N.C. State’s woes in ACC play continued during the weekend, as the Wolfpack was swept by Miami in a three-game set at Doak Field, culminated by a 12-5 loss on Sunday. With the defeat, State fell to 15-11 overall and 3-9 in the ACC. After beginning league play with three wins over Notre Dame, the Pack has lost nine straight conference games, the most since the 2002 squad dropped 10 in a row.
“This [bad start to conference season] happened last year,” junior pitcher Carlos Rodon said after Friday’s game was suspended. “It is definitely a learning experience. Baseball is crazy game, a game of failure, so you have got to have a short memory.”
With the three losses, N.C. State dropped to 6-18 overall against Miami since the Hurricanes joined the ACC in 2004, and 13-30 all-time.
In the first game on Friday evening, Rodon went six innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out five and walking three. Due to the threat of rain, the game was suspended in the bottom of the sixth inning with the score knotted at 1-1.
The next day began with the regularly scheduled matchup. Senior pitcher Andrew Woeck was given his first career start for the Wolfpack, but picked up a loss. The right-hander went 5.1 innings and allowed two runs on four hits. Woeck struck out seven batters and walked only one.
However, Miami’s junior pitcher Andrew Suarez was better. The lefty hurled eight innings with only five hits and one run, leading the Hurricanes to a 2-1 victory.
Friday’s suspended game was resumed on Saturday evening. Junior pitcher Eric Peterson was handed the ball to open the top of the seventh inning with the game still tied at one. The right-hander pitched the final three innings but allowed the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, as the Hurricanes’ freshman designated hitter Zach Collins hit an RBI sacrifice fly after back-to-back Miami singles, allowing a Miami runner to score and giving the Hurricanes its second 2-1 win of the night.
N.C. State got off to an uneasy start in the finale on Sunday. Junior righty pitcher Logan Jernigan yielded a run in the first inning, and Miami added on two more runs in the third inning, chasing Jernigan off the mound. Another in the top of the fifth gave the ‘Canes a 4-0 advantage before the Pack was able to respond.
Junior right-fielder Jake Armstrong doubled in the bottom of the fifth, sending junior left-fielder Bubby Riley home for the Wolfpack’s first run of the game. Two batters later, junior center-fielder Jake Fincher singled, and all runners on base advanced on a Miami throwing error, including Armstrong, who scored to bring State within two runs. Junior shortstop Trea Turner brought the Pack within one with an RBI fielder’s choice.
The next inning, N.C. State used the long ball to score two more runs. Freshman third baseman Andrew Knizner blasted a home run to left field to open the bottom of the sixth and tie the game at four. After Riley grounded out, Armstrong crushed a 1-1 offering to the same side and handed the Pack its first lead of the series.
Miami answered back over the next three innings, scoring eight runs in the final third of the contest, highlighted by a mammoth blast over the right field wall by Collins, who finished the game with six RBIs.
“I have been concerned for a while,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “It is a tough league. You can get into a little bit of a rut. You lose a couple, then you start doubting yourself and then confidence becomes an issue.”
The Pack will look to end its conference struggles as the team travels to Buies Creek to face off with Campbell (19-8) Tuesday.
