Hurricanes Blow Past Wolfpack

DURHAM, N.C. — Ninth-seeded NC State (35-19) saw its bats held in check Thursday evening as four-seed Miami (38-18) defeats the Wolfpack at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, 4-2.

The only offense State managed to muster against the Hurricanes was eight hits, all singles. LuJames Groover saw the most success against Miami’s pitching with a pair of base hits while Eli Serrano drove in both Pack runs in the bottom of the first inning.

Sam Highfill (6-3, 4.18 ERA) picked up the loss after allowing three runs on five hits and three walks while striking out three batters in 3-2/3 innings. Six relievers succeeded him to varying degrees of success with Justin Lawson lasting the longest. Lawson hurled 3-1/3 innings, allowed an unearned run, struck out six, and walked four. Rio Britton, John Miralia, Carson Kelly, Win Scott, and Baker Nelson also toed the rubber for NC State.

The Hurricanes struck first in the top of the first inning when Edgardo Villegas smacked a two-run homer to right-center field. In the home half of the frame, Groover and Cannon Peebles both reached base on one-out singles before crossing the plate on Serrano’s line-drive base hit to left-center to tie the game.

Renzo Gonzalez broke the tie in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI single to right-center, scoring Dominic Pitelli who led off the frame with a double. The final run of the game would come in the top of the eighth when a bases-loaded passed ball allowed Jacoby Long to slide home.

The Wolfpack now awaits its fate in the 2023 NCAA Baseball Tournament. The selection show will air on ESPN2 on Monday, May 29 starting at noon EST.