CONWAY, S.C. – Fueled by a four-run seventh inning, the NC State baseball team shut out Michigan State 5-0 at Springs Brooks Stadium Saturday to keep its flawless start to the 2019 season intact.
The Wolfpack’s (6-0) bats were quiet for most of the game, but some timely hitting from pinch hitters late helped the Pack move past the Spartans (1-5). Big doubles from freshman Thayer Thomas and sophomore J.T. Jarrett, both pinch hitting, helped to put the seventh-inning rally into motion.
“They had made some pitching changes and we made some changes to go along with that it felt like,” Jarrett said. “The dugout’s up, supporting everybody the whole time. We’re just talking about our at-bats, getting new guys in there and stuff. It was a good-feeling dugout. We were confident the whole time.”
Sophomore left fielder Jonny Butler and senior first baseman Evan Edwards also came up with clutch hits to provide scoring in the seventh, with Jarrett, Butler and Edwards all picking up an RBI in the inning.
On the mound, NC State got a great outing from the duo of sophomore lefty Canaan Silver (0-0, 2.45 ERA) and sophomore righty Reid Johnston (1-0, 0.00 ERA). Silver got the start for the Pack, his second of the season, and lasted 3.1 innings, striking out three while giving up just three hits.
“We’re not swinging it right now,” Avent said. “Our pitching better keep us at bay, and the defense, and that’s what they’ve done. They kept the other team at bay until we had the opportunity to do some things there at the end and get some runs across.”
Johnston earned the win after entering from the bullpen in the fourth. He commanded the ball well to stifle the Spartans’ bats, pitching 4.2 innings, giving up two hits, no walks and striking out seven batters. Johnston started Friday night games for the Pack late last season after being a long-relief man early, but has pitched efficiently out of the bullpen to start the new campaign.
“I felt great. I had the mentality to just pound the zone,” Johnston said. “I’ve pitched in a bunch of big situations. Where [Avent] wants me to pitch, that’s what I’ll do. If he wants me to do these long-relief outings. I just want the ball.”
Junior righty Andrew Blake (0-0, 20.25 ERA) closed the game out for NC State, pitching a clean ninth inning to seal the win. As a staff, the Wolfpack struck out 11 batters and walked just two against the Spartans, which mustered five hits in the game.
“[Johnston] was outstanding,” Avent said. “In fact, the umpire asked me in the ninth when I went and put Blake in what I was doing taking him out. He thought he was pretty unhittable. Reid was outstanding for us today. That’s who he was for us last year. He was like that out of the pen last year before we put him in the starting rotation. He was outstanding today.”
For Michigan State, righty Mike Mokma (0-1, 2.45 ERA) took a no-decision after a great start. Mokma threw six scoreless innings, allowing only three hits to go along with six strikeouts and two walks. The bullpen fared much worse for the Spartans, with lefty Mitchell Tyranski (0-1, 8.44 ERA) taking the loss after allowing all four runs in the seventh.
After getting no-hit through five innings in a win Friday against Kent State, the Wolfpack got back-to-back singles to open the game from Butler and junior shortstop Will Wilson, but neither came around to score. NC State didn’t muster much offense through the game’s first six innings.
The Wolfpack broke through in the seventh, with freshman outfielder Tyler McDonough leading the inning off with a single. Thomas laced a double that barely stayed fair down the left-field line, moving McDonough over to third. McDonough used his speed to grab the opening run, scoring on a passed ball.
Thomas moved to third on the passed ball, and scored easily after Jarrett ripped an RBI double into left field. For Jarrett, who had 111 at-bats as a freshman, the RBI knock was the first extra-base hit of his career. Butler kept the line moving, singling Jarrett home to make it 3-0 Wolfpack.
“It’s good to do something for the team coming off the bench,” Jarrett said. “They’re playing hard for each other out there. My name got called and I got a good opportunity. I saw the pitch up and did my best with it.”
The strong seventh continued for NC State with two outs, as Edwards laced an opposite-field double off the wall in left, which scored Butler to give Edwards his team-leading ninth RBI of the season.
“It was huge,” Butler said. “I think it was [McDonough] who led it off, got some energy in us. And then the way our pitching has been we knew we just needed one or two runs and we’d be solid. But it was nice to get the few extra runs to relieve some pressure for them.”
The Wolfpack added one run in the ninth inning, as Wilson delivered an RBI single to drive in Butler from second. Butler walked with one out in the inning, moving into scoring position on a wild pitch.
NC State will be back in action Sunday at Springs Brooks Stadium in a meeting against host Coastal Carolina. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m.
Sophomore infielder JT Jarrett slides into home plate during the game against Michigan State University at Vrooman Field at Springs Brooks Stadium at Coastal Carolina University, Saturday, Feb. 23. The Pack won 5-0 during regulation time.
