NC State baseball scored in 7 of its 8 chances at the plate in a 14-2 win over Bucknell at Doak Field on Friday afternoon.
After a brief rain delay, the Pack (2-0) dominated Bucknell (0-2) on both sides of the ball to take the second game of the series. The top of the lineup shined with sophomore outfielder Jonny Butler collecting two extra-base hits in front of junior shortstop Will Wilson, who had a home run and three total RBIs.
“Mostly proud of the players today,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “Like the fans did, you didn’t know when we were going to play, you sit around forever. They spin cards in the locker room, next thing you know you’re told you’re playing in 45 minutes and I thought we came out very ready to play.”
The Wolfpack opened the game with a quick top of the first inning before Butler rocked a triple in the right-center-field gap on the first pitch. Then, Wilson brought them both in with a home run over the right-field wall, a result very similar to the Pack’s game the day before.
“I thought I got enough of it to get the job done with Jonny [Butler] on third,” Wilson said. “Good day to hit a ball to right field today so it helped out a little bit.”
Butler kept his bat hot in the second inning, sending a double into the opposite gap and driving in sophomore second baseman David Vasquez and freshman third baseman Vojtech Mensik across the plate to give the Pack a 4-0 lead.
After a walk to sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey, senior first baseman Evan Edwards reached on an error and then they both advanced on a throwing error before freshman designated hitter Marek Chlup plated Bailey with an RBI single. Sophomore outfielder Devonte Brown grounded out to third but Edwards was able to score on the hit. NC State ended the third inning up 6-0.
Bucknell scored its first runs of the game in the fourth after a sacrifice fly from Alex Baumann brought Dominic Toso home and an RBI single by Miles Moore tacked on another run. A diving catch backward by freshman center fielder Thayer Thomas secured the third out for the Wolfpack.
The Wolfpack responded with a two-run triple by Bailey down the right-field line to plate Butler and Wilson. Immediately after, a chopper to Bucknell’s first baseman resulted in an RBI single for Edwards improving NC State’s lead to 9-2.
“It was definitely nice to see one get through the hole,” Butler said. “I didn’t think I swung it bad yesterday but that’s just how it goes, that’s how baseball is. I just kept a level-head today and got through.”
Junior right-handed pitcher Alec Barger started the fifth inning for the Wolfpack in relief for Silver and pitched three scoreless innings before freshman pitcher Cameron Cotter closed down the final two frames. A drive over second base by Wilson plated Mensik to give the Pack the only run of the fifth.
In the sixth inning, with the bases loaded off two walks and a single by the Wolfpack, Mensik drilled one down the left-field line scoring junior outfielder Lawson McArthur and freshman outfielder Tyler McDonough to make the score 12-2.
The Wolfpack didn’t slow down after securing the double-digit lead. McDonough hit a clean line drive dropping in center field to score Tatum. McArthur was also able to score off an error. In its last at-bat, NC State would pick up its only blank frame of the afternoon.
“We really played well today,” Avent said. “We really came out ready to play today. That’s a real testament to our guys, they were excited, you could hear the music blaring as soon as they found out we were playing in 45 minutes. They got it turned up ready to play.”
The Wolfpack looks to sweep the series against Bucknell tomorrow at Doak Field with sophomore Nick Swiney on the mound. The game has been moved up to an 11 a.m. first pitch.
Sophomore outfielder Jonny Butler runs to first base during the game versus Bucknell on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 at Doak Field. The Wolfpack beat the Bison 14-2.
