NC State Baseball
#20 NC State Defeats Radford 6-3 in Game 1
RALEIGH – No. 20 NC State baseball opened its series against Radford on Friday evening at Doak Field at Dail Park with a 6-3 win.
The Wolfpack collected its second-straight win to improve to 35-12 overall, while the Highlanders fall to 23-22 on the year.
Quick Hits
-The Pack opened the scoring in the third when Jonny Butler and Will Wilson laced back-to-back doubles on two outs.
-Radford countered with a pair of runs in the fourth on a single to left field and walk with the bases loaded.
-Evan Edwards gave NC State its lead again in the fifth with a bases-loaded 2-RBI double down the left field line.
-The Pack tacked on three runs on as many hits in the seventh to take a 6-2 lead. Wilson drove in Butler for the second time with a base hit to left field after he led off with a single up the middle and stole second.
-Edwards then reached on a walk, putting him and Wilson at first and second, and Patrick Bailey’s fly out to center field allowed them to threaten. Debo’s double to right field brought the pair across home plate.
-The Highlanders tried to make up its deficit in the ninth by putting the game-winning run at the plate on one out. A single and pair of walks loaded the bases up, and another walk on one out brought a run in, cutting the score to 6-3. With the bases still loaded, Kent Klyman produced two outs to secure the win.
Inside The Box Score
-Butler went 3-for-5 at the plate with a double and pair of singles, and scored two runs. It was his third time this year tallying three or more hits in a single game.
-Debo went 2-for-4, and both of his hits were RBI doubles.
-Wilson also tallied a single and double in his 2-for-3 outing while driving in two runs.
On The Mound
-Starter Jason Parker went six complete to improve to 4-2 on the mound this year, yielding two earned runs on as many hits.
-Kent Klyman collected his second save of the year behind tossing the final 0.2 innings of the contest. He entered the game with the bases loaded and the game-winning run on base, but fanned the first batter and produced a pop fly to David Vazquez at third base to hold off the Highlanders.
On Deck
NC State will continue its weekend series with Radford Saturday at Doak Field at Dail Park. Due to anticipated inclement weather, first pitch has been moved up to 1 p.m., and the game will be broadcast live on the ACC Network Extra. There will also be a free audio stream on WKNC 88.1 FM.
Photo CreditDefeats Highlanders, 6-3
#21 NC State lost to #7 ECU 6-10 on the road this evening in a midweek game. As a result, the Pirates have won both games against the Wolfpack in 2024.
When you record 10 hits and score 6 runs, you would hope that’s enough offense to win a baseball game.
Unfortunately the Wolfpack pitching staff was unable to contain the bats of the Pirates, allowing ECU to put 15 hits and 10 runs in the Box Score.
Kudos to Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz for making a STATEment in his return to Clark-LeClair Stadium. A-Mak transferred to NC State from ECU this offseason. This evening Makarewicz was 2-4 with 1 RBI, 2 Runs, and 1 Walk.
A-MAK 👏 ON 👏 THE 👏 ATTACK 👏#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/7Lps43hXow
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
A-Mak’s Home Run was a part of back-to-back-to-back Home Runs in the Top of the 3rd for the Wolfpack, with Sophomore Right Fielder Josh Hogue and Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart also hitting bombs.
Hogue Homer 💪#Pack9 | @JoshHogue5 pic.twitter.com/CMV3rCQu4B
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
‘Zart completes the trifecta 🤌 pic.twitter.com/gipiWvbcFb
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
NC State will look to flush this loss, and get ready for a 3-game series at home this weekend against Ball State.
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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