NC State Baseball
South Carolina Hands #1 NC State First Midweek Loss, 10-8
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After the top-ranked NC State baseball team rallied to even the score at eight, South Carolina’s Jacob Olson hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Gamecocks a 10-8 victory Tuesday evening at BB&T Ballpark.
The Wolfpack suffers its first midweek loss of the season and just the second in the past two years. During that span, NC State has compiled a 17-1 mark in midweek games.
NC State moves to 27-3 on the year, while South Carolina improves to 18-11.
Quick Hits
– NC State and South Carolina each displayed their high-powered offenses in the first inning, as the Wolfpack scored four runs in the top half and the Gamecocks countered with seven.
– After a leadoff single from Jonny Butler, Will Wilson launched his team-leading ninth home run of the season to give NC State a 2-0 lead. The junior shortstop is now third in the ACC in homers on the year.
– Brad Debo smashed a two-run homer a few batters later, as Tyler McDonough walked prior to Debo hitting his third round-tripper over the left field wall, giving the Wolfpack a 4-0 lead.
– South Carolina hit three home runs in the bottom of the first, scoring seven runs to pull ahead.
– An RBI single from Wilson helped NC State cut the deficit to 7-5, as he drove in Devonte Brown who walked to start the inning.
– The Gamecocks plated their eighth run of the game in the fourth, but the Pack answered with a run in the top of the fifth.
– Evan Edwards led off with a single and advanced to third, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Debo.
– Trailing by two heading to the eighth, the first two NC State batters walked and scored on a single by Wilson, as SC committed a pair of errors allowing Vojtech Mensik and Butler to score.
– The Wolfpack looked to add more in the inning, but a pair of flyouts and a swinging strikeout ended the threat.
– With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and NC State looking to force extra innings, Olson hit a two-run walkoff homer to left field to give the Gamecocks the win.
Inside the Box Score
– Wilson tallied a game-high four hits and also drove in three runs, while Debo added a home run and also had three RBI.
– Butler and Mensik were both 2-for-4 with the former adding two runs and the latter one.
– Bailey and Edwards both reached safely to extend their streaks to 30 games, as they have reached safely in every game this year.
On the Mound
– NC State used eight pitchers in the contest with Michael Bienlien leading the way with 3.1 innings pitched.
– He struck out three batters, walked two and allowed just one hit.
– David Harrison was also strong in relief, working 2.2 innings with three strikeouts, yielding one earned run.
– Wolfpack pitchers only allowed one hit to the Gamecocks with a runner in scoring position, but the home runs proved to be the difference.
On Deck
NC State will travel to Boston College this weekend for a three-game series against the Eagles at Harrington Athletics Village. Friday’s game is set for 4 p.m.