Box Score
RALEIGH, N.C., May 13, 2008 – After traveling to Mississippi, then to North Carolina, Virginia and back to North Carolina in the last six days, the North Carolina A&T baseball team finally ended its regular-season with a 17-6 loss to No. 18 N.C. State on Tuesday at Doak Field.

Jeremy Jones, who increased his hitting streak to 16 on Tuesday, led the Aggies by going 3-for-5 with a RBI and two runs scored. Nick Rogers had two hits and two RBIs, and C.J. Beatty added 2-for-4 performance with two runs scored and a RBI. The Aggies end their season at 27-28 after going to Mississippi over the weekend, returning to North Carolina, before attempting to travel to Maryland to play a make-up game against Maryland-Eastern Shore.

That game was cancelled giving the Aggies the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MEAC Tournament in Norfolk, Va. Instead of going to Maryland, the Aggies took a detour to Norfolk, Va., to check into their hotel before returning to North Carolina to play N.C. State. It is now a return to Norfolk, Va., to begin play in the tournament on Thursday at 2 p.m., against Norfolk State.

On Tuesday, head coach Keith Shumate put eight different pitchers on the mound, many of whom will play a key role in the tournament. N.C. A&T jumped on NC State starter Jeff Stallings in the first with a pair of runs on a single through the right side by Nick Rogers.

Beatty greeted reliever Erik McConnell with an RBI double to left center and it was 3-0 Aggies in the third inning. It appeared McConnell was going to limit the damage in his only inning of work by getting two outs after the Beatty double, but he walked Nelson Santos and catcher Neil Rosser promptly plated two more with another double to left center for a 5-0 lead.

The Wolfpack’s attempt at a comeback hit a snag in the fourth and momentarily in the fifth inning by grounding into a pair of double plays. However in the fifth, the Pack took advantage of two more walks to keep its rally going. In the process it chased A&T starter Donald Howerton from the game.

Reliever Chris Eggers (5-6) came in and gave up what seemed to be an innocent infield single to Pond, but on the play shortstop Nick Mayo threw the ball into right field attempting to get the force out at second, which allowed the Pack to get on the scoreboard.

Matt Payne followed with a two-run single to right and the Pack was back in it, down 5-3. The two-out rally continued when Marcus Jones squared things up 5-all with his seventh home run of the season, a line drove, opposite field shot to right field. Two more walks by Eggers brought in lefty Tim Johnson to face Ferguson and he responded with a three-run blast to right for his team-best ninth homer of the year and an 8-5 Wolfpack advantage.

 Drew Taylor (3-2) picked up the win with three scoreless relief innings. He scattered four hits and struck out two. Pat Ferguson, Payne, Jones and Dallas Poulk each homered and drove in a combined 13 runs to pace NC State to a 17-6 victory over North Carolina A&T Tuesday afternoon in the home finale at Doak Field.

NC State improves to 36-16 on the season.