#23 NC State Drops Saturday Contest at #10 Virginia

Saturday, May 11

Charlottesville, Va.

Noon

NC State

28-19, 14-11

Virginia

37-13, 15-11

NC State

Virginia

Photo by: Keith Lucas/Sideline Media

#23 NC State Drops Saturday Contest at #10 Virginia

5/11/2024 3:32:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The No. 23 NC State baseball team dropped Saturday's matchup 9-5 at No. 10 Virginia as the Cavaliers evened the weekend series at one game apiece.

Faced with a 6-1 deficit entering the eighth inning, the Wolfpack opened the top of the eighth with four straight singles to cut into Virginia's five-run lead. Alec Makarewicz's RBI single scored Eli Serrano III from third base to make it 6-2 before Jacob Cozart's single through the right side loaded the bases, bringing the tying run to the plate with nobody out. Brandon Butterworth's ground ball to the left side drew the score closer to 6-3 as the Wolfpack shortstop beat out the double play.

The Cavaliers scored three in the bottom half to answer NC State's rally in the top of the eighth, pushing the score to 9-3. Garrett Pennington trimmed the final score to 9-5 with his 13^th homer of the season, drilling a two-out, two-run shot in the top of the ninth for his second home run in as many games.

Virginia (37-13, 15-11 ACC) scored in three straight frames from the third to fifth inning to build a 6-1 lead. Griff O'Ferrall's RBI double made it 1-0 in the second before Bobby Whalen doubled the lead to 2-0 in the third with an RBI single.

The Cavaliers added their third run behind Henry Godbout's RBI double in the fourth. NC State (28-19, 14-11 ACC) trimmed its deficit to 3-1 behind back-to-back two-out doubles from Matt Heavner and Serrano III in the top of the fifth. Heavner kept the inning alive when his double snuck inside the third-base bag before bouncing down the left-field line. Serrano III recorded his seventh double of the season for the Pack's first run, shooting the 0-2 offering down the right-field line.

Virginia extended its lead to five runs with three runs in the bottom of the fifth. Henry Ford and Jacob Ference homered to extend the Cavaliers' advantage to 6-1.

Southpaw Dominic Fritton (3-5) suffered the loss, tossing four strikeouts without allowing a walk in 5.2 innings pitched. Fritton opened his 13^th start of the season with back-to-back scoreless frames before Virginia took its first lead.

Virginia starting pitcher Joe Savino (1-1) earned the win after allowing just one run and three hits over five innings. Cavaliers' closer Aidan Teel notched his sixth save in the victory.

Pennington posted his second straight three-hit performance and third multi-hit outing of the week in the loss. Serrano III also logged multiple hits, going 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.

UP NEXT
NC State eyes a series victory in Charlottesville with the series finale against the 10^th-ranked Cavaliers. First pitch at Disharoon Park is set for 1 p.m. and will stream live on ACC Network Extra.