No. 2 NC State Clinches Notre Dame Series
RALEIGH, N.C. – The second-ranked NC State baseball team extended its ACC series winning streak to nine after sweeping Saturday’s doubleheader against Notre Dame with a 13-5 win in game two to clinch the series at Doak Field at Dail Park.
For the fourth consecutive weekend, NC State rallied to win the series after dropping the series opener, which is the first time in program history that the squad has accomplished the feat.
The Wolfpack has won its last nine ACC series dating back to last season, which is the longest active streak in the conference. NC State is also the only team that has not lost a conference series this season.
NC State improves to 28-7 on the year and 13-5 in ACC play, while Notre Dame falls to 15-21 and 6-12 in league action. Sophomore Michael Bienlien started on the mound and pitched five innings to earn the win, while Notre Dame starter Cameron Junker was charged with the loss.
Quick Hits (Game Two)
- The Wolfpack scored first in all three games of the series, as NC State pushed across three runs in the second inning to take a 3-0 lead.
- Brock Deatherage homered for the second time on the weekend with a two-run blast to put NC State in the lead on his seventh homer of the season.
- Freshman Terrell Tatum followed with a single up the middle and later scored on a wild pitch.
- Notre Dame answered with a run in the top of the third, but NC State had an answer as the Wolfpack scored six runs to stretch the lead to 9-1.
- Will Wilson hit a two-run homer over the left field wall for his ninth round-tripper of the season to make it 5-1.
- NC State executed a perfect squeeze play, as J.T. Jarrett dropped a beauty down the third base line and legged it out for a bunt single and Patrick Bailey scored.
- Dillon Cooper followed with a two-RBI double down the left field line and McLain also had an RBI single in the frame.
- The Irish scored four unanswered runs to narrow the Wolfpack’s margin to 9-5, but NC State countered with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to double its lead.
- An RBI groundout from Cooper plated the first run of the seventh before an RBI single by Brett Kinneman.
- Wilson homered for the second time in the game with his second two-run blast over the left field wall. It was his second multi-homer game of the season and his career.
- Joe O’Donnell pitched the final 2.1 innings for the Pack and did not allow a run.
Quick Hits (Game One)
- Senior Brian Brown threw his first career complete game to lift the second-ranked NC State baseball team to a 12-2 victory in game one of the doubleheader to even the series.
- NC State scored in the first inning for the second consecutive game, as freshman Patrick Bailey hit a two-out RBI single up the middle.
- Josh McLain led off the frame with a single and advanced to third following a passed ball and a wild pitch to score on Bailey’s hit.
- Notre Dame got a run back in the top of the third, but NC State answered in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs to regain the lead.
- Will Wilson and Terrell Tatum each tallied RBI singles in the inning, as the Wolfpack grabbed a 3-1 advantage.
- NC State scored three runs in the fifth to extend its lead to 6-1.
- Bailey doubled to left center, Tatum hit a sacrifice fly to right field and Stephen Pitarra drove in the final run of the inning on a single to center field.
- The Wolfpack broke the game open with six runs in the sixth to extend the margin to 11-2.
- Evan Edwards had the big hit in the frame with a three-run homer to left field and Tatum plated a pair of runs with a single to right field.
- Tatum drove in the final run of the game with a single through the right side, as he collected a career-best five RBI.
On the Mound
- Brown went the distance on the mound to give NC State a huge boost by silencing the Notre Dame bats and preserving the bullpen for game two of the twin bill.
- Prior to the game, the Glenmoore, Pa., native’s longest outing was 7.2 innings at Virginia in 2016.
- It was the eighth complete game by an ACC pitcher and the fifth in conference play.
Inside the Box Score
- Tatum was the only player in the contest to turn in a three-hit performance, as he was a perfect 3-for-3 in the game with five RBI.
- Edwards was 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs, while Bailey was 2-for-3 with two RBI and runs scored.
- Pitarra also had a multi-hit game with an RBI.
On Deck
NC State returns to action Tuesday evening when the Wolfpack takes on UNC-Chapel Hill in a the ‘Duel at the DBAP’. First pitch of the non-conference matchup is slated for 6:30 p.m. and the contest will be broadcast live on ESPNU from the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.