8th Inning Heroics Push NC State Past UNCC 9-6

RALEIGH, N.C. – No. 12 NC State baseball earned its second win in as many days, as the Wolfpack defeated Charlotte, 9-6, Wednesday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park. The Pack scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth to overcome a two-run deficit and held on for the victory.

NC State moves to 4-1 on the year, while Charlotte suffers its first loss of 2018 and is now 3-1. Sophomore Kent Klyman earned the win for the Pack, while Joe O’Donnell nailed down his third save. Phillip Perry was hit with the loss for the 49ers.

Quick Hits
– NC State plated the game’s first run in the bottom of the fourth after Brock Deatherage tripled to left center and scored on a balk call to give the Pack a 1-0 lead.
– The Wolfpack added four runs in the sixth to stretch the advantage to 5-0.
– Shane Shepard doubled to left field, scoring a pair of runs and Dillon Cooper singled later in the frame to drive in Shepard to make it 4-0.
– Josh McLain hit his team-leading third double down the left field to score Cooper and give NC State a 5-0 advantage.
– Charlotte responded in a big way with six runs in the top half of the seventh to grab a 6-5 lead, but the Wolfpack answered in the eighth.
– Cooper’s second hit of the day knotted the score at six, as J.T. Jarrett scored from second base and a sacrifice fly from Brett Kinneman gave the Pack a 7-6 advantage.
– Brad Debo gave NC State a three-run cushion with a two-RBI single up the middle, as NCSU pulled ahead, 9-6.

On the Mound
– Freshman Reid Johnston made his first career start on the mound and pitched three innings with two strikeouts before handing the ball to classmate Nick Swiney, who threw the next three.
– For the first time in his collegiate career, Kinneman saw action on the hill for the Wolfpack and he struck out a batter.
– Klyman pitched a hitless inning of relief to earn the win and turned it over to O’Donnell to nail down the save.

Inside the Box Score
– Cooper led NC State at the plate with a 2-for-3 performance with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Debo and McLain were each 2-for-5.
– Wolfpack pitchers yielded just two extra-base hits in the game and only allowed the leadoff batter to reach in one inning.
– Six of NC State’s runs were scored with two outs in the inning.

Game Notes
– McLain’s double in the sixth inning extended his hitting streak to 13 games dating to last season, as he has recorded at least one hit in every game in 2018.
– Will Wilson also extended a streak, as his walk in the first inning stretched his reached base safely streak to 21 games.
– NC State out-hit Charlotte, 10-8, and the Wolfpack is a perfect 4-0 this season when tallying more hits in the contest.

Up Next
The Wolfpack returns to action this weekend when the Furman Paladins visit Doak Field for a three-game series. First pitch of Friday’s game is slated for 3 p.m.