No. 6 NC State Baseball Takes Series With 8-1 Sunday Win at Hawai’i

Sunday, February 19

Honolulu, O'ahu (Les Murakami Stadium)

5:05:00 PM

NC State

2-1

Hawai'i

1-2

NC State

Hawai?i

Photo by: Jay Metzger

No. 6 NC State Baseball Takes Series With 8-1 Sunday Win at Hawai’i

2/19/2017 10:38:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score

Wolfpack limits Rainbow Warriors to one hit

HONOLULU – Five different NC State pitchers combined to allow just one hit against Hawai'i in the Wolfpack's 8-1 win Sunday afternoon at Les Murakami Stadium to claim the series. The Pack plated two runs each in the second, sixth, seventh and ninth innings.

NC State moves to 2-1 on the season, while Hawai'i falls to 1-2. Junior right-handed pitcher Tommy DeJuneas picked up the win for the Wolfpack in his first collegiate start, while Hawai'i starter Neil Uskali took the loss.

NC State opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the second to grab a 2-0 lead. Evan Mendoza and Shane Shepard drew consecutive walks to start the frame before Brad Debo reached on a fielder's choice and a throwing error by Hawaii's shortstop allowed Mendoza to score the first run of the game.

Two batters later, Joe Dunand singled through the left side to drive in Debo from second base. Hawai'i tried to get something going in the bottom of the inning by putting the runner on first in motion, but Debo fired a strike to Dunand at shortstop to end the threat.

The Rainbow Warriors tried to steal second on Debo again in the third inning, but were unsuccessful again as the freshman from Durham, N.C., was up for the task.

NC State loaded the bases in the top of the sixth with no outs looking to break the game open. Brett Kinneman walked to start the frame, Mendoza singled to right field and Shephard walked to load the bases. Debo delivered an RBI single through the right side scoring Kinneman to make it 3-0.

Unfortunately for the Pack, a double play followed but NC State scored another run to extend the advantage to 4-0. Hawai'i chased Wolfpack starter DeJuneas in the sixth by putting runners at first and second with two outs, but freshman Kent Klyman entered the game and forced the UH batter to fly out to left field ending the threat.

Josh McLain started the seventh with a double down the left field line and later scored on a wild pitch. Mendoza hit an RBI single to center field to plate Will Wilson from second, pushing the NC State lead to 6-0.

Hawai'i scored its lone run of the game in the bottom of the eighth, following an error by the Wolfpack and a wild pitch. The Wolfpack's final two runs came in the ninth after Kinneman hit a ground-rule double to left field and Mendoza reached on an error to drive in Lawson McArthur, who pinch-ran for Kinneman.

Jack Conley reached on the second error of the inning by the 'Bows, allowing Mendoza to score on the play giving NC State an 8-1 lead. Johnny Piedmonte came in to pitch the ninth and shut it down for the Pack.

Up Next
NC State returns to action Friday, Feb. 24, against Austin Peay for the squad's home opener at Doak Field at Dail Park.

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