No. 13 NC State (12-3, 3-0 ACC) stumbles in the final game of its nine-game homestand as UNCG (9-7) upsets the Wolfpack Tuesday evening at Doak Field, 18-3.
The 15-run victory for the Spartans ended State’s nine-game winning streak that began on February 25 in the Pack’s eight-inning, 10-8 road win at Hawaii. Despite boasting an offense that averaged just over 10 runs per game, NC State’s offense only tallied four hits to drive in its three runs.
On an eve which featured newcomers for eight of the Wolfpack’s 10 players to toe the rubber, Cooper Consiglio (1-2, 12.15 ERA) picked up the loss after UNCG tagged him for eight runs, seven earned, across 2-1/3 innings. Jaxon Lucas yielded another Spartan run in 1-1/3 innings before Ryan Marohn, Hollis Fanning, Shane Van Dam, and Jacob Dudan combined for 4-1/3 innings of shutout baseball. The UNCG offense doubled its run production in the top of the ninth inning with Chance Mako, Jacob Halford, Camden Wimbish, and Andrew Shaffner bearing the brunt of that onslaught.
The Spartans jumped ahead with a six-run burst in the top of the second inning, punctuated by a three-run home run by Aidan Brewer. UNCG added three more runs in the next frame with Caleb Cozart catalyzing the surge with a leadoff solo shot.
The Wolfpack would eventually respond in the bottom of the fifth with all three of its runs. After UNCG starter Julien Peissel walked three consecutive batters, Garrett Pennington drove Brandon Butterworth home on a groundout before Alec Makarewicz plated Carson Falsken and Noah Soles with a double to left-center field. However, former Wolfpacker Brandon Hudson (1-0, 6.35 ERA) entered soon after and got the Spartans out of the jam, eventually earning him the winning decision.
Both teams’ respective offenses went quiet until the top of the ninth inning. UNCG used another former NC State player, Trey Truitt, to ignite what would end as a nine-run frame as Truitt got the ball rolling with an RBI single. Soon after, a bases-loaded wild pitch and back-to-back, bases-loaded walks brought in three more runs. After an RBI fielder’s choice and another walk to reload the bags, Cozart sent everyone home with a grand slam for his second homer of the evening.
The Wolfpack returns to ACC play on Friday, March 15 as NC State heads to Atlanta to battle Georgia Tech for the first of a three-game series. First pitch from Russ Chandler Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
