RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State took the lead in the middle innings Wednesday evening and held off UNCG by an 8-3 score to earn a midweek split with the Blue and Gold in non-conference baseball action at Doak Field. The Wolfpack improve to 11-8 overall while the Spartans dip to 7-11 heading into Southern Conference play this weekend.

NCSU out-hit UNCG 9-5 while making the only error. The teams left a collective 19 men on base and combined to walk 16 batters in a game that lasted just over three errors.

Freshman outfielder Devin Ruiz led the Spartan offense with two hits, a run scored and a RBI. Senior outfielder Zac MacAneney returned after a three-game absence and extended his hitting streak to eight games with a double in the seventh inning. Jake Fincher turned in a 3-for-5 performance to pace NC State.

Freshman RHP Daniel Dulaney was saddled with the loss to drop to 0-2. He allowed three runs on one hit while walking three in one inning of work. Joe O'Donell was credited with the win and improved to 1-0 after tossing two and two-thirds innings and giving up one run on two hits with a strikeout.

NC State broke onto the scoreboard first in the bottom of the second. Two walks and a single loaded the bases for Joel McKeithan who poked a RBI single up the middle for the Wolfpack's first run. Brock Deatherage added another tally via a fielder's choice that plated Jake Fincher and left NCSU with a 2-0 advantage after two complete. NC State threatened to add the lead with the bases loaded, but junior catcher Jake Hall caught Chance Shepard napping at third and picked him off to end the frame.

The Spartans struck back in the top of the third as Ruiz drew a leadoff walk. Following a pair of strikeouts, MacAneney and senior infielder Hunter King walked to load the bases for junior infielder Collin Woody who lined a two-run single to center and knotted the score at two.

NCSU took the lead back quickly in the bottom of the third, using a two-out bases-loaded walk to edge ahead 3-2. The Wolfpack added to its advantage with more two out runs in the bottom of the fourth as Fincher sent a two-run single just past the diving glove of Woody between second and third. Senior infielder Aaron Wright helped UNCG trim its deficit to 5-3 in the top of the sixth, leading off with a triple to right center and scoring on a RBI infield single by Ruiz.

After redshirt junior RHP Lee Gilliam made his first appearance in over a year in the bottom of the seventh and worked a scoreless inning, Woody led off the top of the eighth with a walk and moved to second on a wild pitch. He was stay at second, however, as a pair of strikeouts and a flyout kept the Spartans off of the scoreboard.

The Wolfpack closed out the scoring in the bottom of the eight, plating three runs on two hits, a pair of walks and two sacrifice flies.

UNCG opens up its Southern Conference schedule Friday, welcoming two-time defending regular season champion Western Carolina to the UNCG Baseball Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

Follow the UNCG baseball team all season by logging on to www.uncgspartans.com and following the Spartans' official Twitter accounts @uncgbaseball/@uncgsports.