Freshman starter Jimmy Gillheeney allowed just one run in the first five innings, and the bullpen gave up just one more in the last four, as the baseball team took down UNC-Wilmington 5-2 on Tuesday.
For Gillheeney, who had pitched out of the bullpen three times so far this year, Tuesday’s start was the first of his college career. So naturally he had some stomach butterflies before the game.
“I was pretty anxious and I guess you could say a little nervous at the same time for my first start,” Gillheeney said. “But I felt pretty good once I got out there.”
In his five innings of work, Gillheeney surrendered just five hits, and the run was the first one he’d given up all year. But the freshman also uncharacteristically walked two batters, which doubled his season total.
“Jimmy was outstanding,” coach Elliott Avent said. “But honestly, he’s been so good I expected a little better. So that shows just how well he’s pitched since he’s been here. But if you were to tell me that was a college freshman’s first start, I would say that it was pretty doggone good.”
Offensively, neither team got off to a hot start, and the turning point came in the bottom of the sixth inning after a failed hit-and-run turned into a double-steal and gave N.C. State runners on second and third with one out.
Senior catcher Caleb Mangum then hit a two-hopper that somehow bounded over the head of Seahawks’ third baseman Steve Halford and into left field scoring both runners and giving the Wolfpack a 3-1 lead it would never surrender.
“I was lucky actually that I got a hit out of it,” Mangum said about the go-ahead single. “I kind of rolled over on it when I pulled off a little bit, but it was a hit that got us going.”
On the day, State got nine hits and scored five runs, but only two of those were earned as Wilmington committed three errors.
Avent said he was not satisfied with the offense and that the batters could have been more patient.
“We kept chasing a lot of pitches instead of just sitting on the fastball,” the coach said. “[Wilmington’s pitchers] really didn’t challenge us that much, and that was our fault because we didn’t make them throw more pitches. But it’s still a work in progress and we’ll continue to get better.”
Once the Pack took the lead in the sixth, the bullpen allowed just two hits and quickly ended any chance the Seahawks (5-7) had of mounting a comeback. So far this season, State (9-1) has five relief pitchers with an ERA less than 2.00 and three who have yet to give up a single run.
“Our bullpen is the reason we’re winning games,” Mangum said.
And Avent attributed the bullpen’s success to the cohesiveness of a deep group.
“They’re all starting to understand their role, which is very important,” Avent said. “And guys are going out there and doing their jobs.”
At the back end of the pen, starter-turned-closer Eryk McConnell recorded his fourth save of the season in as many tries. So far the redshirt junior has only given up four hits and has yet to surrender a run and like Avent said, is settling into the unfamiliar role.
“I’m comfortable now. I’m not nervous going out there,” McConnell said. “I’ll go out there up by one [run] or 10. I don’t care and I don’t even look at the score. So I’m settling in and getting ready for some ACC play.”
Up next for State — though it’s not ACC competition — is the Keith LeClair Classic in Greenville this weekend, where the team will face Western Carolina, East Carolina and No. 13 ranked Pepperdine in the three-day tournament.
