NC State baseball weekend recap: Wolfpack splits marathon doubleheader

Although the final results was losing the three-game series, NC State baseball had a promising weekend at No. 8 Florida State, playing on even terms with the Seminoles.

After dropping the first game in lopsided fashion, 13-5, the two teams met in a doubleheader Sunday to make up for the postponed outing Friday. NC State demolished the Seminoles 15-4 in game one, setting up a decisive third contest.

In an exhausting marathon affair, Florida State took a 3-0 lead in the fifth, but NC State scored runs in the next three innings and tied it up on redshirt sophomore shortstop Josh Hood’s solo homer in the eighth. The Pack looked to be on the verge of a doubleheader sweep when senior centerfielder Devonte Brown hit a two-run blast in the top of the 12th. However, FSU first baseman Alex Toral followed up left fielder AJ Shaver’s leadoff infield single with a two-run bomb to tie it up in the bottom half.

In the bottom of the 17th inning, FSU designated hitter Jaime Ferrer hit a one-out walk-off homer, and Florida State prevailed 6-5.

NC State baseball falls to 11-8 on the season and 1-4 in the ACC.

NC State Baseball At The Plate

NC State had a lot to celebrate at the plate against one of the best pitching staffs in the ACC, if not the country:

• Hood went 7 for 10 during the doubleheader with a pair of doubles and a homer while scoring five runs and driving in three.

• Brown was 4 of 11 on Sunday with a double and homer and drove in five runs while scoring four times. He also drew a pair of walks.

• Sophomore left fielder Dominic Pilolli followed up a 4 for 4 day at the plate Saturday, which included a home run, with a two-run blast in game one of the doubleheader Sunday and added a double in game two.

• Freshman third baseman Payton Green hit his first two career homers Saturday and went 2 for 4 with a RBI in game two Sunday.

• Sophomore first baseman LuJames Groover III hit safely in all three games, going 6 for 15 at the plate and drawing four walks. He scored four times.

• Freshman designated hitter Tommy White had a two-homer effort in game one of the doubleheader, giving him 11 for the season. He had six RBI in the series to give him 36 on the year.

On The Mound

After pitching struggles Saturday, NC State overcame sophomore righty Sam Highfill skipping a turn in the rotation to enjoy two quality games on the mound Sunday.

Sophomore Matt Willadsen threw six innings (120 pitches) in game one, allowing three earned runs on five hits and three walks while striking out seven. Junior Baker Nelson closed out the win and record a save by going the final three frames and allowing just one earned run on two hits and registering three strikeouts.

Redshirt sophomore Logan Whitaker continued his success story by throwing 3.1 innings of one-hit shutout ball in game two. However, it was sophomore lefty closer Chris Villaman who stole the show with five innings of shutout pitching, allowing four hits and three walks. Most impressively, he struck out 12 Seminoles in a Herculean effort.

Going deep into the bullpen, lefty John Miralia, who had not pitched in 16 days, tossed a scoreless 16th and struck out two in the process. Sophomore Justin Lawson, on the mound for the first time in 15 days, was in his third inning of work and had struck out five batters before giving up the walk-off blast.

One Area Of Concern

There were a lot of what-ifs in the third game. FSU’s third run in the fifth came when Ferrer ended up scoring after a throwing error in left by Pilolli. Ferrer outmaneuvered Pack junior catcher Jacob Godman after the throw beat had beaten him to step on the plate before Godman tagged him, a call that was upheld on review.

In the top of the fifth, Pilolli was thrown out at home trying to score on a one-out fielder’s choice to short.

In the ninth, 10th and 11th innings, NC State stranded a runner in scoring position, as it also did in the 16th and 17th. In the latter, sophomore outfielder Noah Soles was thrown out trying to steal third base with two outs.

Midweek Action Ahead For NC State Baseball

After undoubtedly returning home late from Sunday’s doubleheader, NC State does not have long to rest up. North Carolina A&T comes to Raleigh March 22 for a 6 p.m. first pitch. The Aggies are 9-10 thus far this season after starting the year 1-5.

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