Story Poster
Photo by Steve Murphy/Inside Pack Sports
NC State Baseball

Pack Smacks Heels, 8-3

April 17, 2018
3,341

DURHAM, NC -- Second-ranked NC State continued its perfect run in midweek contests and moved closer 30 wins on the regular season with a, 8-3, win Tuesday over North Carolina in a rare non-conference matchup between the rivals in front of 6,799 fans at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.  

The victory improves NC State to 29-7 overall on the campaign while the Tar Heels to 24-13 this season.

“It is not about [the rivalry],” Avent said. “It is about winning games. It is about staying with what we are doing and trying to get where we want to go.”

Patrick Bailey started things off for the Wolfpack with a two-run homer over the wall in right off North Carolina starter Rodney Hutchison.

The Tar Heels answered in the bottom half of the frame. Clemente Inclan grounded into a fielder’s choice to drive home Ashton McGee and cut NC State’s advantage in half.

NC State scored a pair of runs in the top of the fourth when Zach Gahagan, who was perfectly placed in a shift and had the ball hit directly to him, muffed a ball off the bat of Dillon Cooper allowing Stephen Pitarra and Brock Deatherage to cross home plate.

The Wolfpack pushed another run across the plate in the fifth inning. Bailey drove in that run as well. His single plated Will Wilson to give NC State a four-run lead.

North Carolina scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth when McGee singled up the middle to drive in a pair. Cody Roberts came up to the plate as the winning run with two outs but Kent Klyman struck him out swinging to end the threat.

Evan Edwards then eliminated much of the remaining drama with a three-run blast well over the wall in right to extend NC State’s lead to five runs in the top of the ninth.

NC State righty Reid Johnston improved to 5-0 on the season with the win while Hutchison was saddled with the loss to drop to 3-2 on the campaign.

Avent used six pitchers in the contest. The Wolfpack’s bullpen pitched seven innings and allowed two runs on five hits while walking three and striking out seven.

“[Joe] O’Donnell and [Kent] Klyman have been doing it all year and [Nolan] Clenney for the most part.” Avent said. “I tip my hat to the other three guys tonight.”

Edwards finished 3-for-5 at the plate while Bailey was 2-for-5 at the dish. Both drove in three runs via the long ball. McLain had four hits in five at bats from the leadoff spot.

“Tonight I changed my approach a little bit,” McLain said. “I thought they were going to throw me off-speed all night. In the first two at bats they did throw me off-speed. When I got hits there, I switched back to looking for the fastball. They ended up throwing me fastballs there.”With the win, NC State improves its mark in midweek games to 9-0 on the season. The Wolfpack has four more midweek contests, all at home. State will host East Carolina at Doak next Tuesday.

With a winning percentage over .800 after 36 games, Avent is thrilled with his Wolfpack regardless of what day of the week it is.

“I am just happy with the way we are playing period,” Avent said. “We are playing very, very good. We have been consistent, very disciplined. We work hard. We have fought through a lot of injuries to get where we are at.”

NC State is 13-5 in  ACC and leads Clemson by two games in the standings. The Wolfpack swept the Tigers earlier in the season.

Prior to the matchup versus the Pirates next week, the Pack will return to Durham for a three-game set versu No. 9 Duke in a battle schools atop the standings in their respective divisions.

After the series with Duke and midweek game against East Carolina there will be a three-game showdown with the Tar Heels in Raleigh.

“You definitely keep an even-keel but you embrace the opportunity to play at the highest level,” NC State left fielder Brett Kinneman said. “That is why everybody in our clubhouse came here to play.”

Tags: Baseball
Discussion from...

Pack Smacks Heels, 8-3

2,525 Views | 0 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by Rob McLamb
There are not any replies to this post yet.
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.