Thanks to a huge six RBI performance from junior outfielder Brett Kinneman, the NC State baseball team overcame a 5-0 deficit to beat N.C. A&T 9-7 at Doak Field Tuesday evening.

Kinneman hit a game-tying grand slam in the fourth inning, as well as a go-ahead two-run triple in the seventh, to keep the Pack (3-1) undefeated at 20-0 in its all-time series against the Aggies (1-2). A&T brought the power as well, with Dawnoven Smith and Adan Ordonez both launching big home runs in the game.

“I felt really comfortable in the box today,” Kinneman said. “I was fortunate in both those at-bats getting to good hitter’s counts. And then fortunate to get two very hitable pitches there and was able to put a good swing in both at-bats.”

NC State freshman lefty Evan Justice got the win on the mound, and other than one bad pitch resulting in a two-run homer for Ordonez, was good in his two-inning collegiate debut. Senior righty Joe O’Donnell collected his second save of the season, while A&T righty Josh Bottenfield took the loss.

“I thought [Justice] was outstanding, which is why I stuck with him,” Avent said. “That was just a big win. I thought our guys played very, very hard and well.”

Pack sophomore righty Mathieu Gauthier and A&T lefty Ethan Chavis started on the mound, finishing with very similar lines. Gauthier tossed five innings compared to Chavis’ 4.1, but both pitchers allowed five runs, only four earned, and gave up their fair share of hits. Neither Gauthier nor Chavis picked up a decision in the game, with both leaving with things tied at 5-5.

A&T jumped all over Gauthier early, going up 5-0 after three innings. Smith crushed a first-pitch offering over the left-field fence in the first inning to put the Aggies up 3-0, and hard double down the left-field line for designated hitter Jarrett Norman in the third inning added two more runs.

After a couple of empty scoring opportunities, NC State finally broke through offensively in a big way in the fourth inning, as Kinneman launched the game-tying grand slam over the right-field fence to bring the Pack right back into the game. Senior right fielder Brock Deatherage led the inning off with a bunt single, his second of the day, and scored the first run on an RBI single from senior first baseman Shane Shepard.

The Pack loaded the base with a single and Aggies error, bringing Kinneman up with the opportunity to tie the game. Kinneman worked the count in his favor to 3-1, before getting all of Chavis’ pitch to blast his first home run of the season and tie the game at 5-5.

“I was able to get into a good hitter’s count. I think it was 3-1,” Kinneman said. “A fastball up in the zone … I thought I got it pretty good.”

The game settled down following the Pack’s big fourth inning, with Aggies righty Josh Bottenfield and Justice coming in from the bullpen to put in good work.

After a clean sixth inning and two quick outs in the seventh inning, Justice let down his guard and the Aggies made him pay. A two-out single from second baseman Milton Rivera was followed by a two-run home run off the bat of catcher Adan Ordonez that pushed A&T ahead 7-5.

The Pack bolstered down and took control in its half of the seventh, scoring four runs on four hits to grab its first lead of the game at 9-7. Kinneman came up clutch again, driving a two-run, two-out triple off the wall in center field to jump ahead.

NC State had tied the game earlier in the inning thanks to some timely hitting and a pivotal error. Sophomore second baseman Dillon Cooper drove in the first run with an RBI single. The second run of the inning came on a big mistake by Aggies center fielder Myles Sowell, who dropped what would have been an inning-ending fly out off the bat of McLain.

Junior Nolan Clenney, sophomore Kent Klyman and O’Donnell combined to finish the game out on the mound for the Pack, with O’Donnell inducing a game-ending double play with the Aggies threatening in the ninth inning.

“I thought a lot of good things happened in that game. It’s a big win for us,” Avent said. “You hate it for them, but I’m really proud of our guys because they played so hard and stuck with it. After being down five, they got five. Then went down two and came back and did it again.”

The Pack returns to action Wednesday afternoon, as it hosts UNC-Charlotte at 3 p.m. at Doak Field.