N.C. State (16-5, 3-3 ACC) traveled to Gene Hooks Field in Winston-Salem for a three-game series against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (12-10, 1-5 ACC). The Wolfpack came away with victories on Friday and Sunday, 12-6 and 5-2 respectively. The lone loss came on Saturday, 13-4.
“It is about winning series in this league,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “We lost in the first weekends at home, so to win two out of three in this league on the road is a good thing.”
Friday night, sophomore pitcher Carlos Rodon (2-2, 5.04 ERA) picked up the victory after he gave up three earned runs on five hits and three walks in his six innings on the mound. The southpaw also struck out eight Wake batters and has struck out at least eight batters in each start this season. Senior Josh Easley pitched the last three innings and only gave up two hits while recording five strikeouts for his first save of the season.
“He has not been the Rodon of last year, but this is a sign of getting there,” Avent said. “When he commands the strike zone, he is awfully tough on people.”
Freshman southpaw Brad Stone (1-1, 7.98 ERA) only pitched one inning on Saturday but surrendered seven runs, five of them earned, on five hits and two walks in the loss.
Senior pitcher Ethan Ogburn (2-1, 2.16 ERA) was on the mound on Sunday and threw for 5.2 innings. He gave up one unearned run on five hits, struck out four and did not allow a walk en route to the win. Senior right-hander Chris Overman pitched the final two outs of the ninth inning to secure his third save of the 2013 campaign.
“We thought Ethan Ogburn was outstanding though his starting pitching had been stumbling a little bit,” Avent said. “Every time you look at our box scores and there are no walks involved, then good things have been happening for us.”
Senior first baseman Tarran Senay ignited the Wolfpack’s offense. He accumulated seven hits, five runs batted in and four runs scored in 12 at-bats, including solo home runs on Friday and Saturday.
“I saw the ball really well,” Senay said. “Overall, I felt pretty good at the plate this weekend, but I am just glad to get on with this series.”
Sophomore catcher Brett Austin added six hits, three RBIs and two runs in the set against the Deacons. He has gotten at least one hit in the past 10 games, the team’s longest active streak to date.
“I felt pretty good,” Austin said. “I try to stay confident and relax as much as I can and just put a good swing on a good pitch. That is my mentality right now.”
Friday night saw State’s sluggers explode for 12 runs, including four runs in the fifth inning, capitalized by a three-run four-bagger by sophomore right fielder Jake Armstrong, who ended the game with a career-high five runs batted in. Armstrong finished the series with four hits, two runs and six RBIs.
The Deacons retaliated on Saturday by opening the game with a five-run first inning thanks to a grand slam from Wake redshirt junior right fielder Jack Carey and a solo home run from redshirt freshman designated hitter Kevin Conway. The Deacs scored at least one run in every inning they batted except for the third frame when junior pitcher Andrew Woeck shut down the Wake Forest offensive.
Though Sunday afternoon’s game showed fewer results on the scoreboard, the Pack was sure to keep the contest in its favor, jumping ahead 2-0 in the top of the third when senior left fielder Bryan Adametz scored senior third baseman Grant Clyde and sophomore center fielder Jake Fincher on a no-out double to center field. State brought two more to the plate in the fifth inning when Senay drew a bases-loaded walk to bring Clyde home and freshman designated hitter Will Nance brought Adametz to the plate on a fielder’s choice. An Austin RBI single in the top of the seventh, which scored Fincher, concluded the team’s Sunday scoring.
State returns home on Tuesday when the UNC-Greensboro Spartans come to Doak Field to take on the Wolfpack. First pitch will be thrown at 6 p.m.
