Tuesday, March 7
Greensboro, N.C.
3 p.m.
NC State
13-0
15
at
13
UNCG
7-6
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
NC State
2
8
0
0
1
0
0
2
2
15
13
3
UNC Greensboro
2
1
4
3
1
0
0
2
0
13
13
3
Photo by: Mollie Mitchell
Wolfpack Wins 15-13 Slugfest Over UNCG
3/7/2023 7:12:00 PM | Baseball
NC State Moves to 13-0 on the Season
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The NC State baseball team slugged its way to a 15-13 victory over UNCG on Tuesday at UNCG Baseball Stadium, moving to 13-0 on the season.
NC State (13-0) never trailed in a game that featured 28 total runs and 26 total hits. The Pack jumped out early to a 10-2 lead before UNCG (7-6) scored eight runs over a three-inning span to tie the game at 10-10 heading to the fifth. The Pack jumped ahead two more times before the Spartans immediately answered with the same number of runs to tie the game.
NC State grabbed the lead for good with two runs in the top of the ninth. LuJames Groover III delivered the game-winning hit with an RBI single to center field, bringing home Noah Soles from second base to make it 14-13. Carter Trice then tacked on the Pack's 15th and final run with an RBI single through the left side, pushing the game to its final score at 15-13.
Justin Lawson recorded his second pitching victory of the season, entering in the eighth and remaining in the game to get the final three outs in the ninth. Lawson struck out the first two Spartans in the ninth before getting a groundout to second base to end the game.
In his first game in the leadoff spot, Kalae Harrison smacked a triple into the gap in right-center to set the tone in the first inning. Groover III drove in Harrison from third with an RBI groundout, bringing home the opening run of the game. Trevor Candelaria then doubled the Pack's opening-inning lead with his third home run of the season, making it 2-0 with a solo shot to left field.
After UNCG tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, NC State scored eight runs in the top of the second to make it 10-2. Harrison singled through the right side to make it 3-2 before the Pack scored its final seven runs of the inning via the long ball.
Payton Green crushed his team-high seventh home run of the season, extending NC State's lead to 6-2 with a three-run homer to left field. Eli Serrano III then made it 10-2 Wolfpack behind the Pack's second grand slam of the season. Serrano III homered on the first pitch from new UNCG pitcher Jake Wolf.
UNCG struck back with a run in the bottom of the second and four runs in the bottom of the third. The Spartans then tied the game at 10-10 with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Green drove in the Pack's 11th run of the game in the top of the fifth to push NC State back in front, scoring Harrison all the way from first with a two-out single to right field. The Spartans then tied the game at 11-11 with a bases-loaded walk. Wolfpack relief pitcher Andrew Shaffner limited the damage in the bottom of the fifth, getting a popout and a strikeout to retire the final two outs of the inning.
Shaffner shined in his appearance out of the bullpen, allowing just one run over three innings with five strikeouts. He struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at 11-11.
NC State jumped ahead in the top of the eighth with two outs when Cannon Peebles delivered a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle to score Groover III from third and Candelaria from second. Peebles' clutch hit broke the 11-11 tie and vaulted the Wolfpack into a 13-11 lead.
UNCG tied the game once again with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 13-13 before the Pack tallied the final two runs of the game in the top of the ninth.
With the win, NC State moves to 32-9 all-time against UNCG. The victory also marks its first win over an in-state opponent in 2023 and puts head coach Elliott Avent one victory away from No. 1,200 in his career.
UP NEXT
NC State will open ACC play at Miami this weekend. This weekend's three-game series at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida, begins Friday at 7 p.m. Friday's broadcast will be on ACC Network, while Saturday and Sunday's games will be on ACC Network Extra.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
NC State (13-0) never trailed in a game that featured 28 total runs and 26 total hits. The Pack jumped out early to a 10-2 lead before UNCG (7-6) scored eight runs over a three-inning span to tie the game at 10-10 heading to the fifth. The Pack jumped ahead two more times before the Spartans immediately answered with the same number of runs to tie the game.
NC State grabbed the lead for good with two runs in the top of the ninth. LuJames Groover III delivered the game-winning hit with an RBI single to center field, bringing home Noah Soles from second base to make it 14-13. Carter Trice then tacked on the Pack's 15th and final run with an RBI single through the left side, pushing the game to its final score at 15-13.
