It was a great start to the season for the NC State baseball team, as the Wolfpack topped Seton Hall 3-1 Friday evening at Doak Field for its second win of the day over the Pirates.
The Pack (2-0) won the first game of the doubleheader 8-4 earlier in the afternoon, and rode graduate pitcher Johnny Piedmonte to a much tighter 3-1 victory over the Pirates (0-2) in the second game. Piedmonte picked up the win, tossing seven innings and allowing just one run on two hits. It was a good day overall for NC State starting pitchers, as senior Brian Brown threw six innings and allowed just one run in the first game
“I thought a lot of guys did a lot of really good things,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “We were hoping [Brown] and Piedmonte could just go five. But, their pitch counts were just so low. They both pitched well. They’re both veterans. Plus, they both want to get good, they know they need to get better as we go along.”
Offensively for the Pack, a Seton Hall throwing error, sacrifice pop out from senior first baseman Shane Shepard and imposing home run off the bat of senior outfielder Brock Deatherage provided the runs. Andrew Politi was the losing pitcher for the Pirates, allowing four runs and six hits over 4.2 innings.
Seton Hall wasted no time getting on the board and securing its first lead of the series, using a single and a double to drive in a run and put the Pirates up 1-0 in the first inning. The Wolfpack managed to escape the inning without further damage, but was unable to answer offensively in the first inning after a pair of strikeouts by freshman designated hitter Terrell Tatum and sophomore shortstop Will Wilson.
Despite scuffling slightly early on, Piedmonte continued his strong performance through the seventh inning. After giving up two hits and a run in the first inning, the towering right hander cruised through the seventh inning, allowing no hits, no runs and just one walk over his last six innings on the mound.
“I wasn’t throwing with conviction that first inning,” Piedmonte said. “I guess I got a little ticked off and started throwing with more conviction, and that definitely helped me out.”
State threatened in the second inning, loading the bases by way of a single and two walks, but couldn’t capitalize as redshirt sophomore second baseman Dillon Cooper lofted a fly ball to center field on the first pitch he saw, ending the inning and scoring opportunity.
The Pack tied things up in the third inning on a single off the bat of Wilson. Freshman Terrell Tatum, who got the start at designated hitter, doubled for his first career hit to lead off the inning. Tatum scored from second on Wilson’s infield single, advancing home on a throwing error from Pirates’ shortstop Al Molina.
NC State added another run later in the third to jump out to a 2-1 lead on an unusual play. With the bases load, senior first baseman Shane Shepard hit a high pop up to shallow left field that was misplayed and fell to the ground. The runners advanced, with Wilson scoring from third. Sophomore catcher Brad Debo was thrown out at third, ending the inning.
The Wolfpack struck the scoreboard again in the fourth, as Deatherage crushed a 2-2 pitch over the wall in right field and into the woods behind Doak Field to go up 3-1. Deatherage totalled just three home runs in 2017, but hit one in each of the games in Friday’s doubleheader.
“We’ve really been working hard all fall and spring on two-strike hitting,” Deatherage said. “The second [home run] was probably the hardest-hit ball I’ve ever hit.”
Piedmonte was removed after the seventh in favor of redshirt junior Nolan Clenney, ending his day with seven innings pitched, one earned run, seven strikeouts and just one base on balls.
Clenney, making the first appearance of his NC State career, tossed a clean eighth inning, striking out a batter. He gave up a hit in the ninth to the second hitter of the inning, prompting Avent to call on sophomore left hander Kent Klyman. The Williamsburg, Virginia native struck out the only batter he faced.
Avent brought in redshirt senior Joe O’Donnell for the last out of the game, as the right hander picked up the save to seal the victory.
“I think Clenney pitched outstanding,” Avent said. “Klyman came in and did his job and then Joe finished it off.”
The Wolfpack will go for the sweep against Seton Hall Sunday at 1 p.m. Freshman left hander David Harrison will take the mound for his first career start.
