 11-5. The Crofton, Md. native finished the contest 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
NC State starter Jason Blanton tossed seven strong innings to pick up the victory for the Wolfpack. Blanton (5-1) yielded six hits and allowed just two earned runs to pick up his fifth win of the season. Ainsworth lasted 3.1 innings and gave up four runs, two earned, to fall to 3-3.
The loss ends the season for the Terrapins at 17-37 while the Wolfpack improve to 28-27.
