RALEIGH, N.C. – The 10th-ranked NC State baseball team swept a doubleheader against Minnesota Saturday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park to earn its 14th consecutive non-conference series win. The Wolfpack recorded a 3-2 win in game one and tallied an 8-4 victory in the second game.

NC State moves to 10-0 on the year and has not lost a non-conference three-game series since 2011, a span of 14 consecutive series wins. Minnesota, the Big Ten Conference preseason favorite, has played a very challenging schedule this season and falls to 2-7.

The Pack is off to its best start since 2004 when NCSU started the season 11-0. NC State is one of just six unbeaten teams in the NCAA.

Avent’s Additions

“I thought we played really well,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “Playing a doubleheader is difficult for both teams, especially this early in the year in this weather. I thought our guys did an unbelievable job.

“We beat one heckuva ballclub today. That’s a team that will compete for the Big Ten Championship. They made every play, battled and they’re coached by one of the most respected guys in our game, John Anderson. He’s done it for a long time and does it right and he has an outstanding team.”

Game One Quick Hits

– Following three scoreless innings, NC State struck first in the contest with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

– Vojtech Mensik led off with an infield single and stole second to get into scoring position.

– Brad Debo followed with a double to left field to plate the game’s first run, as Mensik scored from second.

– J.T. Jarrett traded places with him, doubling off the wall in left field to bring in Debo and make it 2-0.

 – Wolfpack leadoff man Jonny Butler singled up the middle to push the NC State advantage to 3-0, scoring Jarrett on the play.

– Minnesota got a run back in the sixth thanks to an RBI double by Jack Wassel, but Kent Klyman entered the game to pitch for the Pack and helped get the squad out of the inning.

– A solo homer from Cole McDevitt trimmed the Wolfpack lead to one, 3-2, in the top of the seventh.

– The Golden Gophers looked to rally in the eighth, as they loaded the bases with one out, but Dalton Feeney got a ground ball to Will Wilson at shortstop and he started the inning-ending double play to escape the jam.

Inside the Box Score

– Junior Jason Parker started on the mound for the Pack and threw 5.1 innings to earn his second win of the year. He struck out four batters and only walked one.

– Feeney nailed down his second save of the season, throwing 2.1 shutout innings with a pair of strikeouts.

– Debo led the Wolfpack at the plate with a 2-for-3 outing, highlighted by an RBI and a run.

– Devonte Brown, Butler, Evan Edwards, Jarrett and Mensik each had one hit.

Game Two Quick Hits

– The Gophers scored in their first at-bat of game two to take an early 1-0 lead on an RBI double from McDevitt.

– NC State countered with a big inning in the bottom half of the first and never trailed again en route to the victory to clinch the series.

– Butler got things started with a leadoff single before walks to Edwards and Patrick Bailey loaded the bases.

– Freshman Tyler McDonough drove in a pair of runs on a single to center field, scoring Butler and Edwards.

– A single from Terrell Tatum loaded the bases once again before Mensik stepped to the plate and clubbed a grand slam on his first career home run.

– The freshman from the Czech Republic drove the 3-2 fastball over the left field wall to put the Pack on top, 6-1, and chase Minnesota starting pitcher Sam Thoresen after just a third of an inning.

– McDevitt hit a solo homer in the top of the fourth, but NC State’s Debo matched him with a solo shot in the bottom of the frame to give the Wolfpack a five-run advantage again at 7-2.

– A sacrifice fly from Mensik in the eighth gave the freshman a career-high five RBI in the game, as McDonough scored to push the lead to 8-2.

– Minnesota got a few runs back in the ninth, but Andrew Blake rebounded to strike out the next batter to end the game.

Inside the Box Score

– Seven of the nine starters in NC State’s lineup recorded at least one hit.

– McDonough led the way with two hits in the contest to go along with two RBI and two runs.

– Bailey, Butler, Edwards and McDonough have all reached base safely in every game this season.

– Butler, Debo and Edwards each own five-game hitting streaks.

– Canaan Silver started game two for the Wolfpack and threw six innings to earn his first win in an NC State uniform. He struck out four batters and yielded three hits, two earned runs.

On Deck

NC State and Minnesota will wrap up the series on Sunday morning. First pitch has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start in an effort to try and avoid inclement weather later in the day.

(Photo Credit: @NCStateBaseball)