Courtesy: Jeff Harwell-Zips Sports Photography Ryne Romick was very impressive, getting a save in game one and pitching eight innings in game two at the Palm Beach Challenge.

LAKE WORTH, Fla. – Akron and North Carolina State, each of whom played a nine-inning game 30 minutes prior to their first pitch Wednesday, battled for 18 innings and set several records Wednesday night with the Wolfpack pulling out a 5-4 decision in the Pal Beach Challenge.

 

The game, the longest for both teams, featured an NCAA record 51 strikeouts between the two schools with NC State (7-2) setting an NCAA mark with 31 Ks by its 10 pitchers, third-most in NCAA history and two shy of the record. Akron’s previous long contest was a 15-inning affair versus West Virginia in 1990 and NC State’s previous long was 16 innings versus Virginia in 1973. Other records set include five Zips (Kevin Haas, Jake Plata, Kyle Hallett, Brandon White and Brian Kordal) setting a UA record with eight at bats.

 

Besides the strikeouts, Akron (1-8) committed six errors, leading to four of the five runs being unearned. Not to be lost in the shuffle were three solid pitching performances by the Zips. Redshirt freshman Scott Foster pitched the first six innings, allowing just four hits and three runs (one earned) with four walks and eight strikeouts. Ryne Romick, who recorded a three-pitch save in game one versus Lehigh in what was his shortest outing ever, threw a career-high eight complete innings (1414 pitches), going from the ninth inning to the 16th. Chris Bassitt (0-1) pitched the final two innings and was the tough-luck loser. He allowed one hit, one walk and one unearned run while striking out two.

 

NC State’s Kyle Wilson drew a one-out walk in the 18th, stole second and stole third. However, on the attempted play at third, the throw got away, allowing Wilson to score the game winner on the error.

 

The game nearly ended in the 16th. In the top half, Akron appeared to have gotten out of the inning unscathed. Wolfpack left fielder John Gianis, who led off with an infield single, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and to third on a ground out. With two out, Drew Poulk struck out, but the ball was in the dirt and he would reach when the throw to first went astray, allowing Gianis to score for a 4-3 lead.

 

In the home half, with one out, Frazee blasted a 1-2 pitch over the left-center field fence to tie the contest with his third homer of the season.

 

The game started innocently enough. After a 1-2-3 inning in the top of the first, Akron’s bats came to life early in the home half. Haas had a leadoff double and, after a walk to Brett Savage, Plata delivered an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. The Zips padded their lead with a single tally in the bottom of the third. Matt Roberts and Plata had back-to-back singles to start the frame. Two batters later, Kordal, who had a game-high three hits, ripped an RBI double to right-center.

 

In the fourth, the Wolfpack took advantage of an infield hit by Harold Riggins, a throwing error and a bad-hop single by Dallas Poulk made the score 2-1. Another UA error put Poulk on third and Drew Martin knotted the game with a safety squeeze. Akron threatened in the bottom of the fourth, putting two on and Plata just missing extra bases as Drew Poulk made an impressive catch at the right-field fence.

 

In the sixth, a walk, an error and a walk loaded the bases and set the stage for Martin’s sacrifice fly to right, putting the Wolfpack on top 3-2. Another nice play by NC State’s Poulk in right, a diving catch for the third out in the sixth, kept the Wolfpack up one.

 

Akron forced extra innings, scoring one run in the bottom of the ninth. Savage had a one-out double and scored when pinch hitter John Turk singled to right.

 

Akron will face Villanova on Thursday as part of the Palm Beach Challenge. First pitch is set for 2:30 pm and GoZips.com will provide live stats.