Wolfpack walks away with dramatic wins over Cavs

First, senior Bubby Riley delivered for N.C. State.

Then, it was freshman Joe Dunand’s turn.

Riley and Dunand each blasted walk-off homers Sunday as the Wolfpack swept an ACC doubleheader against Virginia on a chilly, overcast day at Doak Field. Riley's solo shot with two out in the ninth won the opener 4-3, and Dunand's two-run homer in the 10th won the second game 5-3.

"If we can't find a way to get those two on ESPN, I don't know what it takes," the Pack's Logan Ratledge said, smiling.

The Pack (23-18, 11-12 ACC) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning of the opener, only to have the Cavaliers claw back to tie the score. With two out in the ninth, NCSU coach Elliott Avent turned to Riley to pinch hit for Evan Mendoza, a freshman who had started at second base.

Riley hammered a 2-0 pitch from Virginia reliever Tommy Doyle deep to center field, jabbing out a fist with the ball in the air. It was his first homer of the season and the Pack’s first hit since the first inning.

“It’s his senior year and he wants to go to postseason badly,” Avent said. “We know we’ve got some work to do but we know we’re right there.”

In the second game, the Pack took a 2-0 lead on Preston Palmeiro’s two-run shot in the third, had the Cavs take a 3-2 lead in the fifth, then tied the score 3-3 in the eighth on Jake Armstrong's bases-loaded, two-out walk. Ratledge followed with a blooper to center, only to have center fielder Adam Haseley streak in for a spectacular, tumbling catch that saved the Cavs at least one run and maybe two.

Dunand struck out with runners on second and third with one out in the eighth. But with one out in the 10th and Ryne Willard on base after his fourth hit of the game, Dunand lifted a 1-0 pitch from Alec Bittinger over the left-field fence for a second dramatic victory.

"Our kids have never given in and never once given up," Avent said. "To get rewarded like this is something they richly deserve."

The Wolfpack got a strong relief appearance in the second game from freshman right-hander Tommy DeJuneas, who allowed three hits over the final four innings and struck out seven.

"He was as good as he's been all year and he's been good for us," Avent said.

The Pack had lost nine of its past 12 games, including an 8-3 loss to the Cavs (27-17, 10-14) on Friday. Saturday's game was postponed by rain, setting up the doubleheader.

Avent made two changes for the opener, moving Ratledge from second to shortstop and shifting Jake Fincher from center field to left. Avent then made an early game change, moving Fincher back to center.

The Wolfpack scored all three runs in the first off Virginia starter Brandon Waddell, a junior left-hander who then steadied and kept N.C. State off balance, fanning eight in seven innings. Doyle relieved in the eighth.

Andrew Knizner had an RBI-double to drive in the Pack’s first run and Dunand followed with a two-run double.

Junior left-hander Will Gilbert, the third Wolfpack pitcher, allowed one hit and fanned four in three innings to earn the victory. Sophomore right-hander Cory Wilder started for the Pack and pitched into the fifth, when he was relieved by Curt Britt.

Shortstop Daniel Pinero had two hits and scored twice for the Cavs in the opener, and Robbie Coman three hits in the second game.

This story was originally published April 26, 2015 at 3:28 PM with the headline "Wolfpack walks away with dramatic wins over Cavs."