Matt Moore
The baseball team finished off No. 12 Virginia 4-2 in its first ACC series of the season at Doak Field on Sunday afternoon. The Wolfpack won the series 2-1.
The game was a sloppy one, according to coach Elliott Avent, but he said the fact that State won the game gives the team confidence.
“They feel good about who they are right now. Again, it’s not about ‘they won a game’ — they won an ugly game. But they feel good about the fact that they think they have a little toughness,” Avent said.
The Pack committed three errors in Sunday’s contest, which kept the Cavaliers close while facing starting redshirt senior pitcher and preseason All-American Eryk McConnell. McConnell allowed four hits and two runs, only one of those runs earned, in six innings of work. He also posted four strikeouts.
“[McConnell] deserved that win,” sophomore infielder Dallas Poulk said.
But State was clinging to a 2-1 lead when Virginia’s David Adams reached on an error by Poulk in the top of the sixth. Adams would score off a double by Virginia’s next batter, Dan Grovatt.
Poulk said he felt it was his fault the game was tied. He wanted to get the win for McConnell, so when he led off for the Pack in the bottom of the sixth, he wanted to begin State’s at-bat well.
“I was really trying to get on base. I was bummed that I let our pitcher McConnell down. I was just trying to get on base and score a run that inning,” Poulk said.
Avent said he could see the determination in Poulk’s demeanor.
“[Poulk] felt so terrible … he knew [McConnell] was coming out,” Avent said. “He wanted to get on base right there. You could just see it in his mind.”
When he stepped up to the plate, Poulk ripped the first pitch to him over the right field wall to give the Pack the lead for good. Poulk also drew a bases-loaded walk to further State’s cushion to 4-2 in the seventh. He finished the game with two runs batted in and two runs scored.
The Pack now stands at 8-3 overall and 2-1 in the ACC. State’s next game is Wednesday at Doak Field against Quinnipiac. And after the series against the Cavaliers, McConnell said the team is confident it can do very well in that game and the rest of the season.
“We got a lot of confidence. We know we could have swept them easily. We could have had that first game on Saturday,” McConnell said. “Big thing with us is that we’re getting better. We’re getting stronger. We’re learning through every game, so our confidence is definitely up.”