The N.C. State baseball team got the offense going early and held ECU scoreless through five innings in Tuesday’s 10-3 win at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
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Photo credit: (ECU Sports Information)
The East Carolina Pirates (22-15-1, 7-5 American) fell to the NC State Wolfpack (25-12, 8-7 ACC) at Lewis Field in Clark LeClair Stadium Tuesday night, 3-10. The loss marks the second year in a row for the Pirates to lose to the Wolfpack on their home field.
The Pirates were unable to gain any traction in the first inning, while the Wolfpack took advantage of different opportunities in the second. Starting with a leadoff walk with a single right behind, NC State built momentum through the inning. With a fielder’s choice and a miscue defensively by the Pirates, the Wolfpack scored the first run of the night.
Having two outs, the top of the lineup for NC State hits a single to the right side for insurance, with the score now 2-0. With a wild pitch in foul territory, Michael Kalinich was able to recover the ball to Ryan Towers for the third out tag at home to end the inning
In the bottom of the second, there was some movement. With two outs, Blade Carver, in his first start of the season, lined his first hit as a Pirate for a double to gain a baserunner. But the effort came unanswered.
The Wolfpack kept their momentum and sailed into the third with one out. After forcing a walk for a baserunner, Ty Head homered deep into right field to put two more on the board for the Wolfpack. With a sacrifice fly to centerfield, NC State plates their third run of the inning.
With scoreless innings for both teams in the fourth and fifth, the Wolfpack finds a way in the sixth. A lead-off double gains a runner in scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, moving to third with one out. With a shallow ground ball to third base, Sherman Johnson scores from third to keep the score comfortable for the Wolfpack at 6-0.
The Pirates start to make their way around the bases and end the drought in the sixth. Davin Whitaker leads off the inning, forcing a walk. Herring hammers a first-pitch single into right field, moving Whitaker to third, the first time this game the Pirates have a runner on third. Pinch hitter Brayden Bachman does his job, hitting a sacrifice fly out to center for Whitaker to score. The Pirates end the inning still down 1-6.
The Wolfpack is able to respond in the top of the seventh. With a single from the lead off, the Pirates handled a fielder’s choice for one out. With another miscue from the Pirate defense, NC State scores one more run on a ball that got away. Score at the end of the seventh holds 1-7.
The Wolfpack has another multi-run inning, with a leadoff walk, marking the fifth inning that NC State has had its leadoff hitter on base. With a first-pitch double, the leadoff runner scored for more insurance. The Wolfpack came back once again and blasted a two-run home run to make the score 10-1 Wolfpack.
East Carolina gave more offensively in the bottom of the eighth. Braden Burress gets a hold of his first single of the game, gaining a base. Whitaker sees a moment and blasts a shot to deep right field to score two, score now 3-10. Although they had one more chance in the bottom of the ninth, the Pirates’ home unbeaten streak in April has come to an end.
The Pirates finished with five hits, compared to NC State’s 10. They scored three runs and left five on base. East Carolina was 2-for-10 with runners on.
Herring led the shallow offense, going 2-for-4 on the day, extending his on-base streak to 37. Whitaker also gave the Pirates something, going 1-for-2 with a two-run bomb and two walks. Carver gained his first hit in a Pirate uniform, with Braden Burress notching a hit as well.
Sean Jenkins made a relief appearance with minimal damage, going 3.0 innings with two strikeouts, only giving up two hits and one run. Frank Ciccone also had a solid outing, totaling 1.2 innings, giving up no runs, no hits and one strikeout
East Carolina will see NC State again on April 28 in Wolfpack territory, but will first host two conference weekends, starting with Wichita State on Friday, April 17.