Bats Power NC State to 14-4 Win over Wright State

RALEIGH, NC - Another offensive outburst led NC State baseball to a 14-4 win over Wright State, extending its winning streak to seven games on Saturday afternoon from the Doak.

The sixth run rule victory of the season saw NC State (10-5) total 14 runs on 14 hits. Alex Sosa and Josh Hogue each had three hits. Luke Nixon had three RBIs in the leadoff spot on two hits, and Jet Gilliam hit his first home run in a Wolfpack Uniform after coming on as a pinch runner. Nine different players scored a run at least once in the game.

Heath Andrews (2-1) earned the win after five innings of work, allowing only two earned runs and one walk. Andrews finished with four strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 2.45 on the year. Anderson Nance came on for the fifth time this season and threw two scoreless innings of work, allowing just one base runner from a walk.

Wright State (4-8) used eight pitchers throughout the ball game. Cam Allen (1-2) started for the Raiders and earned the loss after managing 2.1 innings of work, allowing six runs on six hits with two walks and a strikeout.

The offense from the Raiders came from JP Peltier, who had two solo home runs on the day and nearly a third if it wasn't for freshman center fielder Ty Head making a SportsCenter Top 10 catch at the wall to rob Peltier from rounding the bases.

Peltier gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead in the first with his first home run of the day, but the lead wouldn't last the inning as Hogue ripped a double down the right field line, bringing in Nixon to tie the score. McHugh was then walked, and with the bases loaded, Sosa put the ball in play and had his third double of the season, allowing Justin DeCriscio to advance home.

After Andrews stuck out the side in the third, NC State in the bottom half put up a three-spot following three straight singles to load the bases again. Catcher Drew Lanphere hit the ball 370 feet to left center to the warning track, narrowly missing a grand slam, but his sacrifice fly made it 4-1.

Head, who has reached base safely in all 15 games this season, drew a bases loaded walk to add another before Matt Heavner singles in a run to make 6-1.

The fifth inning saw Wright State make proceedings closer. With two outs, a solo home run from Peltier and a fielding error by the Wolfpack allowed the inning to continue, and the Raiders put together some hits to make it a 6-4 game.

Gilliam led off the bottom of the fifth with a double, and a perfect bunt single from Head put runners on at the corners with nobody out. Heavner's team leading fourth Sacrifice bunt of the season scored the seventh Wolfpack run to add some breathing room.

After a scoreless sixth from Nance, the Wolfpack offense broke the game open with a six-run frame. With the bases loaded for the third time in the game, Lanphere put the ball in play, driving in an RBI, and reached on a fielder's choice. Gilliam found himself in a 0-2 count but didn't let them affect him as he crushed a three-run home run to left field to make it 12-1. A Heavner walk turned the lineup over to the top, where Nixon doubled and made it 13-1 going into the seventh.

To secure the victory early, the Wolfpack used four walks in the bottom of the seventh to score the 14th run of the game and secure the series for NC State. NC State loaded the bases five times in the game and were 8-9 with runners on third and less than two outs.

UP NEXT: NC State will go for the sweep of Wright State tomorrow, Sunday, March 9, at 1 p.m. from the Doak and on ACCNX.

Bats Power NC State to 14-4 Win over Wright State

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Team Stats

Josh Hogue

Alex Sosa

Luke Nixon

Jet Gilliam

Players Mentioned

Heath Andrews

Justin DeCriscio

Jet Gilliam

Ty Head

Matt Heavner

Josh Hogue

Drew Lanphere

Anderson Nance

Luke Nixon

Alex Sosa