Adarsh Puvvadi Ramamohan Kumar
Senior infielder Evan Edwards makes contact with a pitch against Florida State on Sunday, March 17, in Doak Field. The Wolfpack lost 7-5 to the Seminoles, with Edwards registering two hits, one walk and one strikeout.
No. 1 NC State baseball was able to clinch the series against Miami Saturday night. Despite a ferocious ninth-inning push from the Hurricanes, the Wolfpack held on to win 7-6 in Coral Gables.
The Wolfpack (22-1, 7-1 ACC) collected 11 hits on the night, and was led by junior shortstop Will Wilson who had two hits including a home run, sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey, who also had two hits, and senior first baseman Evan Edwards who hit a three-run homer to give NC State a lead that it would never give back.
The Hurricanes (15-8, 3-5 ACC), unlike yesterday, came out swinging and were able to take advantage of a leadoff single in the first inning by Jordan Lala, who later came in to score when Adrian Del Castillo hit an RBI fielder’s choice to give them a 1-0 lead.
It wasn’t until the fourth inning that NC State would get on the board. With two runners on, Edwards hit a towering home run to right-center field to give the Wolfpack a 3-1 lead.
The NC State outfield saved runs in the third and fourth inning. Sophomore right fielder Terrell Tatum threw a laser to home plate to get out a runner who was trying to score from second base. In the fifth, freshman center fielder Tyler Mcdonough made an unbelievable diving catch in left-center field to keep the Hurricanes at only one run.
NC State doubled its advantage in the sixth inning when Mcdonough hit a single up the middle that scored Wilson, then, with a throwing error, Bailey was able to score as well to give the Wolfpack a 5-1 lead.
In the bottom frame of the sixth, Miami added its second run of the night. With runners on first and third, the Hurricanes put on a double steal, when the catcher Bailey threw to second, the runner on third base was able to score uncontested to make it 5-1.
NC State’s starting pitcher, sophomore Reid Johnston, would end his outing during the sixth. The hard-throwing righty worked 5.2 innings, giving up two earned runs on six hits while striking out six and walking none.
In the eighth inning, the Wolfpack bats were at it again. Junior designated hitter Brad Debo hit an RBI double to left field that scored Edwards to give NC State a 6-2 lead.
A solo home run to left field by Wilson in the ninth inning gave the Wolfpack its seventh and final run of the evening. It was a run that would prove to be pivotal for NC State.
The Hurricanes wouldn’t go down easy in the ninth inning, as Michael Amditis hit a two-run home run to make it 7-4 off sophomore pitcher Nick Swiney, who had been in the game for the Wolfpack since the sixth inning.
After another single, NC State head coach Elliott Avent called on redshirt sophomore Dalton Feeney to shut it down for the Wolfpack. The first batter Feeney faced was JP Gates and he launched Feeney’s fastball over the right-field fence to cut the deficit to one run. Feeney was then able to settle down and get two groundouts to end the game, giving NC State the 7-6 win.
Johnston picked up the win on the mound for the Wolfpack, while starting pitcher Chris McMahon took the loss for the Hurricanes.
NC State will look to go for the series sweep against Miami Sunday at 1 p.m. in Coral Gables, Florida. The Wolfpack has not announced a starting pitcher for the game.