N.C. State held off East Carolina, 3-2, Wednesday at Doak Field to improve to 17-11 on the season. The Wolfpack, looking to improve its fortunes in April after slumping in March, seemed set to cruise to a comfortable victory over its in-state rival before things got tense in the final inning.
The Pack opened up the scoring in the bottom of the third inning. Freshman first baseman Preston Palmeiro led off the frame with a triple to the deepest part of center field. After a groundout, junior catcher Brett Austin hit a sacrifice fly to bring Palmeiro home and put N.C. State on top.
One inning later, it was Palmeiro again who caused damage. Junior left fielder Bubby Riley advanced to third base when freshman third baseman Andrew Knizner singled on a hit-and-run. After a ground out, junior Carlos Rodon – in the contest as the designated hitter – hit into a fielder’s choice, with Riley getting thrown out at home. Palmeiro then stepped to the plate and lined a two-out single to left, driving in Knizner for the game’s second run.
Entering the game, Palmeiro had only five hits on the season. However, the freshman finished the contest 3-for-3 to improve his average to .400.
“I felt pretty comfortable, especially after [Tuesday’s game against Campbell] where I got a start,” Palmeiro said. “That gave me some confidence. The first at bat, after that hit, I was relaxed tonight.”
Freshman pitcher Ryan Williamson earned his first collegiate victory in his fourth appearance for N.C. State. The lefty was sensational in relief of junior starting pitcher Logan Jernigan. Williamson went 4.1 innings, allowing only one hit while striking out seven and walking none. East Carolina starting pitcher Tyler Bolton allowed two runs on four hits in three innings, taking the loss and falling to 1-3 on the season.
“It felt great. I came out there and threw strikes and pounded the ball in the zone,” Williamson said. “I had great command of all three of my pitches tonight.”
The Pack added another insurance run in the bottom of the seventh, one that would turn out to be vital for the State team, when Austin crushed a pitch to left. The Charlotte native also threw out a base runner in the second inning to prevent East Carolina, which had six hits in the first three innings, from pushing an early run across the plate.
“Brett Austin making that pick off at second, I thought was the play of the game,” N.C. State head coach Elliott Avent said. “You keep grinding and make one play at a time. We made plays tonight. We found ways to make plays. The hustle he showed excited the crowd. That’s the way N.C. State plays.”
After Avent inserted senior pitcher Andrew Woeck into the game in the top of the ninth, East Carolina got three straight hits to draw within two runs with one out in the inning.
Woeck was removed as the score shrunk to 3-2, and sophomore pitcher Will Gilbert entered the contest. The lefty struck out the first hitter he faced before plunking ECU’s senior designated hitter Drew Reynolds to load the bases.
Senior third baseman Zach Houchins stepped to the plate for the Pirates with the bases loaded and two out in the ninth. Houchins laced a 0-2 pitch to center field where junior Jake Fincher made a spectacular diving grab to prevent at least two runs scoring and secure the win for the Pack.
With the win, State improved to 17-11 on the season, marking the first back-to-back victories for the Pack since it had its six-game winning streak snapped on March 14 at Florida State. After starting its 2014 campaign 14-2, N.C. State, which defeated Campbell in extra innings on Tuesday, had lost nine of its past 10 games prior to its trip to Buies Creek, falling out of the national rankings.
N.C. State returns to ACC play Saturday, when the Pack travels to Clemson for a three-game set. State, losers of nine straight games in the ACC, will look to extend its modest two-game winning streak while also ending its longest run without a victory in conference play since 2002.
