Saturday, April 7
Louisville, Ky. (Jim Patterson Stadium)
2 p.m.
NC State
9
at
6
#11 Louisville
#Pack9 Surges Past No. 11 Louisville with 9-6 Win to Even Series
4/7/2018 7:22:00 PM | Baseball
Wolfpack rallies with six unanswered runs to even the series
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The fourth-ranked NC State baseball team rallied with six unanswered runs, highlighted by four in the ninth to surge past No. 11 Louisville for a 9-6 win Saturday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium to even the series.
Â
The Wolfpack erased a 6-3 deficit with two runs in the seventh to trim the deficit to one before erupting with four runs in the ninth.
Â
NC State moves to 24-6 on the year and 10-4 in ACC play, while Louisville falls to 20-10 and 6-8 in conference action. The Pack is the first team to reach 10 wins in league play and remains atop the standings in the Atlantic Division.
Â
Kent Klyman earned the win with 3.2 innings of relief to remain unbeaten on the year at 3-0, while Louisville's All-American closer Sam Bordner blew the save and was charged with the loss (1-2).
Â
The decisive game three of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon, as the Wolfpack looks to extend the ACC's longest active series-win streak to eight.
Â
Turning Point
A costly error by Louisville with two outs in the seventh opened the door for NC State and the Wolfpack took advantage, as Terrell Tatum scored on the misplay to cut the deficit to 6-4. Will Wilson followed with a single to right field and Josh McLain raced around to score from first base to cut the deficit to one.
Â
The Cardinals threatened in the bottom of the eighth by putting runners at second and third with one out, but Klyman struck out the next batter and received a nice defensive play by Stephen Pitarra to escape the jam and give NC State momentum heading to the ninth.
Â
Quick Hits
- NC State pushed across the game's first run in the top of the fourth, after an RBI single from Brett Kinneman.
- Louisville countered in the bottom of the inning following a two-RBI single from Danny Oriente to take a 2-1 advantage.
- The Cardinals pulled ahead 3-1 in the fifth, but NC State evened the score at three in its next at-bat.
- Following a two-out walk to Kinneman, freshman Patrick Bailey homered to right field to knot the score at 3-3 on his fourth blast of the year.
- Louisville gained a 6-3 advantage with three runs in the bottom of the sixth after doubles from Drew Campbell and Justin Lavey.
- The Wolfpack plated a couple of unearned runs in the seventh before plating four runs in the ninth.
- Pitarra and McLain reached on infield singles prior to Wilson's single to right field, loading the bases with nobody out.
- Kinneman clubbed a double off the right field wall to clear the bases, as he narrowly missed his 13th homer of the season, to give NC State an 8-6 lead.
- Evan Edwards drove in the final run for the Pack with a single through the right side, as Kinneman scored from third.
- Klyman retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win.
Â
Â
On the Mound
- Brian Brown started on the mound for NC State and pitched five innings with four strikeouts, yielding four runs.
- Nolan Clenney relieved him and faced two batters before handing the ball to Klyman.
- Louisville's Freshman All-American Nick Bennett threw six strong innings and departed inline to earn the win, but NC State rallied against the Cards bullpen.
Â
On Deck
Game three of the series is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium.
Â
Â
Â
The Wolfpack erased a 6-3 deficit with two runs in the seventh to trim the deficit to one before erupting with four runs in the ninth.
Â
NC State moves to 24-6 on the year and 10-4 in ACC play, while Louisville falls to 20-10 and 6-8 in conference action. The Pack is the first team to reach 10 wins in league play and remains atop the standings in the Atlantic Division.
Â
Kent Klyman earned the win with 3.2 innings of relief to remain unbeaten on the year at 3-0, while Louisville's All-American closer Sam Bordner blew the save and was charged with the loss (1-2).
Â
The decisive game three of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon, as the Wolfpack looks to extend the ACC's longest active series-win streak to eight.
Â
Turning Point
A costly error by Louisville with two outs in the seventh opened the door for NC State and the Wolfpack took advantage, as Terrell Tatum scored on the misplay to cut the deficit to 6-4. Will Wilson followed with a single to right field and Josh McLain raced around to score from first base to cut the deficit to one.
Â
The Cardinals threatened in the bottom of the eighth by putting runners at second and third with one out, but Klyman struck out the next batter and received a nice defensive play by Stephen Pitarra to escape the jam and give NC State momentum heading to the ninth.
Â
Quick Hits
- NC State pushed across the game's first run in the top of the fourth, after an RBI single from Brett Kinneman.
- Louisville countered in the bottom of the inning following a two-RBI single from Danny Oriente to take a 2-1 advantage.
- The Cardinals pulled ahead 3-1 in the fifth, but NC State evened the score at three in its next at-bat.
- Following a two-out walk to Kinneman, freshman Patrick Bailey homered to right field to knot the score at 3-3 on his fourth blast of the year.
- Louisville gained a 6-3 advantage with three runs in the bottom of the sixth after doubles from Drew Campbell and Justin Lavey.
- The Wolfpack plated a couple of unearned runs in the seventh before plating four runs in the ninth.
- Pitarra and McLain reached on infield singles prior to Wilson's single to right field, loading the bases with nobody out.
- Kinneman clubbed a double off the right field wall to clear the bases, as he narrowly missed his 13th homer of the season, to give NC State an 8-6 lead.
- Evan Edwards drove in the final run for the Pack with a single through the right side, as Kinneman scored from third.
- Klyman retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win.
Â
A look at Brett Kinneman's double that plated 3?? to lead @NCStateBaseball to the W over Louisville! #GoPack pic.twitter.com/dWUcLGlc7x
— NC State Athletics (@PackAthletics) April 7, 2018
Â
On the Mound
- Brian Brown started on the mound for NC State and pitched five innings with four strikeouts, yielding four runs.
- Nolan Clenney relieved him and faced two batters before handing the ball to Klyman.
- Louisville's Freshman All-American Nick Bennett threw six strong innings and departed inline to earn the win, but NC State rallied against the Cards bullpen.
Â
On Deck
Game three of the series is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium.
Â
WOLFPACK WINS!!!! #Kinneman gloves the fly ball in left field to end it, as #Pack9 rallies with FOUR runs in the top of the ninth to defeat No. 11 Louisville, 9-6, to even the series #STATEment ??? pic.twitter.com/OlcPxqmhLG
— #Pack9 ?? (@NCStateBaseball) April 7, 2018
Â
Players Mentioned
C
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballAuburn Regional Preview: Elliott Avent on ACC PM
Thursday, May 29
Game Three Press Conference: Athens Super Regional
Tuesday, June 11
Game Two Press Conference: Athens Super Regional
Sunday, June 09
Game One Press Conference - Athens Super Regional
Saturday, June 08