Wolfpack Drops Road Series Versus Louisville

Seeking its second straight ACC series win to close the gap atop the Atlantic Division, No. 23 NC State (25-13, 11-9 ACC) instead dropped two out of three games on the road versus No. 11 Louisville (27-12, 11-7 ACC) this weekend.

The Wolfpack took the lead in Friday’s series opener thanks to a three-run home run by Tommy White in the third inning with White adding to the lead with a solo shot in the fifth inning. However, the Cardinals snatched the lead back in the bottom of the seventh with nine runs scored, highlighted by a grand slam by Ben Bianco. Despite a strong six-inning start by Logan Whitaker, Baker Nelson (1-1, 6.19 ERA) was saddled with the loss as State fell, 11-4.

The Pack’s bats came alive for Saturday’s contest as five home runs exited Jim Patterson Stadium as NC State took the win, 15-10.

J.T. Jarrett put the Wolfpack on the board in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run double, followed by back-to-back homers by Payton Green and Jacob Cozart. After the Cardinals closed the gap to two runs, Josh Hood added to the home run parade with a two-run shot in the fifth inning. Two batters later, Jarrett cranked a solo shot of his own.

The Cardinals cut into the deficit with three runs in the bottom half of the fifth, but LuJames Groover, III slapped a one-run single in the top of the sixth to extend the Pack’s lead back to three. However, the Louisville offense powered back to take the lead in the home half of the sixth with four runners crossing the plate.

Hood tied the game in the top of the eighth inning with a bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Two batters later with the bases loaded once again, Jarrett sent everyone home with a three-run double to left-center field before scoring on a double by Green in the next at-bat.

Groover added the final insurance run in the top of the ninth, clobbering a solo home run to left field. Justin Lawson (4-1, 2.08 ERA) held the Cards off the scoreboard in the bottom of the ninth, capping off a 3-2/3-inning relief outing to pick up the win.

After starting strong in Sunday’s series finale, the Wolfpack succumbed to an eighth-inning Louisville rally that sealed State’s loss, 11-7. Logan Adams (2-1, 7.52 ERA) picked up the loss after one inning of relief.

Devonte Brown, White, and Jarrett each drilled home runs in the top of the first inning with Jarrett’s shot driving home three runs. However, Louisville struck back with a pair of two-run, bases-loaded singles in the bottom of the first to cut the Pack’s lead to one run. A sacrifice fly by Brown in the top of the fourth extended the lead, but a two-run homer by Dalton Rushing in the home half of the frame tied the game at six going into the fifth.

With his fourth home run of the series, White drilled a solo shot in the top of the seventh, serving at that point as the go-ahead run for the Pack. Adams then hurled a 1-2-3 inning in relief of Canaan Silver who struck out four batters in six innings of work. But in the bottom of the eighth, Adams allowed a hit batsman and a pair of singles to load the bases for Louisville. With Carson Kelly taking over on the mound for NC State, Jack Payton hit a ground-rule double to give the Cardinals the lead. After a bases-loaded single by Levi Usher, a sacrifice fly by Logan Beard, and a bases-loaded walk to Bianco to add to the lead, Louisville silenced State’s offense in the ninth to secure the win.

The Wolfpack returns home for a midweek matchup with East Carolina on Tuesday after already defeating the Pirates in Greenville on March 29, 2-0. First pitch from Doak Field is set for 7 p.m. with the game set to be televised on the ACC Network.