With today’s win against Pitt, Wolfpack baseball clinched a series win and a spot in the ACC tournament. NC State’s 17 runs was its most since April 18, when it scored 22 in a route over Davidson.
After a shaky third inning, the Pack rallied in the 6th and 7th innings to score a combined 12 runs, pushing the team over the top. NC State (33-18, 12-16 ACC) found consistent hitting up and down the lineup which was too much to handle for Pitt (23-29, 10-17 ACC) who put up eight runs of their own.
Both freshman designated hitter Cannon Peebles and junior shortstop Kalae Harrison were perfect at the plate, combining for seven RBIs. Only two Wolfpack players found themselves without a hit by the time the game ended, and neither was at the bottom of the order.
The opening score came in the bottom of the second thanks to graduate center fielder Trevor Candelaria. After Peebles was walked and two flyouts, Candelaria stepped up with a full count and hit a double to left center that brought in the first run of the game. Sophomore second baseman Payton Green would follow suit as his single brought Candelaria home to make it a 2-0 ball game.
Pitt wasn’t going to fold easily however, as they too had an ACC tournament appearance on the line as well. A moon shot from senior first baseman Noah Martinez tied the game at two. With runners reaching second and third, a single up the middle drove in two more runners in for Pitt.
After four strikeouts in the first two innings, junior righthander Matt Willadsen was off to a hot start, but a poor third inning led to him getting pulled in favor of junior lefty Rio Britton, who over the course of 3.2 innings pitched, earned a season-high five strikeouts. Britton was not the only player making highlight-reel plays on defense as Harrison made an unreal throw across his body to get a crucial out in the top of the third.
Both teams were held scoreless in both the fourth and fifth innings before NC State broke the cold streak in the bottom of the sixth. Candelaria reached third after an error and two consecutive wild pitches. Harrison stepped up and singled to center field, bringing home the first of several unearned runs for the Pack in the inning. A sacrifice fly would eventually bring Harrison home and Peebles ended up in prime position to extend the Pack’s one-run lead. The man on a mission, Cannon Peebles, launched a three-run homer over the right-center wall and gave the Pack an 8-4 lead after being down 3-4 coming into the inning.
As impressive as the sixth inning was for NC State, the Wolfpack would show up and show out in the seventh and score seven runs. After giving up seven runs, five walks and three hits Pitt changed pitchers twice but still failed to find relief from NC State’s bats. The game turned on a dime and the Wolfpack took a 15-5 lead.
Each team would go on to earn a few more runs as everyone was seeing the ball in Raleigh. Freshman lefthander Dominic Fritton entered the game and earned the save after collecting six strikeouts in just 2.2 innings pitched.
With tonight’s win, NC State clinched a spot in the ACC tournament but tomorrow’s game on Saturday, May 20 will still have important ramifications for the seeding. In the final game of the season and on Senior Day, the Wolfpack will look to end the season with a sweep, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
