Coming off its blowout victory against Coastal Carolina on Wednesday, the No. 7 NC State baseball team was looking to stay undefeated but fell short on the road against No. 23 Virginia.

Junior right-hander Reid Johnston started the game for the Wolfpack (12-1, 0-1 ACC) and pitched into the third inning against the Cavaliers (11-3, 1-0 ACC). Johnston ran into some trouble in the second inning. Johnston allowed a baserunner to steal home and gave up a two-run home run to UVa left fielder Jimmy Sullivan. Johnston came out for the third inning and got one out before being replaced by junior lefty Evan Justice. Justice allowed an inherited runner to score on a wild pitch.

The Wolfpack’s bats were slowed down by UVa’s pitching staff. NC State scored on a fielder’s choice by senior Lawson McArthur in the third inning, and junior catcher Patrick Bailey doubled home a run in the sixth inning.

The Cavaliers scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning off of sophomore Baker Nelson. The first run came on an error by junior third baseman Devonte Brown, and the second was a sacrifice fly.

NC State inched a little closer in the eighth with a solo home run by sophomore second baseman Tyler McDonough, his second home run of the season. As a whole the Wolfpack struggled with knocking runs in. Although it outhit UVA 9-8 and walked 11 times, NC State left 17 runners on base. This is not the Wolfpack offense of usual, and it will look to get back to its home-run hitting ways tomorrow.

While junior Canaan Silver gave up an insurance run on an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth, NC State’s bullpen produced solid results. Justice, Nelson and Silver tossed 5.2 innings and allowed one earned and two unearned runs, striking out five.

The Wolfpack will look to get back into the win column Saturday in Charlottesville. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.