Looking for a big bounce-back performance after its loss on Friday night, the NC State baseball team grabbed a 5-2 win over Clemson in an exciting matchup in Clemson, South Carolina.
It was back and forth the first two innings, but sophomore outfielder Noah Soles took control of the offense for the Wolfpack (17-9, 5-5 ACC) and helped secure all five runs for the win.
The Tigers (18-8, 2-5 ACC) struck first, scoring on an RBI double in the first inning, but unlike game one of the series, NC State responded quickly, taking the lead in the top of the second.
Sophomore outfielder Dominic Pilolli got things started with a one-out double and senior infielder J.T. Jarrett also got on base by a walk, giving Soles the perfect opportunity to knock some runs in. Soles beat out a single and allowed Pilolli to score, and a throwing error following the play also gave Jarrett the chance to cross home plate and take the 2-1 lead.
A Clemson home run in the bottom of the second tied the game back up again, which concluded the scoring till Soles’ next at bat in the fourth inning. With two outs, back-to-back doubles from freshman infielder Payton Green and Soles gave the Pack the lead once again.
Clemson threatened with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth, but with senior lefty reliever Canaan Silver on the mound, two straight strikeouts and a line out sent them back on defense.
Soles continued his impressive night in the sixth, adding two more RBIs on the stat sheet with a single to center field, scoring freshman infielder Tommy White and Jarrett and raising the Wolfpack lead to 5-2.
Both the Tigers and NC State put runners on base in the final few innings, but neither team was able to produce any more runs after the sixth.
Pitching-wise, redshirt sophomore right-hander Logan Whitaker got the start for the Pack, with his night ending after just three innings. Silver got the win and pitched through a couple of jams in his 3.2 innings, while sophomore southpaw Chris Villaman came out for the final two, recording a save and grabbing five of those six outs by strikeout.
The rubber match of the series is scheduled for Sunday, April 3 at 1 p.m.
