NC State Baseball
#6 NC State rebounds with 14-2 victory over VT
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Graduate student Johnny Piedmonte took a perfect game into the sixth, a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Wolfpack’s offense did its part, as the sixth-ranked NC State baseball team earned a 14-2 win against Virginia Tech Friday afternoon at English Field at Union Park.
The Wolfpack grabbed an early lead in the contest with three runs in the first and led 11-0 before the Hokies ended the shutout bid in the bottom of the seventh. With the win, NC State evened the series to set up the rubber game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
NC State improves to 22-5 overall and 8-3 in ACC play, while Virginia Tech falls to 11-14 and 5-6 in conference action.
Quick Hits
– Piedmonte turned in one of the best performances in his collegiate career, as he was nearly unhittable in seven innings of work. The Davidson, N.C., native was perfect through 5.1 innings before a one-out hit-by-pitch in the sixth.
– A single to right field ended his no-hit bid in the seventh and a sacrifice fly ended the shutout in the same inning. He struck out six batters and allowed just two hits, both singles.
– For the second consecutive game, NC State scored in the first inning as the Wolfpack plated three runs in the opening frame.
– After singles from Josh McLain and Brett Kinneman, sophomore Will Wilson belted his seventh home run of the season over the wall in left field.
– The Pack added to its lead in the third after an RBI single to right field by Brock Deatherage, scoring Kinneman who walked earlier in the frame.
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– In the fourth inning, Kinneman doubled to deep right field, as David Vazquez and McLain scored to give NC State a 6-0 advantage.
– An RBI groundout from Vazquez and an RBI single by Dillon Cooper pushed the Wolfpack’s lead to 8-0.
– McLain drove in a pair of runs with a single to left field in the seventh and a throwing error led to the third run of the inning for NCSU.
– Deatherage led off the eighth with a solo homer to deep right field, his fifth of the season to make it 12-1 in favor of the Wolfpack.
– NC State extended its lead to 14-1 in the eighth after McLain singled to score J.T. Jarrett and Patrick Bailey.
– Virginia Tech got a run back in the bottom half, but Wolfpack relief pitcher Evan Justice worked a perfect ninth inning to seal the win.
Inside the Box Score
– Deatherage was the only player in the game with four hits, as he turned in a perfect 4-for-4 outing at the plate. It was his first four-hit game this season and the seventh of the year for a Wolfpack player.
– McLain collected three hits in the contest, while Bailey, Jarrett and Kinneman also tallied multi-hit performances.
– The Wolfpack’s leadoff batter reached in six of the nine innings and NC State had at least one baserunner in eight of the nine innings.
– Justice relieved Piedmonte and pitched the final two innings. The Richmond, Va., native had the opportunity to pitch in his home state for the first time in his NC State career.
Up Next
NC State and Virginia Tech return to the field Saturday afternoon for the decisive game three of the series. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m.
#21 NC State lost to #7 ECU 6-10 on the road this evening in a midweek game. As a result, the Pirates have won both games against the Wolfpack in 2024.
When you record 10 hits and score 6 runs, you would hope that’s enough offense to win a baseball game.
Unfortunately the Wolfpack pitching staff was unable to contain the bats of the Pirates, allowing ECU to put 15 hits and 10 runs in the Box Score.
Kudos to Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz for making a STATEment in his return to Clark-LeClair Stadium. A-Mak transferred to NC State from ECU this offseason. This evening Makarewicz was 2-4 with 1 RBI, 2 Runs, and 1 Walk.
A-MAK 👏 ON 👏 THE 👏 ATTACK 👏#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/7Lps43hXow
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
A-Mak’s Home Run was a part of back-to-back-to-back Home Runs in the Top of the 3rd for the Wolfpack, with Sophomore Right Fielder Josh Hogue and Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart also hitting bombs.
Hogue Homer 💪#Pack9 | @JoshHogue5 pic.twitter.com/CMV3rCQu4B
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
‘Zart completes the trifecta 🤌 pic.twitter.com/gipiWvbcFb
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
NC State will look to flush this loss, and get ready for a 3-game series at home this weekend against Ball State.
Earlier this season on April 2nd, #21 NC State (22-15) lost to #7 ECU (31-8) 4-12 in Raleigh. This evening the Wolfpack will look to get revenge against the Pirates in a game in Greenville at 6pm.
Overall, NC State holds a 71-43 advantage over East Carolina in the series, which dates back to 1957.
Last year, the Wolfpack and the Pirates split their 2-game series, ironically, losing at home, and winning in Greenville.
Replicating last years results will be no small task. The Pirates are ranked 7th in the land, and boast a 3-1 record against ranked opponents this season. One of those wins was against NC State, when the Wolfpack was ranked 19th. The other two ranked wins were at UNC when they were ranked 15th.
NC State has done well against ranked opponents, going 7-4 against teams in the Top-25, and 4-2 against teams in the Top-10.
The Pirates’ pitching staff leads the AAC and is in the Top-10 nationally in ERA (3.61), WHIP (1.18), hits allowed per nine innings (6.99) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.04).
ECU’s home field advantage is a real thing, going 20-2 at home thus far this season.
Senior Carter Cunningham leads the Pirates in nearly every offensive category, batting .396 with 9 Home Runs. He’s not alone though. Five of ECU’s regular starters have batting averages over .300.
It will be a homecoming for Senior Wolfpack Third Baseman Alec Makarewicz, who transferred to NC State from ECU this offseason. A-Mak is having the best season of his career, hitting 15 Home Runs while batting .349. It would be fitting for Makarewicz to win at his old stomping grounds.
NC State’s Baseball team is solidly back in the Top-25 after winning a series over rival UNC this past weekend, winning 2 of 3 at home. Last week, the Wolfpack were ranked 22nd in the Baseball America poll, but in none of the others.
NC State will play a midweek game at East Carolina tomorrow night on the road, and the Pirates rank 7th in the D1Baseball and Coaches Poll.
NC State won the first two games of the series, clinching their first series victory over rival #11 UNC since 2021, and the first one at home since 2016. The Wolfpack weren’t able to pull of the sweep this afternoon, losing the finale to the Tar Heels 3-14.
The NC State pitching staff didn’t have an answer for the UNC bats today. Starter Freshman Cooper Consiglio gave up 6 runs (5 earned) in 3.1 innings, striking out 4, and walking 4. The Wolfpack put 5 pitchers on the mound today, and every single one of them gave up runs. Sophomore Andrew Shaffner and Freshman Camden Wimbish both gave up 3 runs apiece.
Junior Jacob Cozart was the only bright spot in the Wolfpack’s offense today, hitting 2 solo Home Runs, marking only the 2nd time in his career that he has hit 2+ Home Runs in a single game.
Opposite-field jack for ‘Zart 💪 pic.twitter.com/ssPXqDAgww
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 20, 2024
The second-career multi-homer game for No. 14 💣 pic.twitter.com/Y2mnJHGkbi
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 20, 2024
The Wolfpack have two Top-10 series wins (Duke #9 and Clemson #2), and now another Top-15 series win (UNC #11).
Things don’t get any easier this Tuesday, playing #9 ECU on the road at 6pm. NC State should be ranked when they play the Pirates this week.
