June 3, 2007

Columbia, S.C. – Mike Roskopf and Jeremy Synan each belted two-run homers and relief pitcher Joey Cutler pitched out of a bases loaded jam in the seventh inning as second-seed North Carolina State held on for a 10-6 win over fourth-seeded Wofford in an elimination game in the Columbia Regional before 3,848 at Sarge Frye Field on Sunday.

N.C. State improved to 38-22 overall and will take on either Charlotte or South Carolina in game five Sunday night. Wofford finished the season with a 30-33 record.

Roskopf lined his 12th homer of the season off the scoreboard in right center to give the Wolfpack a 3-1 fourth inning advantage.

Synan’s two-run shot to center highlighted N.C. State’s five-run sixth inning. Drew Martin, Dallas Poulk and Marcus Jones added run-scoring doubles in the frame to give the Wolfpack a 9-1 lead.

Wofford answered in the bottom of the sixth with four runs. Shane Kirkley had an RBI single, John Brandt a two-run homer and an RBI double by Sterling Dye cut N.C. State’s lead to 9-5.

Synan, who finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, had a sacrifice fly to left in the seventh inning that scored Ryan Pond for a 10-5 Wolfpack lead.

Wofford threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh when they loaded the bases with one out. After Brandon Waring’s RBI single cut the margin to 10-6, Cutler came on and struck out Brandt and Adam Wood to end the inning.

Roman Corona paced the Wolfpack’s 13-hit attack with three hits and an RBI. Wofford got four hits from Kirkley and two from Mike Gilmartin, including his 14th homer of the season, a solo shot to center in the third inning that tied the game at 1-all.

Clayton Shunick (6-3) picked up the win allowing five runs on eight hits with six strikeouts over the first six innings. Cutler blanked the Terriers on two hits with five strikeouts over the final 2 2/3 innings for his third save of the season.

Austin Redwine (7-6) suffered the loss surrendering six runs on seven hits over 5 1/3 innings. Redwine walked two and struck out three.