N.C. State defeated the Clemson Tigers, 6-3, on Wednesday evening in the Wolfpack’s opening game of the 2013 ACC Tournament at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. 

The winning pitcher for the Pack was freshman Brad Stone (3-2). The lefthander, who did not make it out of the first inning in the final game of N.C. State’s crucial series in Raleigh against Florida State, pitched five innings in his first postseason appearance. Stone yielded two runs, one earned, on six hits while fanning three batters and walking one. 

Senior reliever Josh Easley pitched four solid innings of two-hit ball, allowing only one late run, to earn his second save of the campaign. 

The losing pitcher for Clemson was freshman starter Daniel Gossett (9-4). The righthander was outstanding for six innings but faded in the seventh to take the loss. 

Clemson opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. Junior third baseman Shane Kennedy reached base on a fielder’s choice. Kennedy promptly stole second base on a failed pickoff attempt and then stole third base later during the same at-bat. Kennedy then scored on a passed ball. 

The Wolfpack responded immediately. 

In the bottom of the second, senior third baseman Grant Clyde smashed a Gossett offering over the “Blue Monster” in leftfield to tie the score at one. It was Clyde’s fourth homer of the season. 

In the next frame, N.C. State took its first lead of the game. 

Designated hitter Jake Armstrong rapped a single to leftfield. The sophomore then advanced to second base on a sacrifice from sophomore second baseman Logan Ratledge. After a walk and a strikeout, sophomore catcher Brett Austin hit a sharp grounder and Clemson second baseman Steve Wilkerson booted the ball, allowing Armstrong to score the Pack’s second run of the evening. 

Clemson leveled the game a second time in the top of the sixth, but was left to rue a lost opportunity. 

After Stone loaded the bases with no outs, N.C. State manager Elliott Avent summoned Easley. The native of Weatherford, Texas induced a double play from Clemson catcher Garrett Boulware, which brought in the tying run. It was the only at-bat Boulware did not reach safely on for the evening, going 3-for-4 with a home run. 

“Easley came in with very electric stuff tonight,” Avent said. “He was really good.”

“He (Easley) bounces back pretty quick,” Avent added. “We would not be able to pitch him tomorrow but I would be very shocked if he was not available on Friday.”

“We have a very loaded bullpen, so we do not have to force that issue.”

The Pack appeared buoyed by the Tigers inability to produce with runners in scoring position and in the bottom of the seventh inning took over the game. 

The inning started with a sharply hit single from senior leftfielder Bryan Adametz. Gossett then plunked Armstrong with a pitch and Ratledge failed at a sacrifice attempt. Gossett however, uncorked a wild pitch and both remaining runners advanced.  

After sophomore shortstop Trea Turner walked to load the bases, sophomore rightfielder Jake Fincher singled to leftfield driving in Armstrong. The throw to the infield was muffed and Ratledge also crossed home plate, giving the Pack a lead it would not relinquish. Brett Austin then doubled to centerfield, driving in two runs to put the contest out of reach. 

“I thought we played really good tonight,” Avent said. “For us, Brad Stone kept them at bay, but we also played really good defense.”

With the win, N.C. State is better placed to advance from pool play into the knockout phase of a tournament that featured upsets on opening day. The Pack was the only higher-seeded team to win on Wednesday. 

The Pack will return to action in ACC Tournament pool play on Friday at 11 a.m. against the eighth-seeded Miami Hurricanes in Durham.