Justin Lawson recorded his second pitching victory of the season, entering in the eighth and remaining in the game to get the final three outs in the ninth. Lawson struck out the first two Spartans in the ninth before getting a groundout to second base to end the game.
In his first game in the leadoff spot, Kalae Harrison smacked a triple into the gap in right-center to set the tone in the first inning. Groover III drove in Harrison from third with an RBI groundout, bringing home the opening run of the game. Trevor Candelaria then doubled the Pack's opening-inning lead with his third home run of the season, making it 2-0 with a solo shot to left field.
After UNCG tied the game with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first, NC State scored eight runs in the top of the second to make it 10-2. Harrison singled through the right side to make it 3-2 before the Pack scored its final seven runs of the inning via the long ball.
Payton Green crushed his team-high seventh home run of the season, extending NC State's lead to 6-2 with a three-run homer to left field. Eli Serrano III then made it 10-2 Wolfpack behind the Pack's second grand slam of the season. Serrano III homered on the first pitch from new UNCG pitcher Jake Wolf.
UNCG struck back with a run in the bottom of the second and four runs in the bottom of the third. The Spartans then tied the game at 10-10 with three runs in the bottom of the fourth.
Green drove in the Pack's 11th run of the game in the top of the fifth to push NC State back in front, scoring Harrison all the way from first with a two-out single to right field. The Spartans then tied the game at 11-11 with a bases-loaded walk. Wolfpack relief pitcher Andrew Shaffner limited the damage in the bottom of the fifth, getting a popout and a strikeout to retire the final two outs of the inning.
Shaffner shined in his appearance out of the bullpen, allowing just one run over three innings with five strikeouts. He struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh with the score tied at 11-11.
NC State jumped ahead in the top of the eighth with two outs when Cannon Peebles delivered a two-out, two-RBI single up the middle to score Groover III from third and Candelaria from second. Peebles' clutch hit broke the 11-11 tie and vaulted the Wolfpack into a 13-11 lead.
UNCG tied the game once again with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to make it 13-13 before the Pack tallied the final two runs of the game in the top of the ninth.
With the win, NC State moves to 32-9 all-time against UNCG. The victory also marks its first win over an in-state opponent in 2023 and puts head coach Elliott Avent one victory away from No. 1,200 in his career.
UP NEXT
NC State will open ACC play at Miami this weekend. This weekend's three-game series at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida, begins Friday at 7 p.m. Friday's broadcast will be on ACC Network, while Saturday and Sunday's games will be on ACC Network Extra.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Lawson, Justin (2-0)
L: M. Kemp (2-1)
Batting:
3B: Harrison, Kalae 1
HR: Green, Payton 1 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 1
RBI: Harrison, Kalae 1 ; Green, Payton 4 ; Groover III, LuJames 2 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1 ; Trice, Carter 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 4 ; Peebles, Cannon 2
SH: Harrison, Kalae 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Harrison, Kalae 3 ; Green, Payton 1 ; Groover III, LuJames 3 ; Candelaria, Trevor 3 ; Trice, Carter 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 1 ; Peebles, Cannon 1 ; Cozart, Jacob 1 ; Soles, Noah 1
CS: Green, Payton 1
HBP: Cozart, Jacob 1
Batting:
2B: K. Jones 1 ; Z. Budzik 1 ; D. Jonas 1 ; C. Cozart 1
HR: C. Cozart 1
RBI: K. Jones 1 ; Z. Budzik 2 ; M. Smith 1 ; D. Jonas 1 ; C. Cozart 5 ; D. Callahan 2
SH: D. Cerda 2
SF: D. Jonas 1
Base Running:
RUNS: K. Jones 1 ; Z. Budzik 1 ; M. Smith 2 ; D. Jonas 1 ; D. Cerda 2 ; G. Jarman 1 ; C. Cozart 2 ; R. Watt 2 ; J. Budzik 1
SB: K. Jones 1 ; R. Watt 1
HBP: D. Jonas 1 ; D. Cerda 1 ; R. Watt 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
rf/cf
AB
5
R
3
H
3
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
4
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
Players Mentioned
OF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
INF/OF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ 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