NC State Drops Series Opener At Virginia Tech

BLACKSBURG, Va. – The NC State baseball team had a tough day on the field Thursday evening, as the Virginia Tech Hokies opened the series with a 10-2 win at English Field at Union Park.

The loss was just the fifth of the season for the sixth-ranked Wolfpack, as the squad has won eight of its last 10 games.

NC State falls to 21-5 on the year and 7-3 in ACC play, while Virginia Tech moves to 11-13 and 5-5 in conference action. Sophomore Michael Bienlien started on the mound for the Wolfpack and was hit with the loss, while Tech’s Connor Coward earned his second win of the season.

Quick Hits
– For the sixth time this season, NC State scored in the first inning as the Wolfpack plated a pair of runs to take an early lead.
– Making his return from injury, Stephen Pitarra led off the game with a walk and advanced to third after a double to right field by Brett Kinneman, as he narrowly missed his 13th home run of the season.
– Pitarra scored his first run of the season to give NC State a 1-0 lead, as Josh McLain reached on an error by the second baseman.
– Brock Deatherage dropped a perfect bunt and Kinneman scored from third to make it 2-0 in favor of the Wolfpack.
– NC State ran into trouble in the third inning and could not get out of it, as Virginia Tech plated eight runs in the frame and the Wolfpack could not make up the deficit.
– Sophomore Mathieu Gauthier delivered a strong relief appearance for the Pack, as he threw five innings and did not allow a run until the bottom of the eighth.

Up Next
NC State and Virginia Tech will return to the field Friday afternoon for game two of the series. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. at English Field at Union Park.