Holly Greer
N.C. State continued to flex its offensive muscles Sunday, pounding out 27 hits in 23-3 victory over Hofstra at Doak Field. Third baseman Matt Mangini led the offensive assault with five hits and four RBI.
“Having so many guys on the team swinging the bats well really helps me out,” Mangini said. “I get in a better rhythm with more at-bats and get better reads on the pitchers we’re facing.”
The win completed a three-game sweep for the Pack, who is perfect through the first six games this season.
“We’re playing very well right now,” coach Elliot Avent said. “They’ve done a great job maintaining their focus despite the lopsided scores. Having only one error today was something I’m very pleased with.”
The Pack wasted no time jumping on the Pride, using eight hits to net 10 runs in the bottom of first inning. Following a Jonathan Diaz infield single, right fielder Brian Aragon launched a two-run homer that glanced off the top of the center field wall. Aragon nearly homered again in his second at-bat of the inning, but settled for a double when his line drive ricocheted off the wall in right field.
Later in the same inning, Mangini lined a single into right field, driving in two additional runs.
Diaz drove in two runs on two singles in the first.
Wolfpack starter Jason Duncan allowed two runs on four hits in the top of the first, but settled down to allow three earned runs on seven hits in five innings pitched.
In the bottom of the third, the Pack added four runs to increase their cushion. Mangini continued his torrid offensive pace by lining a two-run triple just out of the reach of Pride center fielder Nick Panarella.
Mangini has 20 hits in his 25 at-bats this year.
“I haven’t seen any player of mine having a stretch like Matt Mangini is,” Avent said. “He’s very hot right now.”
Catcher Jon Still’s two-out double down the line in the bottom of the fifth inning stretched the Pack’s margin to 18-3.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Mangini struck again with a triple to right and later scored on Ramon Corona’s sacrifice fly.
Leading off in the bottom of the seventh inning, State slugger Aaron Bates blasted a towering shot over the left-centerfield wall for his first homerun of the season.
“The pitcher I was facing had been out there a couple innings and I could tell he had lost some velocity,” Bates said. “I was looking for him to make a mistake and I got an inside pitch and was able to get the barrel of the bat on it.”
In Saturday’s contest, sophomore starter Eryk McConnell got his second win in as many starts by throwing six shutout innings in a 13-2 victory over the Pride.
“The entire pitching staff has looked strong so far this year,” McConnell said. “It’s harder to focus when you are winning by so many runs, but executed our pitches for the most part and had some great plays defensively.”
Caleb Mangum had three hits and drove in three runs to lead all hitters.
State has put up some gaudy offensive numbers in the early going this season. In six games, the team has scored 105 runs on 110 hits. The 27 hits notched on Sunday tied a school record.
“I’m impressed with the way we are hitting the ball,” Bates said. “We’ve got some tough games coming up over the next couple weeks [that] will be a big test for us, so hopefully we can keep our bats going.”