Wolfpack prevails in 11 innings

From electronic and staff reports
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In a game in which offensive heroes were few, N.C. State's Tarran Senay defied the trend with three of N.C. State's seven hits, including a run-scoring, two-out zinger that gave the Wolfpack a 4-3, 11-inning victory over East Carolina Wednesday night at Doak Field.

Senay was 3-for-5 and played a part in three of State's four runs. The junior outfielder scored a run himself and drove in two others as the Pack extracted payback for a 6-5 loss to the Pirates last week in Greenville.

East Carolina (16-8) failed to break a 3-3 deadlock despite loading the bases in the top of the 10th. State (17-6) couldn't muster a serious threat in its half of the frame and the Pirates went down in order to begin the 11th.

The Wolfpack showed signs of life in the bottom of the 11th as freshman catcher Brett Austin led off with a walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and advanced to third on a fly ball. That set the stage for Senay's climactic walk-off stroke into right center.

Senay also factored into the game's first two runs. His double to right center in the second inning brought in senior first baseman Andrew Cienin to put State on the scoreboard. Senay, who dashed to third on the throw to the plate, then scored on a sacrifice bunt by junior outfielder Bryan Adametz. Ciencin had reached on a single through the left side.

State upped its margin to 3-0 in the third when Austin singled to right and then scored on a double down the left field line by junior shortstop Chris Diaz.

East Carolina bunched all three of its runs into the fourth inning as the first five batters recorded hits, knocking out junior righthander Danny Healey, the Wolfpack's starter.

Senior second baseman Tim Younger led off the frame with a single to center and senior third baseman Corey Thomspon followed with a single through the left side. Junior outfielder John Wooten doubled to left to drive in Younger and sophomore designated hitter/pitcher Drew Reynolds singled to right to push Thompson across the plate.

After Healey retired to the showers, sophomore first baseman Chase McDonald greeted relief pitcher Vance Williams, a senior righthander, with a sacrifice fly to right to score Wooten.

From that point on, Williams and the relievers that followed him kept East Carolina's hitters muzzled, giving up one hit and no runs over the next eight innings.

Junior righthander Ryan Wilkins (2-1) got the win for the Wolfpack, closing out the final 1 1/3 innings without allowing a base runner.

Freshman righthander Jeff Hoffman started for East Carolina and allowed six hits and three runs over 6 2/3 innings. Junior righthander Andy Smithmyer (2-1) took the loss after pitching 3 2/3 innings of hitless relief but surrendering four walks, including the fateful walk to Austin that became the winning run.

The Pirates bused home after the game and will now shift their focus to a weekend series in the friendly confines of Clark-LeClair Stadium with Conference USA foe UAB. The three-game set includes games on Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (10:30 a.m.).

PAGE UPDATED 03/29/12 05:07 AM.

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