The NC State baseball team scored four runs in the ninth to defeat the Louisville Cardinals 9-6 in game two of the series on Saturday afternoon at Jim Patterson Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky.
Junior left fielder Brett Kinneman drove home four runs and delivered the big blow, a three-run double in the ninth inning, to help the Pack (24-6, 10-4) come from behind twice in the game and defeat the Cardinals (20-10, 6-8).
Senior starting pitcher Brian Brown came into the game with a 0.41 ERA but wasn’t as sharp as he has been this year. He cruised through three innings before running into trouble in the fourth. Brown was done after five innings. He gave up four runs and seven hits.
Kinneman started the scoring with an RBI single in the fourth. After Brown allowed three runs, freshman catcher Patrick Bailey snuck a two-run home run inside the right field foul pole to tie the game in the sixth.
Louisville responded with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-3 lead.
Louisville starter Nick Bennett threw six solid innings, but the Wolfpack started chipping away once he was relieved.
Senior center fielder Josh McLain drove home freshman outfielder Terrell Tatum on an error, and then McLain scored on a single from sophomore shortstop Will Wilson, aided by a bobble by the outfielder.
Meanwhile on the mound, sophomore Kent Klyman (3-0) had taken over for junior Nolan Clenney, who gave up one run while recording one out in the sixth, and Klyman shut down the Cardinals in the final three innings.
The Pack trailed by one entering the ninth with Louisville closer Sam Bordner (1-2) on the mound. Senior infielder Stephen Pitarra hit a high bouncer over the mound for an infield single. McLain followed with an infield single of his own. Wilson singled to right field to load the bases with none out.
Kinneman stepped up and crushed a double over the right fielders head on the second pitch of the at bad for 3 RBI, which is 40 on the year for the junior. Junior first baseman Evan Edwards drove home Kinneman to give the Pack the 9-6 lead that would be the final score.
Klyman got the Cardinals 1-2-3 to finish the game in the bottom of the ninth.
Sophomore pitcher Michael Bienlien will start for the Pack in the massive rubber match between the two teams on Sunday. The game will begin at 1 p.m.
