In the first game of a Saturday doubleheader, the NC State baseball team moved to 9-0 on the season with a 3-2 win over Minnesota in the first meeting of a three-game series at Doak Field.
The Wolfpack (9-0) scored all three of its runs in the fourth inning, highlighted by RBI doubles from junior designated hitter Brad Debo and sophomore second baseman J.T. Jarrett. The Golden Gophers (2-6) battled back into the game with runs in the sixth and seventh inning, but were shut down by NC State’s Dalton Feeney (0-0, 0.00 ERA), a redshirt sophomore relief pitcher, down the stretch.
Junior righty Jason Parker (2-0, 1.26 ERA) got the win on the mound for NC State and gave the Wolfpack another strong outing, allowing just one run over 5.1 innings while striking out four batters. Feeney collected a save, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings while giving up two hits and striking out two batters.
For the Golden Gophers, righty Patrick Fredrickson took a tough loss. Fredrickson struck out four and walked four, giving up three NC State runs on five hits. He lasted 4.1 innings and struggled to command the zone throughout his start.
Minnesota’s bullpen was much better, limiting the Pack to two hits and no runs over 3.2 innings.
Parker didn’t allow much traffic on the bases through the first three innings, and the baserunners he did allow didn’t stay out there for long. Minnesota outfielder Ben Mezzenga led the game off with a single but was picked off at first by Parker. In the third inning, Parker issued a one-out walk but again picked the runner off of first base.
The Wolfpack broke through for the game’s first run in the fourth inning, thanks to an RBI double off the wall in left field from Debo.
Freshman infielder Vojtech Mensik used his speed to set Debo up for the RBI, singling on a weak ground ball to shortstop and stealing second on a ball in the dirt. Debo smacked a 1-2 pitch to the opposite field that carried well, falling for a double as Minnesota’s left fielder collided with the wall.
Debo came around to score as well, making it 2-0 Wolfpack on an RBI double to almost the exact same spot off the bat of Jarrett.
Sophomore outfielder Jonny Butler kept the line moving for NC State in the fourth, singling home Jarrett from second on a ground ball through the infield.
After facing the minimum through five innings, the Golden Gophers finally got to Parker in the sixth. The Wolfpack righty gave up a leadoff single to Jordan Kozicky, who came around to score on a double laced into right field by Jack Wassel.
Wassel tried to stretch two into three but was thrown out at third on a great team play by the Wolfpack. Freshman outfielder Tyler McDonough fired the ball into Jarrett at second, who made a fantastic turn to cut Wassel down at third.
Parker exited in the sixth for junior lefty Kent Klyman (3-0, 3.38 ERA) after allowing another hit, but Klyman was able to work out of the inning with no more damage done thanks to a great play at shortstop from Wilson to get the third out.
Minnesota cut the NC State lead to 3-2 in the seventh inning, as Cole McDevitt launched a towering home run over the wall in left field off of Klyman. McDevitt’s rocket was the second home run Klyman has allowed this season, after giving up just three all of last year.
Klyman got into more trouble in the seventh after the homer, hitting a batter and giving up a two-out single to put two runners on. Feeney came in from the bullpen, inducing a flyout to end the frame.
Feeney got himself into trouble in the eighth inning, loading the bases with two singles and a walk after an inning-opening groundout. However, Feeney made the pitch he needed to make to get out of the eighth, inducing a 6-3 double play to get out of the jam with the Pack still up 3-2.
Feeney retired the Golden Gophers in order in the ninth inning, wrapping up the win for NC State.
The Pack and Golden Gophers will be right back in action, with game two of the doubleheader coming up 45 minutes after the end of game one.
Freshman infielder Vojtech Mensik tags a Minnesota player during the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, March 2, 2019, in Doak Field. The Wolfpack beat the Gophers 3-2, with Mensik going 1-2 with one strikeout, one run scored and one stolen base.
