NC State Baseball
#1 NC State’s Offense Erupts in 21-2 Rout Against Elon
RALEIGH, N.C. – Top-ranked NC State baseball scored in each of the first seven innings and tied a season-high with three home runs to cruise past the Elon Phoenix, 21-2, Tuesday evening at Doak Field at Dail Park.
With the win, the Wolfpack moves to 24-1 on the year and continues to lead the nation in wins and winning percentage (.960). NC State completes the series sweep against Elon, as the Pack won the first meeting between the teams on Feb. 19, 5-0. Elon falls to 13-12.
Junior Alec Barger turned in the best outing of his NC State career to earn his second win of the season, as he fired five innings and struck out a career-best 10 batters. He struck out the side in the second and the fifth. Classmate Mathieu Gauthier threw three innings to close out the game on the mound, earning his second career save.
Elon starter Mason Daniels was charged with the loss, allowing three earned runs in an inning of work.
Avent’s Additions
“I thought we played very well,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “Tomorrow we’ve got to play a very good N.C. A&T team that beat South Carolina tonight (2-0). We played very well tonight and I’m really proud of the guys.
“I though their focus was outstanding after having a day off yesterday. I thought Alec Barger set the tone for us on the mound. That’s a good Elon team. We played them a month ago and it was 1-0 heading to the top of the eighth. They’re probably going to win their league of have a great chance, so it shows how very well we played.”
Quick Hits
– The Wolfpack struck first in the contest, as Evan Edwards launched his team-leading eighth home run of the season.
– After a walk from Will Wilson and a single to right field, the senior first baseman clubbed a three-run blast on the 0-1 pitch.
– NC State tallied its 15th ‘big inning’ of the season in the second, as the Wolfpack pushed across seven runs in the frame.
– Wilson had the big hit in the inning, as he belted his seventh long ball of the year to give NCSU a 6-0 lead.
– Four walks, a hit-by-pitch and a two-RBI single to left center off the bat of David Vazquez extended the NC State margin to 10-0.
– Edwards hit a bases-clearing double in the third to set a career-high with six RBI, as the Wolfpack countered after Elon scored a run in the top half.
– Wilson tallied two more RBI in the fourth on a single up the middle and a Lawson McArthur double and a groundout from Vojtech Mensik extended NC State’s advantage to 17-2.
– Freshman Marek Chlup crushed his first career homer on the first pitch of the Wolfpack sixth, sending the delivery over the left field wall.
– Devonte Brown was hit-by-pitch with the base loaded in the seventh to drive in another run.
– Following a lineup change resulting in the loss of the Pack’s designated hitter, junior pitcher Mathieur Gauthier stepped to the plate and singled through the right side in his first career plate appearance to make it 21-2 in favor of NC State.
Inside the Box Score
– The 21 runs are tied for the most that NC State has scored in a game this season, as the Wolfpack also reached the tally in game two of the Pitt series.
– The Pack capitalized on 12 walks in the contest and five hit-by-pitch to push the margin to 21-2, despite tallying 13 hits in the contest.
– NC State’s three home runs equal the mark achieved against Bucknell in the series finale.
– Edwards was 2-for-2 with six RBI, while Wilson was 2-for-3 with four RBI. Vazquez also contributed a multi-hit game, as he tallied a pair of hits, scored three times and drove in two.
– Bailey turned in a 2-for-3 showing with three runs scored, while McArthur recorded a 2-for-5 performance with a run and an RBI.
– Bailey and Edwards each reached base safely and have done so in every game this season.
On the Mound
– Barger was stellar on the mound, as he fired five innings yielding six hits (all singles) and did not walk a batter with 10 strikeouts. That total is tied with Jason Parker for the most by an NC pitcher this season.
– Freshman Andrew Tillery relieved him and struck out the side in the sixth, before handing it over to Gauthier.
– The junior threw the final three innings, allowing just one and matched his career-high in strikeouts with six.
– NC State pitchers fanned a season-high 19 batters and only walked one.
On Deck
NC State will return to action on Wednesday evening, as the Wolfpack travels to First National Bank Field to take on N.C. A&T. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.