On a picture-perfect afternoon, NC State baseball put together one of its best performances of the season, dominating Wright State 14-4 in a run-rule victory Saturday afternoon at Doak Field.
The Wolfpack (10-5) has now secured its third series win of the season, continuing a strong run of impressive play at home. Meanwhile, the Raiders (4-8) have dropped three straight weekend series — all against high-level competition. With one more game in the series, NC State will be aiming for its second straight weekend sweep.
“A good win today, but coach always talks about it all the time — winning on Sunday is super important,” said sophomore designated hitter Alex Sosa. “That’s our main focus already, is straight into tomorrow’s game.”
With 14 hits in just seven innings, the Wolfpack seems to have finally found its confidence and rhythm. Now, winners of seven straight, the Pack looks like a much different team than the one that was swept in Jacksonville just a few weeks ago. While the team is facing lesser competition lately, the progress is encouraging for the team’s prospects of having a successful season. Nothing builds confidence like winning, and in a league like the ACC, a team needs all the confidence it can have.
“Everybody’s loosened up,” Sosa said. “As soon as we were able to loosen up, smile and laugh again, everything started going better. … It’s just important that we remember what we did as a team to be able to bounce back.”
The Pack started hot at the plate, scoring three in the first inning. The red-and-white’s first five batters reached base. Junior left fielder Josh Hogue smacked a double down into right field to score the Wolfpack’s first run of the day, before Sosa drove in two more with a double of his own, giving NC State an early 3-1 lead.
While several hitters posted strong performances, Sosa proved to be especially impressive. The Florida native went 3-4 at the plate, including two doubles and two RBIs. Much like the team, Sosa has improved dramatically since the Wolfpack’s early season slump.
After struggling with strikeouts earlier this season, Sosa has settled in and is taking much better approaches at the plate. Bringing some much-needed power to the plate, Sosa’s success is an early sign of encouragement for the Pack.
“I’ve been working a lot with the coaches,” Sosa said. “I just saw the ball good today and was able to have some stuff fall. Looking at it now, good game, but on to the next.”
Sosa wasn’t the only Wolfpack batter to enjoy a strong day. Pinch-hitting in the back half of the game, sophomore outfielder Jet Gilliam left his mark. The junior college transfer hit his first home run as a Wolfpack player in the sixth inning. Already ahead 8-4, the Pack’s run-rule efforts got a major boost when Gilliam blasted the three-run shot past left field. The homer was Gilliam’s second big play of the day, as he nailed a double into left field in the fifth inning.
On the mound, sophomore right-handed pitcher Heath Andrews earned his second win of the season, improving his record to 2-1. He went five innings, struck out four batters, while only giving away one walk. However, Andrews did surrender a pair of home runs, both to the Raiders’ JP Peltier. Freshman lefty Anderson Nance relieved Andrews in the sixth and seventh innings, posting two strikeouts and no hits allowed.
NC State will conclude its three-game series against Wright State on Sunday. First pitch at Doak Field is set for 1 p.m. Streaming is available on ACC Network Extra.
