The NC State baseball team defeated the Boston College Eagles in a 20-5 road victory on Friday, April 9. It was a team effort for the Pack as it reached a new season high for runs scored in a game.
Junior starting pitcher Reid Johnston (6.2 IP, 4 ER, 3 H, 7K) held down the Eagles, allowing four earned runs in 6.2 innings. He totaled seven strikeouts throughout the afternoon and was practically untouchable until the sixth.
The Wolfpack (12-11, 6-10 ACC) took control of the game early in the top of the second inning. Freshman shortstop Jose Torres (2-5, 3 RBI, 2 R, BB) hit a single to left field and advanced to second off a fielding error, and junior designated hitter Terrell Tatum (4-6, 2 RBI) hit a bunt single directly following to put runners on the corners.
Then, a groundout from sophomore third baseman Vojtech Mensik (1-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB, HBP) moved Tatum to second, and junior right fielder Devonte Brown (2-5, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB, SB) singled to right field, giving NC State its first run of the afternoon.
A failed pickoff attempt and throwing error brought home Tatum and allowed Brown to reach third before junior first baseman Austin Murr (2-4, 2 RBI, 1 R) hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Brown and bringing the Pack up 3-0.
Throughout the next two and a half innings the Pack built up an 8-0 lead. Junior left fielder Jonny Butler (2-4, RBI, 4 R, 2 BB, SB) blasted a triple to the right side to start the third and sophomore catcher Luca Tresh (3-5, 2 RBI, 3 R, BB) singled to bring him home. Mensik also hit a solo shot to left field to increase the NC State scoring margin.
It wasn’t until the fifth that the Pack crossed home plate again when Butler drew a walk to start the inning, and after stealing second, he was brought home on Tatum’s single to center field.
A sacrifice fly in the sixth brought home the eighth run for the Wolfpack, but it was in that inning that Boston College finally answered, scoring three runs to cut into the NC State lead. The Eagles (14-14, 4-12 ACC) placed two runners on base on a hit by pitch and a walk, and a sacrifice fly from Cody Morissette put the team on the board late in the game. A double from Luke Gold and a single from Jack Cunningham gave Boston College two more runs before Johnston finally retired the side, bringing the score to 8-3.
NC State responded quickly in the top of the seventh with a solo shot to left field and another run scored on a fielder’s choice, bringing it back up to a seven-run lead.
Johnston pitched into the seventh but was replaced by freshman Cooper King (0.0 IP, BB) with two outs and one on following a very successful outing. King let up a walk and a single, giving the Eagles their fourth run, before being pulled and switched with freshman Coby Ingle (2.1 IP, ER, H, BB, K) who retired the side with a fly out.
The Pack continued to score into the latter innings, bringing home 10 runs in the eighth highlighted by triples from Tresh and Torres, and a double by Brown bringing his RBI total for the day to four.
Ingle pitched the rest of the game for NC State, and despite giving up a home run in the bottom of the ninth, he retired the rest of the Eagles ensuring the Wolfpack win.
The series at Boston College will continue Saturday and Sunday with both games set to start at 1 p.m. and be aired live on ACC Network Extra.
