Despite a formidable comeback effort, the NC State baseball team fell to Miami (FL), 7-5, in the series finale at Doak Field.
The Wolfpack (12-9, 3-3 ACC) took the series after winning the first two games, but could not complete the sweep over the Hurricanes (9-11, 3-3 ACC) that would have been the first in State history. The Pack was plagued by self-inflicted wounds, committing three errors and walking four batters in the first three innings of the game to help the Canes score seven early runs.
Starting freshman pitcher Dalton Feeney (2-1, 4.20 ERA) struggled for the Pack, picking up the loss and lasting just 1.1 innings while giving up four runs and three walks. Miami’s Michael Mediavilla (2-3, 5.08 ERA) was credited with the win, pitching five innings and giving up four runs.
“We continued to walk people and give them runners and they capitalized,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “Two out of three against the University of Miami, two out of three any time in the ACC is good. But, we felt like we should have won today.”
State came out swinging in the first, tallying two runs on a homerun from junior Joe Dunand. Junior Evan Mendoza hit a hard line drive to right field for a single, and Dunand followed by crushing a ball over the fence in left, giving the Pack an early 2-0 lead.
The Hurricanes answered quickly and in a big way, putting up four runs in the second inning. A throwing error from Dunand put a runner on base that would eventually score. Feeney struggled to find his command following the run, walking two batters to load the bases.
Miami jumped on the opportunity, as catcher Joe Gomez hit a two-run single to put Miami up, 3-2. Left fielder James Davison followed with another single, picking up one RBI and putting the Hurricanes on top, 4-2.
Miami would load the bases again, on another Feeney walk, which ended his short start on the mound. Junior Evan Brabrand came in for relief, getting a groundout and a strikeout to put an end to the Hurricanes’ offensive outpour in the second inning.
Miami scored three more runs in the third inning. Brabrand gave up a single and hit a batter, and freshman pitcher Kent Klyman walked one hitter and allowed a run to score on a wild pitch. State committed two errors in the inning that allowed another run to score and Miami to take a 7-2 lead.
The Pack chipped away at the Hurricane lead in the fifth inning, scoring two runs to make the game 7-4. Junior Brock Deatherage led the inning off with a walk, and came around to score on a throwing error. Freshman Will Wilson, who reached on the error, scored from third on a sacrifice ground out from Mendoza.
State continued its comeback effort in the seventh inning with a two-out rally. Junior Josh McLain beat out a throw from Miami’s shortstop for an infield single, and Wilson followed with a long double down the right field line that scored McLain from first, cutting the Miami lead to 7-5.
The performance of the bullpen was the highlight for the Pack, specifically the pitching of freshman Michael Bienlien and senior Joe O’Donnell. Bienlien threw two scoreless innings of relief, while O’Donnell shut down the Hurricanes in the last three innings, not allowing a hit and striking out five.
“I wanted to come in and get ahead,” O’Donnell said. “That’s what we preach around here, getting ahead of hitters. Tonight, I felt like I had three pitches for strikes, and when I can do that it makes the game a lot simpler out there.”
The Wolfpack could not quite finish off the comeback in the ninth, as two great plays by Davison robbed freshman Brad Debo and Deatherage of hits. Despite the loss, State’s bats and bullpen arms looked strong.
“We kept thinking we were coming back,” Avent said. “The left fielder makes two great plays, but both those balls could have been different. I kept thinking we were going to win the game, we thought we were going to win the game. We kept fighting, we never quit, and that’s a good sign.”
State will return to action on Tuesday as it will take on Campbell at Doak Field at 6 p.m.
