NC State Baseball
#6 NC State splits doubleheader with Georgia Tech
NC State split their doubleheader with Georgia Tech yesterday, falling 13-4 in game one before taking game 2 5-2.
Georgia Tech got to Micheal Bienlien early. The sophomore righty had been nearly untouchable through his first 2 starts. He brought in a 0.68 ERA with 9 Ks in 13 innings but was unable to get out of the first inning.
Georgia Tech tagged Bienlien for 6 hits and 6 runs (3 earned) in 2/3 of an inning. Mathieu Gauthier came in a stopped the bleeding, but the damage was done. Harrison and Hooper followed Gauthier (who threw 4 innings of 1 run ball) and combined to give up another 6.
Offensively, the Pack was held down by Xzavion Curry who was lights out. Curry is GT’s ace and actually was the first true freshman to start an opening day (last season) since 1995. As a sophomore Curry is taking the next step. He came in and shut down the ACC’s most potent offense, going 7 electric innings, giving up just 1 run and striking out 11. State managed only 8 hits and didn’t have an extra-base hit all game.
In game 2, NC State got back on track. Johnny Piedmonte improved to 3-0 on the season with a 6 inning, 2 hit performance. He struck out 5 and only walked 2.
On offense, the Pack had a little hangover from game 1 early on, but Will Wilson got them started in the 5th with a fielder’s choice groundout to short that opened the scoring. State added 2 more that inning before DH Shane Shephard blasted a 2-run shot to right, giving State a 5 run lead.
Here’s a look at @ShaneShep2 2-run blast in the fifth to put the #Pack9 ahead 5-0 💯🔥 pic.twitter.com/mkDcSdqLI4
— #Pack9 ⚾ (@NCStateBaseball) March 24, 2018
That was all they’d need, winning 5-2 and advancing to 19-4 and 6-2 in the conference.
Note: Brett Kinneman, who was leading the NCAA in home runs and leading NC State in hitting early in the season, broke out his funk with a single, but is still just 1 for his last 16 plate appearances.
After sweeping Ball State this past weekend, NC State jumped up in almost all of the Top-25 polls.
Baseball America – 13th (+4)
RPI – 20th (+9)
D1Baseball – 20th (+1)
USAToday Coaches Poll – 20th (+3)
Perfect Game – 25th (-)
#21 NC State defeated Ball St. 11-3 this afternoon, completing the sweep of the Cardinals.
Freshman Cooper Consiglio got the start, and pitched a career high 85 pitches, giving up 2 earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched. He struck out 3, and walked 3.
Junior Carson Kelly came in for an inning of relief after Consiglio’s exodus, and even though he gave up a run, he was credited with the win.
Junior’s Jacob Cozart (C) and Brandon Butterworth (SS) each hit Home Runs, and each had 3 RBI’s. Cozart was a double shy of hitting for the Cycle. He is on a torrid streak, hitting Home Runs in 6 of the last 7 games.
Hot start from ‘Zart 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2inPsZfFnZ
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 28, 2024
Two-out, two-run damage from Butters 🧈#Pack9 | @SlippinOnButter pic.twitter.com/K2raWgWISa
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 28, 2024
SIX homers in SEVEN games for No. 14 💪 pic.twitter.com/4oEBC93N6H
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 28, 2024
Sophomore Center Fielder Eli Serrano III had a multi-hit game, going 2 for 5 with 2 Runs, and Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makerewicz had a 2 RBI Double.
The Wolfpack will host UNCW this Tuesday at 5pm.
Sophomore Dom Fritton was solid this afternoon in NC State’s 9-3 win over Ball State, securing the series victory. He gave up 1 earned run in 5.2 innings, striking out 4 (3 walks). The bullpen was solid, with Freshman Jaxon Lucas pitching 1 inning with no earned runs (1 unearned run), while Sophomore Shane Van Dam gave up 1 run in 2.1 innings, striking out 3. Fritton is now 3-3 on the year with a 6.89 ERA.
Sophomore Center Fielder Eli Serrano III had a 2 RBI Single in the Bottom of the 2nd, which gave the Wolfpack their 3rd run of the inning after Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz scored off a wild pitch.
Up the middle for ✌️#Pack9 | @eliserrano__ pic.twitter.com/baS1ozuV9D
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 27, 2024
In the Bottom of the 3rd, Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart hit a solo shot, his 11th Home Run of the year, which is a new career high.
Into the trees 🌳💣 pic.twitter.com/3STnCOYvux
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 27, 2024
In the Bottom of the 5th, the Wolfpack would tack on 3 more runs. A-Mak had an RBI groundout, Junior Left Fielder Chase Nixon had an RBI Single, and then he scored when his brother Luke was caught stealing.
In the Bottom of the 7th, Chase Nixon knocked in 2 more with an RBI Double. He also had this web gem in the Top of the 8th, which would have surely scored 2 runs without his diving effort.
What a play by C-Nix 🤯#Pack9 x #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/rNonhH4kCY
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 27, 2024
The Wolfpack and the Cardinals will close out the series tomorrow at 1pm at Doak Field.