NC State Baseball
#1 NC State Holds Off Boston College, 6-5
BRIGHTON, Mass. – Despite the Eagles knotting the score at three in the eighth, top-ranked NC State baseball managed to once again find a way to win late as it held off Boston College on Friday evening in its series opener at Harrington Athletics Village in Brighton, Mass., 6-5.
The Wolfpack continues to lead the nation and Atlantic Coast Conference in wins, as it improves to 28-3 on the season and 11-2 in ACC play. The Eagles move to 14-16 overall and 5-8 in conference action.
Additionally, the squad remains unbeaten on the road, improving to 9-0 in true away games.
Quick Hits
-NC State struck first in the second inning thanks to David Vazquez’s RBI single to right that drove in Brad Debo after he laced a one-out single to right field and advanced on a wild pitch.
-The Pack doubled its lead in the next inning on Evan Edwards’ bases-loaded groundout to second.
-In the seventh, pinch runner Dillon Cooperprovided a third run for the Pack when he scored on Jonny Butler’s RBI double down the right field line. Cooper replaced Devonte Brown on the base path after a leadoff single, and Vojtech Mensik’s sacrifice bunt moved him into scoring position.
-BC countered with a pair of runs in the bottom frame on an RBI single and bases-loaded sac fly to center field.
-The Eagles knotted the score at three in the eighth with Ramon Jimenez’s two-out RBI triple to right field following Cody Morissette’s one-out double down the right field line.
-NC State responded in the ninth with three runs on as many hits. Vazquez walked and Cooper bunt singled to start the three-run burst, and Mensik plated Vazquez with a double up the middle.
-Jonny Butler was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Patrick Bailey’s base hit to center field followed by an RBI groundout by Edwards to the shortstop brought the insurance runs across.
-The Eagles managed to load the bases up in the bottom frame with one out and the go-ahead run at the plate. The Wolfpack tried to get the force out at home, but a muffed throw allowed the runner to be safe, making the score 6-4.
-With the bases still loaded, an RBI fielder’s choice cut BC’s deficit to one, but the runner heading to third was caught in a rundown for the game-ending double play.
Inside The Box Score
-The team tallied 11 hits in the contest, led by Butler (single, double) and Bailey, who both went 2-for-4 at the plate and drove in one run apiece.
-Bailey and Edwards extended their reached base streaks to 31 consecutive games.
-Edwards also extended his hit streak to 12 straight games.
On The Mound
-NC State used eight pitchers in the contest, led by starter Jason Parker who went 6.1 innings. He allowed five hits, walked one batter and surrendered an earned run.
-Evan Justice picked up his second win of the season, while Canaan Silver tallied his first save of the year as he came into the bases-loaded situation and threw the final two-thirds of the game.
On Deck
NC State returns to action Saturday when it looks to take the series with the Eagles. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. at Harrington Athletics Village.
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.
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