Click here for Coach Avent’s thoughts on Friday’s game
The Wolfpack opened its season Friday with a close loss to the Rams of Rhode Island despite a strong start. The team came out strong, scoring 5 runs in the first three innings while sophomore pitcher Jake Buchanan sat the Rams first nine batters down.
In the fourth inning Ram’s shortstop, senior Dan Rhault, got on the board with a one out, two-run homerun. The Pack answered back when junior Wade Moore scored off a sacrifice fly from junior Kyle Wilson.
After a scoreless fifth inning, redshirt senior Kyle Rutter replaced Buchanan on the mound. Buchanan pitched five innings allowing two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and no walks. The Rams pulled within two in the top of the sixth off another Rhault two-run homer. The Pack answered again with a run from junior Dallas Poulk off a single from senior Drew Martin. In the seventh inning, the Rams pulled within one with a two-RBI single from centerfielder Kenny Burns.
In the bottom of the inning, the Pack was unable to answer while Rams pitcher Gardner Leaver struck out two. The Rams took control in the top of the eighth, going on a five run rally and pulling ahead by four. The rally was sparked by a walk with the bases loaded by freshman righty Cory Mazzoni. In the bottom of the inning the Pack put up one run when freshman John Gianis scored off a Kyle Wilson single. The inning brought a light sidedness to the loss as the Ram’s catcher, Rob DeVeney, could not get the ball back to the pitcher. He was eventually replaced by Mike Eschmann.
Redshirt senior Joey Cutler shutdown the Rhode Island offense in the top of the ninth, striking out three and allowing only one single. To start out the bottom of the ninth, pinch hitting senior Domonique Rodgers struck out looking. Freshman designated hitter Pratt Maynard followed, also striking out looking. The hopes for the Pack were extended by a walk of redshirt sophomore catcher Chris Schaeffer followed by a single from Gianis. A balk from the pitcher advanced the two on base to third and second respectively, but a strike out of pinch hitter sophomore Dusty Quattlebaum ended the Pack’s hopes.
Mazzoni picked up the loss while Buchanan got a no decision in his first start of the season.