No. 21 @NCStateBaseball took a 21-10 shellacking in its series opener against the Virginia Tech Hokies, surrendering 7 home runs and 18 hits in Blacksburg.

No. 21 @NCStateBaseball took a 21-10 shellacking in its series opener against the Virginia Tech Hokies, surrendering 7 home runs and 18 hits in Blacksburg.
📝 @benellis81 https://t.co/sZ1t92ejuQ

— Technician Sports (@TechSports) April 9, 2022

No. 20 NC State baseball (18-10, 6-6 ACC) suffered a series-opening setback against No. 23 Virginia Tech (19-7, 6-5 ACC) on Friday night at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.

The teams traded runs in the first four innings, but an 11-run seventh propelled the Hokies to 21-10 victory.

The Hokies went up 1-0 in the first thanks to Eduardo Malinowski's RBI infield single after back-to-back walks started the side.

Dominic Pilolli responded in the top of the second with his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to center field, but then Virginia Tech regained its lead in the bottom frame when Gavin Cross's single through the left side drove in Nick Biddison after he reached on a double to center field.

Once again, the Pack tied it up at 2-2 in the third on Josh Hood's RBI groundout to third. Jacob Godman started the frame with a walk and LuJames Groover III laced a one-out single to center field, and then the pair pulled off the double steal with Hood at the plate to start the threat.

Virginia Tech took back its lead in the bottom frame with a combined six runs via home runs by Conor Hartigan, Carson DeMartini and Cross to take an 8-2 lead.

NC State continued the back-and-forth battle in the fourth when Noah Soles's two-run single up the middle brought Pilolli and J.T. Jarrett home after a walk and double started the side, respectively, to make it 8-4.

Tech proceeded to make it 9-4 in the bottom of the fourth when Cade Hunter hit a solo shot to center field - his team's fourth home run of the game. Cross's RBI single through the right side with runners at first and second in the fifth made it the fifth-straight inning the Hokies scored in.

An 11-run seventh pushed Virginia Tech out to a 21-4 lead. Despite a two-run double by Payton Green in the eighth followed by a four-run burst on three hits in the ninth, the Pack was unable to overcome its deficit in the final innings.

Noah Soles turned in a 3-for-5 outing at the plate, marking his fourth-straight multi-hit game as he has tallied 11 hits in the Pack's last four games.

NC State and Virginia Tech will meet for game two of the series Saturday at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX and there will be an audio stream on WKNC 88.1 and the Varsity Network App.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/4/8/baseball-pack9-suffers-setback-in-series-opener-with-hokies.aspx

SportManagementEngineer said:

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I feel bad for our pitchers. How can we be so bad defensively at seemingly every position?

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It has been this way all season, very few meaningless adjustments. Not sure if we are all watching the same games. The pitching staff has to be taxed all the time throwing extra pitches and trying to get 4 - 5 outs every inning, every game.

wilmwolf80 said:

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Sunshineman said:

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SportManagementEngineer said:

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I feel bad for our pitchers. How can we be so bad defensively at seemingly every position?

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It has been this way all season, very few meaningless adjustments. Not sure if we are all watching the same games. The pitching staff has to be taxed all the time throwing extra pitches and trying to get 4 - 5 outs every inning, every game.

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Every inning of every game? Hyperbole much? We aren't good defensively, but we've made lots of moves to try and fix that. Multiple different outfield lineups, switching Green and Hood, putting Groover at first, Godman catching over Cozart. Last night there were two "bad" defensive plays, Green couldn't get a ball out of his glove on a high chopper, and Soles lost a ball in the lights in a heavy rain. Neither of which really had anything to do with the final outcome. Yes, we need to get better, but the same coaching staff that fielded a top three defense last year is making the decisions this year, they didn't forget how it works. We are all watching the same games, some of us just choose to have a little faith, and see that despite being bad defensively, we're playing pretty good ball, so we just accept it as growing pains on a team that lost some of the best fielders we've ever had.

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Maybe your right, some growing pains. But it is painful. Not just talking about errors, those are gonna happen, but the mental mistakes, not knowing who is covering the bag, not knowing what defensive play is on, not hitting the cutoff man, not knowing where to throw the ball and unable to drop and block a ball in the dirt with a runner on third. Those type of things have to be corrected, balls will take a bad hop or a ball may get away from a player, totally understand that. But mental mistakes are inexcusable. Maybe a little frustrated, you are correct, this team is talented and very young with little playing time together. Plenty of time to get it right. Today is a new day. GO PACK.

