N.C. State threw runners out at the plate, picked off runners on base and limited North Carolina to only seven total runs in the final two games of the three-game series. However, stingy Tar Heel pitching and the inability of the Wolfpack to make clutch hits led to a series sweep of State–the third time this season a team has swept the Pack. aAfter winning the first game of the series 7-3 Friday, the Heels finished off the sweep in the next two games with a 3-2 victory in 14 innings and 4-0 shutout Sunday at Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill.
Redshirt junior first baseman Aaron Bates said the key factor to the loss was the Wolfpack’s lack of hitting.
“We didn’t hit. They hit, we didn’t,” Bates said. “We didn’t come through in certain situations.”
The Heels shut out the Pack in the series finale due to the Pack’s inability to move runners into scoring position. And when State found itself in a scoring position, the runners were left stranded.
During 22 innings, State managed only 22 hits and left seven runners in scoring position.
With a season that has had an abundance of runs so far, leaving runners in scoring position had not been too much of a problem going into the series.
But, according to Bates, the Pack has been out of sync with runners in scoring position lately.
“We definitely are struggling. We need to get back to the drawing board a little bit offensively,” Bates said.
“They pitched outstanding the whole series, the relievers that came in were outstanding too. A lot of it’s us. Guys get a little excited with runners in scoring position. So, it’s important of us to stay patient when they’re at their best.”
The lack of runs left no room for error for the Pack in the field. Despite spectacular catches by senior center fielder Matt Camp and strong State play defensively throughout the series, State could not keep Carolina off the board.
Bates said taking some time off will heal the Pack’s hitting confidence.
“[We need to] take a couple days off,” Bates said. “Take Monday off and come back and get ready to play Miami this weekend. I don’t think our confidence will be down, [Carolina] pitched a hell of a weekend.”
