The win-loss statistic can be misleading when evaluating a pitcher. A pitcher can have a great outing, get zero run support and take a no-decision or loss. Such was the case of Wolfpack sophomore Brian Brown on Saturday afternoon.
Brown pitched six innings, allowing only four hits and one run (unearned), but took the no-decision in a 3-2 extra-inning NC State victory over Wake Forest. For Brown, it was the second straight outing in which he had a great outing but came away without a win. Brown struck out five batters and kept the Wolfpack in the ballgame long enough for the bats to wake up.
Reliever Will Gilbert (3-0) earned the win, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings, striking out four hitters and not allowing a hit.
“That was a great win because we battled so hard,” head coach Elliott Avent said.
The turning point for the Wolfpack was in the eighth inning, when junior first baseman Preston Palmeiro doubled down the right field line against jack-of-all-trades closer Will Craig. Sophomore Joe Dunand singled him home in the next at-bat, tying the game.
The game extended to extra innings, where sophomore centerfielder Josh McLain looped a double into right field. Palmeiro ended it with a two-out walk-off single into right field.
The Wolfpack had many opportunities to provide the lefty with run support early, but came away empty in all of them. In total the Wolfpack was 3 of 18 with runners on base and 3 of 8 with runners in scoring position.
“Big time win for us,” Palmeiro said. “It always big to win games when you don’t play your best and it really proves that we can win in any situation.”
The game was a pitching duel between Brown and Wake Forest starter Drew Loepprich for the first six innings, with both teams threatening against the starters but unable to scratch across any runs.
NC State had runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, but just couldn’t buy a hit to drive in a run to take the lead.
In the fifth, Wake finally took the lead on an RBI single by sophomore right fielder Stuart Fairchild. The run was unearned because the lead-off runner reached base on an error by Wolfpack second baseman Xavier LeGrant.
The Deacons tacked on another run in the seventh on a one-out double from senior center fielder Joey Rodriguez.
The Wolfpack finally responded in the bottom of the frame, putting runners on first and second before senior Ryne Willard singled into right field to put the Pack on the board. The inning was the best chance the Wolfpack had to tie the ballgame before do-everything junior Will Craig came on to try and snuff out a Wolfpack comeback.
At the plate, the Wolfpack avoided Craig at all costs, issuing four walks to the slugger, choosing instead to make someone else in the Demon Deacons order beat them. The strategy worked, as the Demon Deacons were held to just five hits.
In fact, it was the Wolfpack defense that nearly defeated itself. The Wolfpack committed five errors, giving the Demon Deacons ample opportunity to take control the ballgame.
Thankfully for the Wolfpack, the Deacons were more than happy to make up for the Wolfpack errors with their own miscues on the basepaths. Three Deacons were picked off at second base, each one ending an inning.
The Wolfpack takes on the Demon Deacon Monday night in a nationally televised game to wrap up the series. Wolfpack junior Ryan Williamson (5-0, 2.45 ERA) will get the ball to try and nail down the sweep for NC State.
