Stefanie Harper
Junior pitcher Matt Willadsen pitches the ball during the game against Wagner at Doak Field in Dail Park on Saturday, Feb 18, 2023. Willadsen pitched six innings allowing only five hits and striking out six batters. NC State beat Wagner 3-2 to win the series.
A common theme for NC State Athletics this year has been finding a way to win, and NC State baseball did just that in its second game of the season against Wagner.
The Wolfpack (2-0) eventually slugged out a 3-2 victory behind a strong seventh inning, preventing an upset against a motivated Seahawk (0-2) squad that suffered a 13-run drubbing the day before.
Similar to the NC State women’s basketball team’s dramatic win against North Carolina earlier in the week and the NC State football team’s comeback against Virginia Tech in October, the Wolfpack was sleepwalking through most of the game. However, when the team needed it most, NC State’s bats came alive in the seventh.
“Our team is really tight,” said sophomore shortstop Payton Green. “Even though we were down, everyone battled, hung in there, and we fought back.”
Down 2-0, junior designated hitter Noah Soles opened the inning with a deep shot to right field, resulting in a double for the red-and-white. Head coach Elliott Avent then wisely sent freshman pinch runner Michael Gupton, who is blazing fast, into the game, and a flyout to center field by junior third baseman LuJames Groover advanced Gupton to third base. Wagner then walked junior outfielder Carter Trice, loading the bases and bringing the crowd to life.
“This fanbase, for everybody — football, basketball and all our sports… it’s just great support here for all our programs,” Avent said. “It’s just crazy to see this kind of support”.
With a full count, graduate outfielder Trevor Candelaria drove in the Pack’s first run as Gupton glided over home plate. Green then tied the game with a single, bringing Trice across home plate. A failed pick-off attempt by the Seahawks allowed Candelaria to finish his trip around the diamond, giving the Pack a 3-2 lead and pleasing the home fans.
The strong seventh inning was critical as NC State failed to score outside of it. Wagner’s starting pitcher, Julian Taudin-Chabot, shut down the Wolfpack bats during his five innings, and the performance earned him high praise from Avent.
“Today you feel very fortunate,” Avent said. “I’m not saying they outplayed us. I’m saying that first pitcher really buffaloed us… This team is gritty.”
Meanwhile, the Pack’s starter on the mound, junior righty Matt Willadsen, had a shaky third inning but rebounded well. During the third, Wagner’s Maimu Kobayashi hit a solo homer for the game’s first run, and a couple of batters later, a Seahawk double drove in a second run.
“That could be a postseason team,” Avent said. “He’s got the same guys back [from last season] and added to that, including the guy on the mound today, who was outstanding today.”
Fortunately for the Pack, Willadsen put the inning behind him and responded well. He stayed in the game through six innings, picking up six strikeouts and keeping the Seahawks off the board the rest of the way.
“After giving up a two-spot, he settled down,” Avent said. “He could tell we couldn’t generate any offense today, so he knew he had to keep them, and that’s what he did”.
Once Willadsen’s day on the mound ended, the Pack leaned on redshirt senior righty Baker Nelson and junior righty Justin Lawson to close the game. The duo successfully did so, only giving up a lone hit during the final three innings, and Lawson iced the game with a strikeout.
The Wolfpack will finish its opening series with Wagner on Sunday, Feb. 19 at 1 p.m., aiming for a sweep. The game will be aired on ACC Network Extra.