Sunday, March 5
Raleigh, N.C.
1 p.m.
NC State
12-0
6
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5
NJIT
4-6
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5
6
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8
9
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H
E
NJIT
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0
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5
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NC State
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2
6
9
2
Payton Green Hits Walk-Off Homer to Complete Sweep of NJIT
3/5/2023 5:11:00 PM | Baseball
NC State Moves to 12-0 on the Season
RALEIGH – Faced with a deficit in the ninth inning for the first time this season, NC State shortstop Payton Green blasted a one-out, two-run home run to right field to complete the Wolfpack comeback in a 6-5 victory over NJIT at Doak Field at Dail Park on Sunday. The win not only secured the three-game weekend sweep over the Highlanders, but it also moved NC State to 12-0 for the first time since a 12-0 start in 2020.
NC State (12-0) batted in the bottom of the ninth inning for the first time this season after entering the final frame trailing 5-4. Kalae Harrison started the rally with a leadoff single to right field to open the final frame. After Carter Trice lined out to third base, Green stepped to the plate with a runner on first and one out.
Green worked the count to 1-1 before hitting his team-high sixth home run of the season to right field, crushing the ball to opposite field and into the NC State bullpen for the winning runs. Green's teammates mobbed the shortstop at home plate to celebrate the Pack's third straight weekend sweep to open the 2023 season.
NC State scored first in the first inning after Trice opened the bottom half of the opening inning with a leadoff walk. Trevor Candelaria then doubled home the game's opening run with an RBI double down the left-field line, making it 1-0 Wolfpack with two outs in the first.
NJIT (4-6) limited the Wolfpack to no runs in the following five innings behind a quality start from starting pitcher Joe Georgini, who pitched six innings while allowing just one run and scattering three hits. NC State starting pitcher Dominic Fritton also shined in his third-career start, pitching five-plus innings while allowing just two hits and one run with five strikeouts.
The Highlanders took their first lead in Sunday's game behind a pair of home runs in the top of the sixth inning. Ray Ortiz put NJIT ahead with a two-run homer before Luke Longo smacked a solo shot to make it 3-1 Highlanders heading to the bottom of the sixth.
The Wolfpack trimmed its two-run deficit to one run in the bottom of the seventh behind a pair of doubles. Will Marcy entered as a pinch hitter and doubled to right field to lead off the inning. Trice then ripped a double into the gap in left center with two outs to make it 3-2.
The Highlanders stretched their lead back out to three in the eighth when Dillon Can doubled to right center with two outs in the top of the eighth, bringing home two baserunners to make it 5-2.
NC State again chipped away at NJIT's lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. After LuJames Groover III opened the inning with a walk, Jacob Cozart ripped a single to right field. The right fielder then misplayed the bouncing ball, rolling past him to allow Cozart to sprint all the way to third base and Groover III to advance all the way home to make it 5-3. Cannon Peebles then singled up the middle on the next pitch to bring home Cozart and make it 5-4.
Justin Lawson earned his first win of the season after pitching 1.1 hitless innings in relief, recording NC State's final four outs of the game. Lawson struck out one batter and did not allow a walk in another dominant outing out of the bullpen.
With the win, NC State head coach Elliott Avent also recorded career victory No. 1,198 and NC State win No. 974.
UP NEXT
NC State hits the road for the week, playing its first in-state opponent Tuesday when the Pack travels to Greensboro to take on UNCG (7-5). Tuesday's first pitch at UNCG Baseball Stadium is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
NC State (12-0) batted in the bottom of the ninth inning for the first time this season after entering the final frame trailing 5-4. Kalae Harrison started the rally with a leadoff single to right field to open the final frame. After Carter Trice lined out to third base, Green stepped to the plate with a runner on first and one out.
Green worked the count to 1-1 before hitting his team-high sixth home run of the season to right field, crushing the ball to opposite field and into the NC State bullpen for the winning runs. Green's teammates mobbed the shortstop at home plate to celebrate the Pack's third straight weekend sweep to open the 2023 season.
NC State scored first in the first inning after Trice opened the bottom half of the opening inning with a leadoff walk. Trevor Candelaria then doubled home the game's opening run with an RBI double down the left-field line, making it 1-0 Wolfpack with two outs in the first.
NJIT (4-6) limited the Wolfpack to no runs in the following five innings behind a quality start from starting pitcher Joe Georgini, who pitched six innings while allowing just one run and scattering three hits. NC State starting pitcher Dominic Fritton also shined in his third-career start, pitching five-plus innings while allowing just two hits and one run with five strikeouts.
The Highlanders took their first lead in Sunday's game behind a pair of home runs in the top of the sixth inning. Ray Ortiz put NJIT ahead with a two-run homer before Luke Longo smacked a solo shot to make it 3-1 Highlanders heading to the bottom of the sixth.
The Wolfpack trimmed its two-run deficit to one run in the bottom of the seventh behind a pair of doubles. Will Marcy entered as a pinch hitter and doubled to right field to lead off the inning. Trice then ripped a double into the gap in left center with two outs to make it 3-2.
The Highlanders stretched their lead back out to three in the eighth when Dillon Can doubled to right center with two outs in the top of the eighth, bringing home two baserunners to make it 5-2.
NC State again chipped away at NJIT's lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. After LuJames Groover III opened the inning with a walk, Jacob Cozart ripped a single to right field. The right fielder then misplayed the bouncing ball, rolling past him to allow Cozart to sprint all the way to third base and Groover III to advance all the way home to make it 5-3. Cannon Peebles then singled up the middle on the next pitch to bring home Cozart and make it 5-4.
Justin Lawson earned his first win of the season after pitching 1.1 hitless innings in relief, recording NC State's final four outs of the game. Lawson struck out one batter and did not allow a walk in another dominant outing out of the bullpen.
With the win, NC State head coach Elliott Avent also recorded career victory No. 1,198 and NC State win No. 974.
UP NEXT
NC State hits the road for the week, playing its first in-state opponent Tuesday when the Pack travels to Greensboro to take on UNCG (7-5). Tuesday's first pitch at UNCG Baseball Stadium is set for 3 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lawson, Justin (1-0)
L: Liam Reiner (0-2)
Batting:
2B: Dillon Can 2
HR: Ray Ortiz 1 ; Luke Longo 1
RBI: Ray Ortiz 2 ; Luke Longo 1 ; Dillon Can 2
SH: Andrew Eppinger 1 ; Ty Sallie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Albert Choi 1 ; Ray Ortiz 1 ; Luke Longo 1 ; Cole Fleming 1 ; Jared Donnelly 1
SB: Albert Choi 1
HBP: Ray Ortiz 1
PO: Ty Sallie 1
Batting:
2B: Trice, Carter 1 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 1 ; Marcy, Will 1
HR: Green, Payton 1
RBI: Trice, Carter 1 ; Green, Payton 2 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1 ; Peebles, Cannon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Trice, Carter 1 ; Green, Payton 1 ; Groover III, LuJames 1 ; Cozart, Jacob 1 ; Marcy, Will 1 ; Harrison, Kalae 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
lf/rf
AB
4
R
1
H
1
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
2
rf/cf
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
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