Box Score
RALEIGH, MARCH 5, 2008 – North Carolina A&T’s offense got back on track Wednesday, but unfortunately N.C. State’s was also pretty good as the Wolfpack defeated the Aggies 14-9 in baseball action from Doak Field.

C.J. Beatty led the Aggies with four hits and four RBIs. B.J. Curtis added his first home run of the season, and Nelson Santos, Joe Wade and Nick Mayo had two hits apiece. The Aggies (3-6) dropped their sixth straight game as Nick Rogers took his first loss of the season on the mound. Marcus Jones went 4-for-4 with six RBIs against the Aggies.  

The Aggies lost to the Wolfpack 11-2 on Saturday, but had a much better showing offensively in Raleigh on Wednesday. It looked as if the Pack was headed toward another blowout win over the Aggies as it took an 11-2 lead going into the fifth inning. But a Santos RBI triple and a Beatty RBI double helped the Aggies score two runs in the fifth to cut the Pack’s lead to seven.

N.C. State reliever Alex Sogard gave up a single to left to Joe McIntyre leading off the inning, then retired Neil Rosser on a routine fly ball to right. Joe Wade hit a grounder to first base that kicked off the glove of Bill Edwards for an error, putting runners on the corners, and Phillip Brewington struck out for the second out of the inning. With two outs, Nick Mayo hit a slow roller to the left of the mound, and Sogard fielded the ball but was unable to make a play.

The infield single scored McIntyre, and Jeremy Jones singled to left to score Wade and cut the lead to 11-6. Nelson Santos followed with another swinging bunt to the left side of the mound. Third baseman Matt Payne charged this one, but Santos beat the throw for another infield single to load the bases for Beatty, who singled through the right side to drive in a pair of runs and cut the Wolfpack lead to three runs at 11-8.

The Aggies got even closer in the eighth thanks to another hit by Beatty. Beatty followed two singles by Phillip Brewington and Mayo with a two-out RBI single to center to put the Aggies down 11-9. The Aggies did, however, leave two runners on base in the inning which proved to be a big missed opportunity late in the game.

The Wolfpack scored three runs in its half of the eighth to put the Aggies away. Jake Buchanan finished off the save in the ninth by retiring the Aggies in order. The Aggies will be back in action on 1 p.m., Friday when they start a three-game series with Phoenix at Elon.