NC State baseball split its Saturday doubleheader against Wake Forest, buoyed by a strong performance from freshman infielder Tyler McDonough. The Wolfpack (31-11, 13-8 ACC) defeated the Demon Deacons (24-17, 11-10 ACC) 4-3 in the first game before giving up a seven-run lead and falling 9-8 in the final game.

During game one, McDonough got the scoring started in the top of the first inning, bringing senior first baseman Evan Edwards home with an RBI double to give the Pack a 1-0 lead. McDonough followed that up with an RBI single in the top of the third which brought sophomore J.T. Jarrett home. Sophomore outfielder Jonny Butler scored off a wild pitch as the Wolfpack built a 3-0 advantage.

Wake Forest battled back in the bottom of the sixth inning as infielder Bobby Seymour got the Demon Deacons on the board with a double that brought two runs in. Outfielder Michael Ludowig brought Seymour home with an infield fly-out to tie the game at 3-3.

Jarrett put the Pack up for good with his first home run of his college career, and NC State secured its first victory over Wake Forest this season.  

The Pack picked right up where it left off in its second game of the day, shooting out to a 7-0 lead. McDonough sent a two-run shot into left field in the first inning, and an error sent junior center Brad Debo and freshman infielder Vojtech Mensik home in the top of the second. Sophomore center Patrick Bailey drove in Butler with an RBI single, and McDonough delivered yet again with another two-run RBI double to give the Wolfpack a seven-run lead.

The Demon Deacons rallied in the third inning, putting up three runs to cut NC State’s lead to 7-3. Wake cut the deficit even more in the bottom of the fifth inning, with the Wolfpack surrendering an RBI single and two-run homer to make it 7-6.

Once again, McDonough stepped up for the Wolfpack, driving in Edwards with a double in the seventh inning to extend NC State’s lead to 8-6, but a Wolfpack error in the bottom of the seventh set up an RBI single for Wake Forest. With the bases loaded, a hit batter sent in yet another Wake run to tie the game. The Deacons completed the comeback with yet another hit batter with the bases loaded, and the Wolfpack never held the lead again.

NC State returns to action when it hosts Tennessee Tech on April 23.