NC State
36-23
#11 Kentucky (#1 Seed)
40-21
#Pack9 Takes Down #11 Kentucky, Advances to Regional Final
6/4/2017 12:29:00 AM | Baseball
Senior Sean Adler pitches 7.2 innings in relief to earn the win
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NC State remains red-hot, as the Pack has won 16 of its last 19 games to move its overall record to 36-23 while Kentucky falls to 40-21.
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Kentucky plated the game's first run in the top of the first after loading the bases to chase NC State starting pitcher Michael Bienlien. Adler entered the contest for the Wolfpack and induced consecutive flyouts to center field to end the threat with only a run allowed.
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NC State quickly countered in the bottom half, as leadoff hitter Stephen Pitarra launched his first career home run over the right field wall to even the score at one apiece. Josh McLain followed with his sixth homer of the season, a solo shot to right center as the Pack grabbed a 2-1 lead on the Wildcats.
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It was the third time this season that NC State has hit back-to-back home runs. Kentucky countered two innings later to knot the score at two thanks to a solo homer from Tristan Pompey, a First Team All-SEC Selection.
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The Wolfpack regained the lead with three runs in the bottom of the fifth to take a 5-2 advantage. Joe Dunand singled and Will Wilson walked before Evan Mendoza ripped a two-RBI triple to center field to plate both runners.
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Andy Cosgrove followed with a single through the left side to score Mendoza, giving NC State a 5-2 lead. Kentucky looked to get a two-out rally started in the top of the seventh and pushed across a run after an RBI single from Riley Mahan, but Adler induced a popup to Dunand at shortstop to end the threat.
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Kentucky's Evan White hit a solo home run in the ninth to pull the Wildcats within a run at 5-4, but NC State's Austin Staley forced the next batter to pop up to Wilson at second base to end the game and secure his fifth save of the year.
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Eight of the nine batters in the Wolfpack batting order tallied a hit in the game, headlined by Dunand with a 2-for-4 outing to go along with a run scored and Mendoza was 1-for-3 with a triple and two RBI.
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WOLFPACK WINS! #Wilson gloves the popup to end it, as #Pack9 takes down #11 Kentucky, 5-4, and is heading to the REGIONAL FINAL #STATEMENT ?? pic.twitter.com/cuBCv1TwWZ
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) June 4, 2017
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The #Pack9 is on to the Regional Final!
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 4, 2017
NC State takes down Kentucky in Lexington, 5-4. #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/HYTw4mwM9S
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#STATEMENT
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Adler, Sean (6-6)
L: Justin Lewis (6-4)
S: Staley, Austin (5)
Batting:
HR: Tristan Pompey 1 ; Evan White 1
RBI: Tristan Pompey 1 ; Evan White 1 ; Riley Mahan 2
SH: Luke Becker 1 ; Connor Heady 1
SF: Riley Mahan 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Tristan Pompey 2 ; Evan White 2
SB: Tristan Pompey 1 ; Zach Reks 1
Batting:
3B: Mendoza, Evan 1
HR: Pitarra, Stephen 1 ; McLain, Josh 1
RBI: Pitarra, Stephen 1 ; McLain, Josh 1 ; Mendoza, Evan 2 ; Cosgrove, Andy 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Pitarra, Stephen 1 ; McLain, Josh 1 ; Dunand, Joe 1 ; Wilson, Will 1 ; Mendoza, Evan 1
