#Pack9 Suffers Setback In Series Opener With Hokies

BLACKSBURG, Va. - No. 20 NC State baseball (18-10, 6-6 ACC) suffered a series-opening setback against No. 23 Virginia Tech (19-7, 6-5 ACC) on Friday night at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park.

The teams traded runs in the first four innings, but an 11-run seventh propelled the Hokies to 21-10 victory.

The Hokies went up 1-0 in the first thanks to Eduardo Malinowski's RBI infield single after back-to-back walks started the side.

Dominic Pilolli responded in the top of the second with his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to center field, but then Virginia Tech regained its lead in the bottom frame when Gavin Cross's single through the left side drove in Nick Biddison after he reached on a double to center field.

Once again, the Pack tied it up at 2-2 in the third on Josh Hood's RBI groundout to third. Jacob Godman started the frame with a walk and LuJames Groover III laced a one-out single to center field, and then the pair pulled off the double steal with Hood at the plate to start the threat.

Virginia Tech took back its lead in the bottom frame with a combined six runs via home runs by Conor Hartigan, Carson DeMartini and Cross to take an 8-2 lead.

NC State continued the back-and-forth battle in the fourth when Noah Soles's two-run single up the middle brought Pilolli and J.T. Jarrett home after a walk and double started the side, respectively, to make it 8-4.

Tech proceeded to make it 9-4 in the bottom of the fourth when Cade Hunter hit a solo shot to center field - his team's fourth home run of the game. Cross's RBI single through the right side with runners at first and second in the fifth made it the fifth-straight inning the Hokies scored in.

An 11-run seventh pushed Virginia Tech out to a 21-4 lead. Despite a two-run double by Payton Green in the eighth followed by a four-run burst on three hits in the ninth, the Pack was unable to overcome its deficit in the final innings.

Noah Soles turned in a 3-for-5 outing at the plate, marking his fourth-straight multi-hit game as he has tallied 11 hits in the Pack's last four games.

NC State and Virginia Tech will meet for game two of the series Saturday at English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park, with first pitch set for 3 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX and there will be an audio stream on WKNC 88.1 and the Varsity Network App.

#Pack9 Suffers Setback In Series Opener With Hokies

Next Event

Team Stats

Noah Soles

LuJames Groover III

Josh Hood

Eddie Eisert

Players Mentioned

Jacob Godman

Payton Green

LuJames Groover III

Josh Hood

J.T. Jarrett

Dominic Pilolli

Noah Soles

Players Mentioned

Jacob Godman

Payton Green

LuJames Groover III

Josh Hood

J.T. Jarrett

Dominic Pilolli

Noah Soles