NC State Baseball
#5 NC State Continues Historic Start, Sweeps Pitt to Open ACC Play
RALEIGH, N.C. – The 5th-ranked NC State baseball team continued its historic start to the season by completing the sweep of the Pittsburgh Panthers with a 6-5 win Sunday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park.
The Wolfpack moves to 15-0 on the year, 3-0 in ACC play, and is one of two remaining unbeaten teams in NCAA Division I Baseball, along with Arizona State. NC State also recorded its third sweep of Pitt (6-7, 0-3 ACC) in as many tries, as the Wolfpack has never lost to the Panthers in an ACC game (9-0).
Off to its best start to a season in program history, the Pack’s 15-game winning streak is the longest since 2013, when NC State also won 15 consecutive games.
NC State is 7-0 on the year in one-run games.
Quick Hits
– NC State struck first in the contest, as the Wolfpack pushed across a pair of runs in its first at-bat to score in the first inning of each game of the series.
– Jonny Butler singled to start the frame and Will Wilson walked, as both scored on a double to left center off the bat of Patrick Bailey.
– The Wolfpack added to its lead in the third, after David Vazquez singled and advanced to third on a single from Tyler McDonough.
– A balk call on relief pitcher Billy Corcoran allowed Vazquez to score from third and push the lead to 3-0.
– Pittsburgh got all of those runs back in the top of the sixth thanks to a three-run homer by David Yanni, but NC State answered in the bottom of the frame to regain the lead.
– With two outs, Vojtech Mensik and Luca Tresh drew consecutive walks, and both came around to score to put the Pack ahead, 5-3.
– Lawson McArthur walked with the bases loaded in the seventh to plate the sixth run of the game for NC State.
– Pitt trimmed the deficit to 6-5 in the eighth with an RBI single and an RBI double, but a great diving catch in right field by McArthur ended the rally and prevented the tying run from scoring.
– Dalton Feeney pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth to nail down his third save.
Inside the Box Score
– McDonough led the Wolfpack at the plate with the first four-hit game of his young career to take over as the NC State leader in hits with 22 for the season.
– Bailey and Butler both tallied a pair of hits, while Evan Edwards, McArthur and Vazquez each had one hit.
– Bailey, Butler and Edwards all reached base safely in the contest and they have done so in all 15 games this season.
– The Pack outhit the Panthers in the series, 40-23, as NC State tallied a .348 batting average to Pitt’s .225 clip.
On the Mound
– Reid Johnston started on the mound for the Wolfpack and turned in a strong start, as he threw five innings and departed after yielding just two hits (both singles) to go along with five strikeouts.
– Nick Swiney relieved him and pitched 2.1 innings, fanning five batters, to earn his first win of the season before handing the ball to Feeney to close it down.
On Deck
NC State will return to action Tuesday evening when the Wolfpack travels to the Queen City to take on Charlotte. The contest will be held at BB&T Ballpark, home of the Charlotte Knights, and first pitch is set for 7 p.m.
Photo Credit: @NCStateBaseball
NC State just defeated #11 UNC 9-8 via a walk-off Home Run from Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth in the Bottom of the 9th inning.
The Wolfpack have 6 walk-off wins in 2024, which leads the nation.
In a game in which there was a combined 8 Home Runs between both teams, it was the last one that mattered most.
UNC kicked things off in the Top of the 1st inning with a Home Run from Casey Cook. The Wolfpack would respond in the Bottom of the 1st with a 2-RBI Single from Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart.
Two-out damage from ‘Zart 💥 pic.twitter.com/cSn7vKoZBh
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 18, 2024
Cook would hit another Home Run in the Top of the 3rd, and Vance Honeycutt would also hit a 2-Run Home Run, giving the Tar Heels a 4-2 lead.
Once again, the Wolfpack responded in the bottom frame. Senior Third Baseman Alec Makarewicz hit his 15th Home Run of the season.
Ideal start to the home half of the third 💣#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/BrLSstM3D2
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
Junior Outfielder Chase Nixon had an RBI Single, and his Freshman brother Luke (2B) brought in the third run of the inning on a fielders choice, giving the Wolfpack a 5-4 lead.
Tie game! C-Nix delivers 😤 pic.twitter.com/aafYlvOhUh
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
The 4th inning was the only inning of the contest in which no runs were scored.
UNC’s Park Harber tied the game in the Top of the 5th with a solo shot.
Cozart was the Wolfpack’s MVP, giving his team a 3-run cushion in the bottom of the 6th inning with a 3-run Home Run. He had 5 RBI’s this evening.
TO THE MOON 📈🚀 pic.twitter.com/8g8pPUFJAN
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
The cushion wasn’t enough, with the Tar Heels scoring 3 runs over the next two innings. Alberto Osuna hit a solo shot, Alex Madera had an RBI Single, and Harber hit a sac fly.
With the game tied in the bottom of the 9th, with one out, Brandon Butterworth crushed the ball over the left field fence, snapping a 5-game losing streak against UNC.
CALLED. GAME.#Pack9 | @SlippinOnButter pic.twitter.com/6B15Jxkndr
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 19, 2024
Wolfpack Starter Sam Highfill lasted 3.1 innings, giving up 4 runs, while striking out 4. His ERA on the year is 5.16.
It was Sophomore Shane Van Dam that brought stability to the mound, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs, while striking out 5. On the year, Van Dam’s ERA is 2.90.
Sophomore Derrick Smith came in to close things out, and gave up 1 run on 1 hit in 2 innings, striking out 2. Smith picked up the Win, and is 3-0 on the year.
Game 2 of the series is tomorrow night at 6pm at Doak Field. The Wolfpack will look to secure their first series victory over their rival since 2021, and their first one at home since 2016.
NC State and #11 UNC will kickoff a 3-game series in Raleigh tonight, but before the two rivals hit the diamond, here’s a Bracketology report for the Wolfpack before the first pitch.
D1Baseball currently projects that NC State will be the #2 seed in Greenville Region, hosted by #9 seed East Carolina. Back on April 2nd, the Wolfpack lost 4-12 to the Pirates at the Doak.
Baseball America projects NC State will be a #2 seed in the Knoxville Region, hosted by #6 seed Tennessee.
The Wolfpack are currently 20-14 overall, ranking 33rd in the RPI.
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