JACKSONVILLE, Fla., — With an opportunity to impress on a national stage, No. 12 NC State baseball fumbled the bag in its first game of the Jax College Baseball Classic, suffering an 8-3 loss to Ohio State.
In an afternoon of missed opportunities, the Wolfpack (3-2) failed to make the statement it wanted to. From sloppy fielding to stranding runners on base, NC State couldn’t get out of its own way. Ohio State (1-3) capitalized on the red-and-white’s mistakes en route to a dominant victory — the first for new Ohio State head coach Justin Haire.
“It’s the beginning of the season, we’ve got a lot of new guys and they’re trying to figure out how to play the game,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “They better figure it out quick because the schedule we play you’re gonna have a lot of these games if you don’t figure it out.”
Junior left-handed pitcher Dominic Fritton got the start and left plenty to be desired. After a strong first inning, Fritton’s control declined as he began to pile up walks. After 4.2 innings, Fritton recorded a career-worst six walks and was pulled. With an opportunity to show improvement on a national stage, Fritton instead turned in a concerning performance.
“He doesn’t seem to get into a rhythm,” Avent said. “On the mound, he seems like he paces a little bit and never allows himself to get in rhythm. … He’s a competitor. He’s really good, but he’s pitching behind way too much.”
While Fritton struggled, he wasn’t the only one responsible for surrendering eight runs. In the field, the Wolfpack looked indecisive and lost, making poor throws throughout the game. With the bases loaded in the second, sophomore third baseman Ryan Jaros made a critical error, tossing the baseball past sophomore catcher Alex Sosa. With chaos ensuing, a pair of Buckeye baserunners slid safely home to seize an early 2-0 lead. The error was the first of three for the afternoon, ultimately dooming the Wolfpack.
Despite a slow start, the Pack fought back to tie things up in the third. Senior shortstop Justin DeCriscio smashed a three-run homer past left field, evening the score at 3-3. Hitting into the wind, DeCriscio proved to be one of the few bright spots for the red-and-white. The San Diego transfer also held his own in the field, preventing a rough night from turning into an even worse one.
Unfortunately for the Wolfpack, the momentum from DeCriscio’s homer was short-lived. Ohio State second baseman Lee Ellis hammered a two-run blast to give the Buckeyes the lead for good in the fifth inning, adding one final blemish to Fritton’s underwhelming performance. With the Wolfpack turning to its bullpen, the Pack continued to struggle, cycling through multiple bullpen options.
NC State failed to respond to Ellis’ home run, going scoreless after the third inning. Hitting an abysmal .182 with runners in scoring position, the Pack failed to capitalize on any chances it received. After an offseason of questions surrounding the new-look lineup, NC State couldn’t answer concerns.
“I think it’s simple, guys are trying to do too much,” Avent said. “This is a hard game but it’s a simple game. You swing at good pitches and you have a shot to be successful, and right now some guys are trying to do too much and not taking what the game gives you.”
Despite its rough afternoon, the Wolfpack found itself with a chance in the bottom of the ninth. The Buckeyes began to melt in the frame, walking three straight batters at the start of the inning. With the bases loaded and no outs, the Pack was in prime position to stun Ohio State with the top of its lineup on deck. However, the next three at-bats produced outs, cutting the red-and-white’s comeback short before it could truly gain momentum.
Next up, NC State will face Alabama in its second game of the Jax College Baseball Classic. First pitch is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. and the game can be streamed on D1Baseball.com.