Starters for this afternoon as we look to even the series. pic.twitter.com/mumzLMpS0H

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 9, 2022

Late change to the lineup - Jacob Cozart will now be behind the plate and bat ninth. https://t.co/NyLQ6SjaBt

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 9, 2022

OMG, Adams suspended four games? He absolutely was not throwing at the guy. It was ****ing raining! That is absolute garbage.

This weather is bullsht.

Logan Adams being suspended 4 games is bullsht too.

These conditions are brutal.

Hell of a play... but ***. That shouldn't happen.

This is a joke

I'm with coach on this one, starting the game yesterday in the rain, and playing through this **** is unfair.

PossumJenkins said:

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This is a joke

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I was just on the phone with dumbdumb head telling him about this mess and he's like, "that sounds allsome!". lolol

Nothing better than a little guy homer from JT Jarrett!

Not a strike on Groover. Sheesh.

We've had to pitch through the worst of the weather today. Tough day.

Josh Hood with a tough day

8-2 Virginia Tech wins

‘Slight’ case of a wintry mix here in Blacksburg…We’re currently in a delay as we wait for this to pass.

Will update when there is something to give. pic.twitter.com/w1FPAJE0vD

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 9, 2022

No. 21 @NCStateBaseball suffered an ACC loss to the Hokies in a snowy loss on Saturday.

The Pack will attempt to avoid a series sweep on Sunday.

@rachelmichele15

https://t.co/NbP47PJxFX

No. 20 NC State baseball (18-11, 6-7 ACC) fell in the second game of its series with No. 23 Virginia Tech (20-7, 7-5 ACC) on Saturday afternoon at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park, 8-2.

With the loss, the Wolfpack drops its series with the Hokies. It is the first time in the series history that NC State has ever dropped a series to Virginia Tech.

After two scoreless innings, the Hokies broke the deadlock in the third when Carson DeMartini stole home after a pair of outfield singles and a walk loaded the bases up with two outs. The teams battled wintry conditions on Saturday and had to go into a 33-minute delay following the completion of the third inning.

In the fifth, Virginia Tech added to its lead with Tanner Schobel's two-run homer to left field and Eduardo Malinowski's RBI triple to center field, making it 4-0.

NC State got on the board in the sixth when Dominic Pilolli drove in Devonte Brown, who reached on a hit-by-pitch, from first with an RBI triple down the right field line. It was Pilolli's second triple of the year.

J.T. Jarrett's solo shot to left field in the seventh, his second homer of the season, cut the Pack's deficit in half to 4-2.

The Hokies regained their four-run lead back in the seventh via Schobel's second two-run homer of the game, and then a bases-loaded wild pitch and RBI groundout in the eighth made it 8-2.

Six different players tallied a hit in the contest, as LuJames Groover III extended his hit streak to 16 and his reached base streak to 19 to lead the Pack's offense in those respective categories.

NC State and Virginia Tech will meet Sunday in the series finale at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park with first pitch set for 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX and there will be an audio stream on WKNC 88.1 and the Varsity Network App.

https://gopack.com/news/2022/4/9/baseball-pack9-falls-to-hokies-8-2.aspx

EthanBarry said:

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Villaman should start today

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looks like Silver

Starters for game three in Blacksburg. pic.twitter.com/gRMOwOp8Q3

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 10, 2022

Lol, chin high strike. Ooookkk.

At least White appears healthy (playing 3rd today)

Even through my red tinted glasses I could see he was clearly out. This umpire crew has been atrocious.

Whenever we play in parks with huge foul territory, I appreciate the tight confines of Doak. I know it's a double edged sword because it can get you outs on defense, but there have been a bunch of balls this weekend that I thought off the bat would be easily out of play that ended up in outs against us.

.@NoahSoles2 (literally) running through walls for the WEB 💎! pic.twitter.com/Q8Rc6HHPQ9

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 10, 2022

COZY FOR LIFTOFF 🚀 pic.twitter.com/9tJ3kcQKsD

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 10, 2022

Outfield dimensions on this park are similar to ours, but man, it seems like every fly ball to left ends up clearing the wall.

Tommy boy!

That's what dude near the mic gets for calling Tommy's foul awkward...he took that personally!

wilmwolf80 said:

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Tommy boy!

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