The NC State baseball team took a non-conference series win over Radford with a 10-0 victory on Saturday, April 30.
Despite the loss of freshman infielder Tommy White in game one of the series, the Wolfpack (28-13, 11-9 ACC) bats stayed hot to take control of the weekend against the Highlanders (13-29, 6-12 Big South).
Sophomore right-handed starting pitcher Matt Willadsen was the biggest story to come out of the game. He pitched a career-high thirteen strikeouts in seven innings while only giving up three hits and a walk.
Freshman right-hander Carson Kelly came in to pitch the last two innings and complete the shutout while grabbing three more strikeouts for the Pack.
Following a three-up, three-down top of the first, center fielder Devonte Brown got things started for the Pack with a first-pitch single in the bottom of the inning. One pitch later, NC State jumped ahead for a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer from sophomore first baseman LuJames Groover III.
Radford’s greatest chance to score throughout the evening came in the top of the second as it put two on, courtesy of a single and a fielder’s choice. Groover III and junior catcher Jacob Godman combined for a huge play at home just six pitches later to end any sort of rally that may have been cooking.
The Wolfpack added three more runs to its lead in the fourth inning on a two-RBI double by Brown and a double play RBI from redshirt junior shortstop Josh Hood.
From then until the seventh inning, it was lights out for both teams. At one point, in a stretch from the third to the fifth inning, Willadsen struck out five straight and Radford did not plate another base runner until the top of the seventh.
Two singles put Radford runners on first and second with only one out, but an infield fly out and a huge line out to senior second baseman J.T. Jarrett held the Highlanders from scoring any runs.
NC State grabbed its sixth run in the bottom of that inning, taking advantage of a double steal that included an impressive swim move from freshman designated hitter Will Marcy at second base.
Groover III added three more runs for NC State in the bottom of the eighth on his second home run of the evening. This shot to left field brought his RBI total to five for the day as he ended the game 2-3 with two walks.
One more home run from Hood would bring the Wolfpack’s lead to 10-0 and conclude the scoring for the evening.
The Pack will look to complete the sweep on May 1 at 1 p.m. here in Raleigh at Doak Field at Dail Park.
