The No. 10 NC State baseball team completed the three-game sweep of Evansville on Sunday, Feb. 20, with a dominant 7-0 win.
As it had all weekend, the Wolfpack (3-0) proved to have too much firepower for the Purple Aces (0-3).
“Coach Avent just told us downstairs that sweeps are big — they are hard to get,” said senior second baseman J.T. Jarrett. “At the end of the day if you can win every series you’re heading in the right direction so obviously everyone is happy.”
Jarrett (4-4, RBI) led the Wolfpack with four hits, while freshman first baseman Tommy White (2-4, HR, 2 RBI) continued to do “Tommy Tanks” things with another home run.
On the bump, senior left-handed pitcher David Harrison (6 IP, 4 H, 4 K, 2 BB) dealed, pitching six scoreless innings in his first start of the year after missing most of last season.
The Wolfpack jumped out to an early lead in the second inning on an RBI single up the middle from Jarrett. NC State extended its lead to 3-0 later in the frame on a two-RBI single to left field off the bat of freshman shortstop Payton Green (1-4, 2 RBI).
In the third inning, NC State added one run to its lead. With two outs sophomore right fielder Noah Soles (2-3, RBI) smoked an RBI-single just over the second baseman’s head for NC State’s eighth hit of the game.
Evansville threatened in the fourth with runners on first and second with no outs. Harrison settled in and recorded a 5-4-3 double play and a flyout to right field to get out of the jam unscathed.
White blew the game open in the fourth inning with a two-run home run to left-center field to make it 6-0. This was his fifth home run of the opening weekend.
“I have never seen that in my life,” Harrison said. “Every ball is dead central, it’s pretty fun to watch [White].”
In his final inning on the bump, Harrison kept his shutout intact with a 5-4-3 double play to end the sixth inning. It was the third straight inning the Wolfpack infield rolled a double play. Harrison’s six innings tied a career-high long appearance.
“Very happy with how [Harrison] came back,” said NC State head coach Elliott Avent. “He worked for that. He’s worked harder than he has ever worked.”
In the eighth inning, NC State added one more run when senior center fielder Devonte Brown (1-5) scored on a passed ball.
Sophomore right-handed pitcher Garrett Payne (2 IP, H, 2 K) came in relief of Harrison and pitched two shutout innings while allowing just an infield single. Closing the game out was sophomore right-handed pitcher Justin Lawson (1 IP, K), who retired Evansville in order to end the game.
“I don’t think any team is going to be very good without a good bullpen,” Avent said. “So we are looking to figure out that, but Garret Payne and Lawson threw very well.”
NC State will take on High Point at home Tuesday, Feb. 22 for its first midweek tilt of the season. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Doak Field.
