NC State
33-18, 12-16
Pittsburgh
23-29, 10-17
#Pack9 Secures Series Win, ACC Tournament Spot in 17-8 Victory Over Pitt
5/19/2023 10:15:00 PM | Baseball
Wolfpack Goes for the Sweep Saturday on Senior Day
The Pack offense exploded for 17 runs on 13 hits to secure the series win against the Pitt Panthers. NC State's 17 runs marked its most runs scored against an ACC opponent since April 9, 2021, when the Pack scored 20 runs against Boston College. With the win, NC State clinches its spot in the ACC Tournament in Durham, North Carolina, from May 23-28.
NC State (33-18, 12-16 ACC) got out to an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Cannon Peebles led off the inning with a walk and scored on a two-out RBI double to left-center off the bat of Trevor Candelaria. Payton Green continued the two-out scoring with an RBI single to right field to score Candelaria.
Pitt (23-29, 10-17 ACC) responded in the top of the third with four runs on three hits to take the lead at 4-2. Wolfpack left-handed reliever Rio Britton then entered the game, limiting the damage with a strikeout.
The Pack trimmed the Pitt lead to one run in the bottom of the third. With back-to-back hits from Jacob Cozart and Peebles to lead off the inning, Eli Serrano III reached on a fielder's choice to score Cozart on a throwing error by the pitcher.
Kalae Harrison evened the score in the fourth on an RBI single to center field, scoring Candelaria from third base.
LuJames Groover III then restored the Wolfpack lead for good with a sacrifice fly to right field in the sixth inning. After a walk and a single, Peebles launched a three-run home run for the second straight night, stretching NC State's advantage to 8-4 in the same frame.
The Panthers cut into the Pack lead with a solo home run to right field in the seventh. Pitt managed to get runners in scoring position, but Dominic Fritton was able to work out of the jam with a pair of strikeouts.
The Pack offense built on Fritton's big punchout, exploding for seven runs in the bottom of the seventh to make it 15-5 Wolfpack. After three straight walks loaded the bases, Harrison recorded a two-RBI single up the middle. The scoring continued as Peebles drew a bases-loaded walk before Serrano III doubled down the right-field line to add two more runs. Parker Nolan plated two more runs on a two-RBI single up the middle to cap off the seventh-run seventh inning.
NC State tallied its third straight multi-run inning in the bottom of the eighth as Harrison reached base for the fifth time with a HBP and scored on Noah Soles' triple to right-center. Groover III recorded an RBI groundout to plate the Pack's final run.
Rio Britton (3-2) tossed a career-high 3.2 innings in relief and recorded a career-high in strikeouts, fanning five batters to earn his third win of the season. Dominic Fritton earned his third-career save, tossing 2.1 innings with six strikeouts.
Harrison and Peebles paced the Pack offense, both reaching base five times. Harrison recorded the first four-hit performance of his career, going 4-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Peebles finished the night going 2-for-2 with a homer, three RBI, three walks and three runs scored.
Dylan Simmons (1-2) suffered the loss after allowing five unearned runs over one inning of work out of the bullpen.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to close out its regular season schedule with a sweep on Senior Day. The Wolfpack will honor four student-athletes – Parker Nolan, Trevor Candelaria, Logan Whitaker and Sam Highfill – prior to Saturday's series finale. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. and will be broadcasted on ACC Network Extra.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Britton, Rio (3-2)
L: SIMMONS, Dylan (1-2)
S: Fritton, Dominic (3)
Batting:
2B: HESS, Kyle 1
3B: LASALA, Anthony 1
HR: ACAL, Justin 1 ; MARTINEZ, Noah 1
RBI: DUFF, Sky 1 ; ACAL, Justin 1 ; MARTINEZ, Noah 2 ; LONG III, Johnny 2 ; MELENDEZ, Jayden 1 ; LASALA, Anthony 1
SF: DUFF, Sky 1
Base Running:
RUNS: DUFF, Sky 1 ; ACAL, Justin 1 ; MARTINEZ, Noah 1 ; ANDERSON, Jack 1 ; BARTO, Cameron 1 ; HESS, Kyle 1 ; POPA, Dom 1 ; LASALA, Anthony 1
HBP: HESS, Kyle 1
Batting:
2B: Peebles, Cannon 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 1 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1
3B: Soles, Noah 1
HR: Peebles, Cannon 1
RBI: Soles, Noah 1 ; Groover III, LuJames 2 ; Peebles, Cannon 4 ; Serrano III, Eli 2 ; Nolan, Parker 2 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1 ; Green, Payton 1 ; Harrison, Kalae 3
SH: Soles, Noah 1
SF: Groover III, LuJames 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Soles, Noah 2 ; Groover III, LuJames 1 ; Cozart, Jacob 2 ; Peebles, Cannon 3 ; Serrano III, Eli 1 ; Nolan, Parker 1 ; Candelaria, Trevor 3 ; Green, Payton 1 ; Harrison, Kalae 3
HBP: Soles, Noah 1 ; Harrison, Kalae 1
