Eli Serrano III's two-run, walk-off homer capped off a six-run rally in the bottom of the ninth to power the Wolfpack to a 9-8 comeback victory over No. 9 Duke on Saturday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park.
NC State (15-6, 5-3 ACC) entered the bottom of the ninth facing an 8-3 deficit.
Brandon Butterworth opened the inning with a walk before
Noah Soles was hit by a pitch to put two runners on with nobody out. An error on a one-out fielder's choice grounder to second base from
Josh Hogue allowed Butterworth to score, trimming the deficit to 8-4.
Garrett Pennington then crushed a three-run homer to left field to make it a one-run game at 8-7. Pennington's three-run shot was his second homer in as many at-bats, blasting a solo shot in the eighth inning.
After a groundout made it two outs in the inning,
Jacob Cozart kept the rally alive with a single to right field.
Andrew Shaffner then entered as a pinch runner to represent the tying run on first base. Serrano III stepped into the batter's box and battled back from a 1-2 count to bring the count full at 3-2. He then unloaded on the 3-2 offering from Duke closer Charlie Beilenson to crush a two-run shot down the right-field line.
Serrano III's walk-off homer marked NC State's third walk-off victory of the season. It was the Wolfpack's first time overcoming a multi-run deficit in the ninth inning for a win since a 6-5 comeback victory over No. 11 Louisville this past season.
Duke (16-7, 3-5 ACC) built a 4-0 lead before Soles' two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth cut the Pack's deficit to 4-2. The Blue Devils then expanded their lead to a game-high six runs behind Logan Bravo's two-RBI single in the sixth and AJ Gracia's two-run homer in the eighth.
NC State relievers
Win Scott,
Heath Andrews and
Derrick Smith kept the Wolfpack within striking distance before the Pack's decisive six-run frame in the ninth. Smith earned the win after tossing a scoreless ninth, needing just seven pitches to retire all three Duke batters in order.
Beilenson (0-2) suffered the loss for Duke after allowing seven runs (four earned) in 1.2 innings pitched.
Pennington tied a career-high with four RBI and notched the second two-homer game of his career in Saturday's comeback. Cozart, Pennington and Serrano III each logged multi-hit performances on the afternoon.
NC State has now won four straight weekend series against the Blue Devils. The Wolfpack has won four of its past five matchups against Duke and looks to complete its first series sweep over the visitors since 2013 in Sunday's series finale.
UP NEXTNC State closes out its series against the ninth-ranked Blue Devils on Sunday. First pitch at Doak Field at Dail Park is set for 1 p.m. and will stream live on ACC Network Extra.
https://gopack.com/news/2024/3/23/baseball-serrano-iiis-walk-off-homer-powers-pack-to-series-win-over-9-duke
