NC State baseball gave up a late lead to drop a 9-7 game against Clemson, causing the Pack to lose the series.
Just like the last match-up between the two, the Tigers (24-16, 8-9) turned in a strong hitting game, including 12 hits, three doubles and a grandslam. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack (25-13, 8-11) fell behind early and ultimately fell short of a win.
Similar to the previous game, Clemson got off to a hot start at the plate. The Tigers opened the game with three consecutive hits, including a two-RBI double for the game’s first runs. Clemson continued to put runners on base and jumped out to a 4-0 lead by the end of the frame.
Meanwhile, the Pack failed to put a dent in the early deficit, stranding two runners at the end of the inning. Junior designated hitter Noah Soles made his return to the lineup after a hamstring injury sidelined him for about a month. Soles got on base, along with junior third baseman LuJames Groover III, but the team failed to bring them home.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Dominic Fritton bounced back in the second inning and earned his first strikeout of the night. Graduate right fielder Trevor Candelaria led off the bottom of the second with a double, but three consecutive strikeouts prevented the Wolfpack from making any noise in the second.
Fritton continued to perform well during the next two innings, keeping the Wolfpack within striking distance. Then, after a slow start at the plate the Pack finally punched back in the fourth when sophomore left fielder Will Marcy blasted a home run, sparking a meltdown on the mound for Clemson. Thanks to a hit and four walks the Pack loaded the bases and scored two more runs, making the score 4-3 by the end of the inning.
NC State kept the momentum rolling in the fifth, keeping Clemson off the board. Fritton’s day on the mound ended during the fifth and the freshman finished with four strikeouts while giving up four runs through 4.2 innings. Fritton’s response after a rough first inning was instrumental in keeping NC State in the game.
In the sixth, Clemson set itself up to score again by putting runners on first and third, but junior right-handed relief pitcher Justin Lawson navigated the situation well and kept the Tigers off the board once again. However, Clemson’s pitching struggles persisted into the sixth, allowing NC State to load the bases. Sophomore catcher Jacob Cozart then blasted a triple into centerfield, giving the Wolfpack its first lead of the series, 6-4
Clemson struck back with a double to start the seventh. A single up the middle later in the inning drove in the runner, making the score 6-5. NC State failed to respond in the bottom of the inning as the game headed towards a tight finish.
In the eighth inning, the Tigers fought back by getting runners on first and second. With the narrow lead in danger, Avent called on junior righty Sam Highfill to get the Pack out of the jam. Instead, Clemson loaded the bases to set up a grandslam, taking the lead and the momentum. After giving up its hard-earned lead, the Wolfpack was unable to strike back in the bottom of the eighth.
The ninth inning began almost perfectly for NC State, giving Wolfpack fans a glimmer of hope for a comeback. Clemson went three up and three down in the top of the inning. Then, to lead off the final frame Cozart smacked a homer to narrow the deficit to two. However, the Tigers regrouped and earned three straight outs to win the game and clinch the series.
The Wolfpack will look to avoid the sweep in the series finale on Sunday, April 23. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and the game will be available on ACC Network Extra.
