Friday, April 23
Raleigh, N.C.
6:30 PM
NC State
17-13, 10-12
3
vs
1
#15 Virginia Tech
21-13, 15-10
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Virginia Tech
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
6
2
NC State
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
X
3
4
0
Highfill’s Gem Lifts Pack Over Hokies In Series Opener
4/23/2021 10:43:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH – Sam Highfill tossed 6.2 shutout innings while the NC State baseball (17-13, 10-12 ACC) offense plated runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth to secure a 3-1 win over No. 15 Virginia Tech (21-13, 15-10 ACC) in its series opener on Friday night at Doak Field at Dail Park.
After three scoreless innings, the Pack struck first when Austin Murr blistered a line drive over the right field wall for his sixth home run of the season.
With runners at the corners thanks to a leadoff double by Vojtech Mensik and bunt single by Terrell Tatum, J.T. Jarrett pulled off the suicide squeeze play to double the Pack's lead in the fifth.
In the sixth, Jonny Butler capitalized on a couple of Hokie miscues as a hit-by-pitch, wild pitch and two-out error brought him around the bases to give NC State a 3-0 lead.
In Highfill's stellar outing the Hokies put runners in scoring position on three separate occasions, but the freshman right-hander managed to produce outs and keep them off the board each time.
Tech looked to make it a one-run game in the seventh, putting runners at second and third with two outs following a hit-by-pitch and ground-rule double, but Devonte Brown ran down a line drive heading toward right center to keep the momentum in the Pack's favor.
Dayne Leonard pushed a late run across for Virginia Tech in the ninth inning with his two-out RBI double to right field, scoring pinch runner Carson Jones from second. Then, with the game-tying run at the plate, reliever Evan Justice recorded the emphatic punch out to end the game.
SCORING RECAP
OF NOTE
ON DECK
Saturday, April 24 · vs. Virginia Tech · 7 PM
After three scoreless innings, the Pack struck first when Austin Murr blistered a line drive over the right field wall for his sixth home run of the season.
With runners at the corners thanks to a leadoff double by Vojtech Mensik and bunt single by Terrell Tatum, J.T. Jarrett pulled off the suicide squeeze play to double the Pack's lead in the fifth.
In the sixth, Jonny Butler capitalized on a couple of Hokie miscues as a hit-by-pitch, wild pitch and two-out error brought him around the bases to give NC State a 3-0 lead.
In Highfill's stellar outing the Hokies put runners in scoring position on three separate occasions, but the freshman right-hander managed to produce outs and keep them off the board each time.
Tech looked to make it a one-run game in the seventh, putting runners at second and third with two outs following a hit-by-pitch and ground-rule double, but Devonte Brown ran down a line drive heading toward right center to keep the momentum in the Pack's favor.
Dayne Leonard pushed a late run across for Virginia Tech in the ninth inning with his two-out RBI double to right field, scoring pinch runner Carson Jones from second. Then, with the game-tying run at the plate, reliever Evan Justice recorded the emphatic punch out to end the game.
SCORING RECAP
- B4: Murr blistered a leadoff homer over the right field wall (NCSU 1, VT 0 - no outs)
- B5: Jarrett scored Mensik from third with his sac bunt up the first base line (NCSU 2, VT 0 - no outs)
- B6: A Virginia Tech miscue brought Butler home from second (NCSU 3, VT 0 - 2 outs)
- T9: Jones crossed home plate on Leonard's double to right field (NCSU 3, VT 1 - 2 outs)
OF NOTE
- Tyler McDonough extended his reached base streak to 47 games, which dates back to the 2020 season. It is the longest streak currently held by an ACC player and is the fourth-longest by an NC State player since 1999.
- Murr led the team with his 2-for-4 performance with a home run and a double, while Mensik and Tatum tallied the other two hits for the Pack in the contest.
- Highfill (4-2) yielded four hits and walked two in 6.2 innings of solid work. He additionally fanned six batters en route to picking up his fourth win of the season.
- Justice tallied his third save of the year as he hurled the final 2.1 innings of the game and struck out four.
ON DECK
Saturday, April 24 · vs. Virginia Tech · 7 PM
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Highfill, Sam (4-2)
L: Peyton Alford (1-3)
S: Justice, Evan (3)
Batting:
2B: Jack Hurley 1 ; Dayne Leonard 1
RBI: Dayne Leonard 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Carson Jones 1
HBP: Cade Swisher 1 ; Dayne Leonard 1
Batting:
2B: Murr, Austin 1 ; Mensik, Vojtech 1
HR: Murr, Austin 1
RBI: Murr, Austin 1 ; Jarrett, J.T. 1
SH: Jarrett, J.T. 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Murr, Austin 1 ; Butler, Jonny 1 ; Mensik, Vojtech 1
SB: McDonough, Tyler 1 ; Tatum, Terrell 1
HBP: Butler, Jonny 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
3
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
AB
3
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
2
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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