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NC State’s offense cooled off considerably from Tuesday, scoring nine fewer runs in a comparative nailbiter with Akron. When the dust settled, the Wolfpack sweated out an 18-3 win over the Zips.
Joking aside, the Pack ran like a hot knife through butter in this one, jumping out to an 8-0 lead after three innings, then when Akron responded with a 3-run 5th inning, State scored 10 runs over the next two frames to put things away. The game was called after the top of the 7th inning on account of the slaughter rule.
Oddly enough – but not like it matters – Richmond looked like the better team of the two. Such is baseball. Either way, the Pack went 2-0 in their midweek games this week with a combined score of 45-3. That’ll get it done.
State has outscored their opponents 61-5 over the last four games, and the 7-1 Wolfpack have posted five double-digit run games so far this year.
Chris McHugh (2-for-4, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB, 1-1 SB), Brayden Fraasman (2-for-5, 2B, R, RBI), Sherman Johnson (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, HBP, 2-2 SB), and Rett Johnson (3-for-4, 3 R, RBI, BB) all tallied multi-hit outings. Ty Head (1-for-2, HR, 4 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 1-1 SB), Luke Nixon (1-for-2, R, 3 RBI, BB, SH, SF), Brandon Novy (1-for-3, HR, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, SF, 1-1 SB), and Mikey Ryan (0-for-2, 3 R, 2 BB) all reached base safely multiple times.
Head led off the bottom of the first with a 404-foot bomb on a 2-0 pitch. That set the tone early and State never looked back.
Here, have a Novy blast:
Akron never threatened in this one, thanks to a great start by Luke Hemric, who tossed 4.0 innings of hitless, scoreless ball with two walks and two strikeouts in earning the first win of his Wolfpack career. Julien Peissel (1.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K) struggled as the first man out of the bullpen. Ryder Garino (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K) struggled with control, while Collins Black (0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K) set down both men he faced to finish off the game.
NC State hosts Sacred Heart this weekend in Raleigh. First pitch Friday is scheduled for 3:00pm. The Pioneers are 1-5 on the year.