The No. 15 N.C. State baseball team traveled to Atlanta over the weekend and came away with a sweep against No. 14 Georgia Tech, extending its winning streak to 14 games. 

Game One 

Friday’s contest was an offensive showcase for State. The Wolfpack scored in every inning except the second in a 13-4 victory against the Yellow Jackets. 

The two teams traded blows through the first three innings. The Pack scored one in the top of the first inning and four in the third, including a three-run home run by senior Tarran Senay. Georgia Tech countered with two runs in both the second and third innings to make it 5-4. 

“I took some good swings,” Senay said. “Those hits don’t mean anything if nobody’s on base.” 

In the fourth, the Pack increased its margin to 6-4 on a single by sophomore outfielder Jake Fincher, scoring sophomore Jake Armstrong who had led off the inning with a single. State increased that lead to 7-4 in the fifth on an RBI fielder’s choice from Bryan Adametz. 

State wasn’t done yet. Senay came through again in the sixth, doubling down the right field line with the bases loaded to score two more runs. Clyde added a sacrifice fly to double the Pack’s cushion. 

“This team’s been really focused for the past three or four weeks,” manager Elliot Avent said. “And they’re loose when they need to be loose.” 

State added single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to seal the win. .Junior righty Anthony Tzamtzis took home the win, bringing his record to 2-1. Tzamtzis did not allow a hit through his 3.1 innings in relief of starter Ryan Wilkins, striking out two Yellow Jackets in the process. Georgia Tech ace Buck Farmer took the loss to drop to 7-2. 

Game Two 

Sophomore left-hander Carlos Rodon was as good as advertised Saturday, striking out 10 in a complete game effort .as the Pack clinched the series with a 6-2 win. 

“I just had to go out there and give my team a chance to win by throwing strikes,” Rodon said. 

The win also featured a milestone for sophomore shortstop Trea Turner, as he swiped his 17th base of the season and the 74th of his career, setting the N.C. State career record for stolen bases. Turner also homered in the game, his sixth of the season. 

The Wolfpack drew first blood in the top of the third inning. With two outs, Senay singled home Turner for the game’s first run. Williams singled, driving Senay to third, and promptly stole second base to put two runners in scoring position. Clyde followed with yet another single to plate Williams and Senay. 

The Jackets got some two-out production of their own in the bottom of the inning, getting a run back on an RBI single by Kyle Wren. Neither team scored again until the sixth when Turner singled in Armstrong. 

State put two on the board in the e

 ighth, including Turner’s homer, but the day belonged to Rodon, who struck out at least eight for the ninth time this season. He improved to 4-2 on the season, while Georgia Tech’s Dusty Isaacs fell to 4-4 with the loss.

Game Three

The Wolfpack completed the sweep in dramatic fashion Sunday, scoring a pair of runs in the ninth inning off of Georgia Tech closer Zane Evans.

The third inning provided plenty of fireworks for both teams. The Pack opened the scoring with five runs, highlighted by a grand slam by Clyde. But the Yellow Jackets bounced right back with four runs, two on a base hit by Evans, who served as Tech’s catcher for the first seven innings.

The Jackets forged ahead with single runs in the next three innings, while the Wolfpack scored one in the sixth, making the score 7-6. Neither team scored again until the decisive top of the ninth.

Clyde led off the inning with a double to left and Williams drove him home with a single, advancing to second on the throw. A sacrifice bunt by Adametz put Williams on third, and Armstrong followed with a sacrifice fly to right, breaking the tie.

“[Zane Evans] is one of the best in this league,” Avent said. 

Senior right-hander Chris Overman pitched four innings, including the ninth, to earn a win in his first decision of the season. Overman allowed just two hits, holding the Yellow Jackets scoreless after the sixth inning, while walking one and striking out one. Evans took the loss for Georgia Tech.