Despite having to sit through a two and a half hour rain delay, the NC State baseball team took its first game of the ACC Tournament Thursday by a score of 3-0 over No. 20 Notre Dame. The Wolfpack recorded 14 total strikeouts in the team’s first shutout since March 24.

Just days after being named to the all-ACC freshman squad, left-handed pitcher Brian Brown (7-3) had a dominant performance for State (32-20), striking out a career-high 10 batters and allowing just two hits with no earned runs over six innings pitched.

“He pitched outstanding and gave us all he had,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “Brian’s been our best pitcher all year. I thought he should  have been all-conference.”

The Pack’s shutout victory was the first of Brown’s career. The freshman said he has not let the flow of the game affect his performance.

“Don’t get too high or too low and you’ll be successful,” Brown said.

In the Pack’s regular season meeting with the Irish, Brown led his team to its only win of the series, allowing no earned runs in six innings en route to a 4-2 victory in extra innings.

Junior reliever Curt Britt did not skip a beat after coming into the game. The right-hander struck out four and allowed just one hit in the final three innings.

Avent said he was pleased with his Britt’s outing, as the Irish staged a late game comeback in one of the teams’ last contests.

“We were up two in South Bend in the ninth inning and we ended up playing 14 innings,” Avent said. “It was more comfortable today, but you always have to hold your breath because a five-run inning could be right around the corner.”

The Wolfpack scored its three runs in the first two innings and never looked back. Sophomore catcher Andrew Knizner scored in the first and drove in team’s final run in the second.

All three of the Pack’s runs were driven in by two-out hits. Avent said the team’s “timely hitting” was key to his group’s success.

“If you get two-out hits, it’s not only a pick-me-up for you, but it’s a heart-breaker for the other ball team,” Avent said.

State will continue its round robin pool play Friday night at 7pm when the team takes on No. 6 Miami.