Despite a six-run third inning in the third and final game of the season-opening series for NC State baseball, the Wolfpack couldn’t overcome three unearned runs as it fell to Seton Hall, 8-6, Sunday afternoon at Doak Field.

The Wolfpack (2-1), despite the loss, took the series win after sweeping the doubleheader Friday, but the Pirates (1-2) held NC State scoreless in every inning except the third in Sunday’s game as they picked up their first win of the season.

“We saw some bright spots today,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “It’s a loss, won the series. Seton Hall’s a good baseball team… that’s a well-coached team.”

Freshman left-hander David Harrison got the start for the Pack and was greeted in the first inning with a trio of Seton Hall runs. The Pirates strung together two singles to put runners on first and second. Seton Hall first baseman Matt Toke grounded a ball to his positional counterpart, junior Evan Edwards, who threw the ball low and into left field past sophomore shortstop Will Wilson at second base, allowing the Pirates to get their first run and put runners on second and third. Edwards was charged with an error.

A sacrifice fly drove in a run and a single and double brought in a third run. Seton Hall brought eight batters to the plate in the first, scoring three unearned runs.

Seton Hall starter Ricky DeVito cruised through two innings before the Wolfpack bats came alive in the third inning. Batting leadoff, freshman designated hitter Terrell Tatum drew a base on balls and Wilson followed with a free pass of his own. Junior outfielder Brett Kinneman smacked a 2-1 pitch for a double to the left-centerfield gap, scoring Tatum and Wilson to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Edwards flew out to center for the second out of the inning, but senior center fielder Josh McLain got a hold of the first pitch he saw, driving it over the left-field wall for his first home run of the season to put the Wolfpack up 4-3 and prompting Seton Hall to pull DeVito from the game.

“I was geared up for a fastball,” McLain said. “He threw me one in there on the inside half.”

The Pirates called on right-hander Ryan McLinskey to limit the damage, but the Wolfpack bats remained hot. Sophomore backstop Brad Debo yanked a single to right and came in to score after freshman Devonte Brown’s triple off the right-field wall. An error by Seton Hall allowed Brown to score. The Pack sent 10 hitters to the dish in the third inning, compiling four hits and scoring six runs to grab the lead, 6-3.

Seton Hall designated hitter Sebastian Santorelli took Harrison deep to right field to start the fourth frame and cut the lead to just two runs at 6-4.

A leadoff walk in the fifth inning set the stage for a big inning by the Pirates. The free pass and a fielder’s choice put Pirate runners on first and third. Toke launched a 1-1 pitch off Harrison over the right-field wall, putting Seton Hall up, 7-6, in the fifth inning and bouncing Harrison from his collegiate debut in favor of redshirt junior Nolan Clenney.

“We’re a little thin in the bullpen,” Avent said. “We’re trying to get our starters to go a little further.”

Harrison, who was charged with the loss, ended the day with 4.1 innings pitched while striking out five and giving up seven runs but just four earned runs. 

Clenney gave up two straight doubles and a run, the second double being off the bat of Santorelli, who had previously homered. After the fifth frame, the Pirates led 8-6.

Freshman Nick Swiney and sophomore Michael Bienlien combined for 3.2 scoreless innings to finish the game.

In the ninth inning, sophomore first baseman Steven Oakley was hit by a pitch but was called back by the umpire after he ruled that Oakley had leaned into the pitch. Avent argued the call, leading to an ejection. Oakley would eventually fly out to center field. Senior Shane Shepard drew a walk later in the inning, but the Pirates took the final game of the series, 8-6.

“I thought we looked pretty good right now for early in the season,” McLain said. “You need these wins early, you can’t take any games off.”

The Wolfpack will be back in action Tuesday when it squares off against NC A&T at Doak Field. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.