The NC State baseball team took game two of the doubleheader 8-4 against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday behind a first-inning grand slam from freshman third baseman Vojtech Mensik.
The Pack (10-0) scored six runs to put Minnesota (2-7) away early and never looked back with sophomore starting pitcher Canaan Silver’s quality outing on the mound.
“The middle of the order was struggling a little bit,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “And I’m not saying they didn’t have good at-bats but struggling to get on base and that’s why you have to have it throughout the lineup but I thought [Mensik] had an unbelievable day today.”
Unlike game one, it was Minnesota that struck first with a run in the first inning. Silver walked the leadoff batter, who stole second base before a two-out double put the Golden Gophers up 1-0 early.
However, the lead didn’t last long as the Pack exploded at the plate in its first time up, putting up six runs. Sophomore left fielder Jonny Butler led off the game with a single before back-to-back one-out walks to senior first baseman Evan Edwards and sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey loaded the bases.
NC State got on the board and seized the lead with a two-RBI single off the bat of freshman center fielder Tyler McDonough followed by a single from sophomore right fielder Terrell Tatum reloaded the bases.
McDonough had a great day at the plate, going 2 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs. He continues to be one of the most consistent hitters on the team, hitting .342 so far this season.
Taking advantage of that opportunity was Mensik, who stroked a 3-2 pitch over the left-field wall to extend the Pack lead to 6-1 after just one inning.
“I was able to put a good swing on a fastball pretty much down the middle,” Mensik said. “It’s great. It starts with teammates getting on base. It made that moment special, because guys were there. We enjoyed that moment together. It is a great feeling.”
The eight innings to follow were pretty even between the two teams, as the offensive first inning didn’t reoccur through the game. Both teams tacked on a fourth-inning run and more in each team’s last chance up.
Minnesota tacked on one with a solo shot down the left-field line from Cole McDevitt off Silver, who pitched a great game. He threw six innings, giving up two runs on three hits and striking out four, earning the win.
“My breaking ball started working later into the game,” Silver said. “First couple innings, I had the slider working for me some, but later on I had the curveball and the slider and just opened up my fastball. I was able to throw it past hitters and keep them off-balance with all three pitches.”
Junior designated hitter Brad Debo added a run for the Wolfpack with a bomb of his own to make it 7-2. Debo went 3 for 6, with one walk, two RBIs and two runs in the doubleheader.
“It was a fastball elevated with two strikes,” Debo said. “Got to put it in play or you’re going back to the bench. Little bit of protect right there. Guy had a really good arm, good speed. Just kind of connected with it.”
After Silver’s day was done, freshman Baker Nelson took to the bump, gave up three hits and struck out three in two innings. The final run of the game was a sacrifice fly from Mensik, scoring McDonough from third after he singled to start the inning.
Junior Andrew Blake took the ball to finish off the game but not before allowing a couple runs. Minnesota tacked on two basically meaningless runs in the ninth before Blake cleaned up the mess, closing the 8-4 win.
“There’s still a lot to be seen,” Avent said. “But we’re using as much as we can to try to figure things out, but right now it looks like we’ve got guys that come in and pound the zone and work fast and make the most out of their opportunities.”
The win marked NC State’s 14th consecutive nonconference series win, dating back to 2011. Also, its 10-0 start is the best start for the Pack since 2004 and just two wins back of the best start in program history at 12-0 in 1992.
NC State will go for the sweep in the series finale against Minnesota at Doak Field on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
Sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey bats at the ball during the first game of the doubleheader against Minnesota on Saturday, March 2, in Doak Field. The Wolfpack beat the Gophers 3-2, with Bailey going 0-2.
