On the back of a three-hit day from sophomore infielder Will Wilson, the NC State baseball team beat Wake Forest, 10-6, on Sunday to mark its eighth straight victory.
The Wolfpack (39-12, 18-9 ACC) knocked the Demon Deacons (22-29, 11-16 ACC) around for 10 hits and used a patient approach at the plate to draw nine walks.
NC State got the scoring started in the first inning when junior outfielder Brett Kinneman took a 2-2 fastball deep to right-center field for a two-run double, putting the Pack up 2-0.
Wake Forest would respond in the second inning, plating one run on a groundout to first base and another with a single to tie the game up at 2-2.
The Wolfpack and Demon Deacons traded runs again, with NC State taking a 3-2 lead on a two-out RBI double by senior infielder Stephen Pitarra in the bottom of the second inning before Wake Forest struck right back, scoring on a wild pitch from sophomore right-hander Mathieu Gauthier and tying the game up at 3-3 in the third inning.
With one out and a runner on third in the third inning, designated hitter Shane Muntz hit a sharp groundball to Pitarra at third base, who gunned down the Deacs’ runner at the plate, although Muntz reached first on the fielder’s choice.
Wake Forest’s very next batter, Cole McNamee took the first pitch he saw from sophomore right-hander Michael Bienlien deep to left field for a two-run home run, putting the Demon Deacons on top, 5-3.
The rest of the game was all NC State, as the Wolfpack scored seven unanswered runs before allowing a ninth inning solo home run.
In the bottom of the sixth, with the Pack still trailing 5-3, senior outfielder Josh McLain drilled an 0-2 offering to the left-center gap, plating two runners to tie the game on his way to a triple. Wilson, the very next batter, singled to left field, scoring McLain and giving the Wolfpack a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
NC State scored two more runs in the seventh inning, with TJ Jarrett plating a run with a sacrifice bunt and McLain knocking in another courtesy of a sacrifice fly to center field, giving the Wolfpack a 9-5 lead.
The Pack added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth when junior infielder Evan Edwards flied out to right field and scored freshman catcher Patrick Bailey for a sacrifice fly.
A solo home run in the ninth for the Deacs put the final score at 10-6 in favor of the Wolfpack to finish off a clean sweep for NC State.
Redshirt freshman Connor Centala (1-0, 2.84 ERA) picked up the win for the Wolfpack and sophomore lefthander Kent Klyman (6-2, 2.29 ERA) nabbed his fourth save of the season.
Freshman Evan Justice (2-0, 7.11 ERA) got the start for the Pack and went 1.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits before giving way to Gauthier (0-0, 4.24 ERA) and Bienlien (3-3, 5.83 ERA).
Wilson led the way for the Pack on offense, going 3 for 5 with an RBI and a double. Pitarra had a multi-hit game of his own, going 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run.
The Wolfpack returns to action Thursday when it takes on Florida State at 6 p.m. at Dick Howser Stadium.
