Thursday, March 16
Raleigh, N.C.
7 p.m.
NC State
14-4, 1-3
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Virginia
16-1, 3-1
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Virginia
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NC State
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Photo by: Jaylynn Nash
Wolfpack Falls 2-1 to No. 14 Virginia in Series Opener
3/16/2023 10:57:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH – The No. 23 NC State baseball team dropped its ACC home opener 2-1 to No. 14 Virginia on Thursday night at Doak Field at Dail Park.
The Wolfpack (14-4, 1-3 ACC) entered the bottom of the ninth facing a 2-1 deficit. After Virginia reliever Jake Berry retired the first two batters of the inning, Carter Trice dropped in a two-out double down the right-field line to put the tying run in scoring position. Berry then rallied from a ball to open his at-bat against Parker Nolan before ending the game with a strikeout.
Virginia (16-1, 3-1 ACC) scored both its runs in a two-run third inning, pushing two unearned runs across after loading the bases with nobody out. Jake Gelof recorded an RBI groundout to make it 1-0 before an infield single from Kyle Teel doubled the Cavaliers' lead to 2-0 with two outs in the third inning.
Jacob Cozart cut Virginia's lead in half with one swing of the bat, crushing a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cozart's solo shot hit the scoreboard beyond the right-field wall and trimmed the Pack's deficit to 2-1.
NC State almost scored first in Thursday night's contest on a wild pitch. With Eli Serrano III up to the plate with two outs, Payton Green sprinted from second base on a wild pitch and was tagged out sliding into home plate to end the inning.
Starting pitcher Logan Whitaker delivered a strong outing in the Pack's ACC home opener, pitching 5.1 innings while allowing just two runs (both unearned) with five strikeouts and just two walks. Whitaker scattered four hits and tossed 103 pitches, marking the second-most pitches the right-hander has thrown in his NC State career.
Left-hander John Miralia entered with one out in the sixth and retired left-handed cleanup batter Kyle Teel to record the second out of the fifth. Sam Highfill then entered and tossed 3.1 hitless innings, allowing just one walk with three strikeouts. Highfill retired the final seven Cavaliers he faced in his dominant relief appearance.
Offensively, the Wolfpack outhit Virginia 8-4 on the night, dropping just its second game this season when it recorded more hits than its opponent (11-2). Cozart and Green each recorded two-hit performances, while Trice, Green and LuJames Groover III each notched a double apiece.
Aside from Cozart's solo home run, the Pack's best scoring opportunity came in the top of the second after Cozart and Green recorded back-to-back singles to open the inning. NC State left seven runners on base in the one-run defeat.
Virginia starting pitcher Nick Parker moved to 3-0 on the season after pitching five innings while allowing one run and six hits. Berry earned the save behind 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to end the game.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to even the series against the Cavaliers Friday afternoon at The Doak. Friday's game has been moved up to 1 p.m. from an original 6 p.m. start time due to inclement weather on Friday night. The game will still be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
The Wolfpack (14-4, 1-3 ACC) entered the bottom of the ninth facing a 2-1 deficit. After Virginia reliever Jake Berry retired the first two batters of the inning, Carter Trice dropped in a two-out double down the right-field line to put the tying run in scoring position. Berry then rallied from a ball to open his at-bat against Parker Nolan before ending the game with a strikeout.
Virginia (16-1, 3-1 ACC) scored both its runs in a two-run third inning, pushing two unearned runs across after loading the bases with nobody out. Jake Gelof recorded an RBI groundout to make it 1-0 before an infield single from Kyle Teel doubled the Cavaliers' lead to 2-0 with two outs in the third inning.
Jacob Cozart cut Virginia's lead in half with one swing of the bat, crushing a solo home run to right field in the bottom of the fourth inning. Cozart's solo shot hit the scoreboard beyond the right-field wall and trimmed the Pack's deficit to 2-1.
NC State almost scored first in Thursday night's contest on a wild pitch. With Eli Serrano III up to the plate with two outs, Payton Green sprinted from second base on a wild pitch and was tagged out sliding into home plate to end the inning.
Starting pitcher Logan Whitaker delivered a strong outing in the Pack's ACC home opener, pitching 5.1 innings while allowing just two runs (both unearned) with five strikeouts and just two walks. Whitaker scattered four hits and tossed 103 pitches, marking the second-most pitches the right-hander has thrown in his NC State career.
Left-hander John Miralia entered with one out in the sixth and retired left-handed cleanup batter Kyle Teel to record the second out of the fifth. Sam Highfill then entered and tossed 3.1 hitless innings, allowing just one walk with three strikeouts. Highfill retired the final seven Cavaliers he faced in his dominant relief appearance.
Offensively, the Wolfpack outhit Virginia 8-4 on the night, dropping just its second game this season when it recorded more hits than its opponent (11-2). Cozart and Green each recorded two-hit performances, while Trice, Green and LuJames Groover III each notched a double apiece.
Aside from Cozart's solo home run, the Pack's best scoring opportunity came in the top of the second after Cozart and Green recorded back-to-back singles to open the inning. NC State left seven runners on base in the one-run defeat.
Virginia starting pitcher Nick Parker moved to 3-0 on the season after pitching five innings while allowing one run and six hits. Berry earned the save behind 2.2 scoreless innings with four strikeouts to end the game.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to even the series against the Cavaliers Friday afternoon at The Doak. Friday's game has been moved up to 1 p.m. from an original 6 p.m. start time due to inclement weather on Friday night. The game will still be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Nick Parker (3-0)
L: Whitaker, Logan (2-1)
S: Jake Berry (3)
Batting:
RBI: Jake Gelof 1 ; Kyle Teel 1
SH: Griff O'Ferrall 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrison Didawick 1 ; Justin Rubin 1
SB: Ethan O'Donnell 1
CS: Griff O'Ferrall 1
PO: Ethan Anderson 1
Batting:
2B: Groover III, LuJames 1 ; Green, Payton 1 ; Trice, Carter 1
HR: Cozart, Jacob 1
RBI: Cozart, Jacob 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cozart, Jacob 1
CS: Cozart, Jacob 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
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/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP/INF
/ Baseball
LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
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