N.C. State (13-4, 1-2 ACC) managed to keep the Quinnipiac Bobcats (4-2, 0-0 NEC) off the scoreboard Tuesday night, holding them to only four hits as the Wolfpack squeezed by with the victory, 1-0. This game marks the third time this season State has shut out an opponent.
“Winning is good, and losing is bad,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “We find a way to win, but obviously we have to play better than this.”
Sophomore pitcher Logan Jernigan started the game for the Pack and gave up two hits and three walks while striking out five in his four innings of work. Freshman pitcher Jon Olczak followed him by striking out two in the fifth inning, his only inning pitched in the contest.
Junior pitcher Andrew Woeck (2-0, 1.20 ERA) earned the victory for State. After relieving Olczak, he pitched 2.1 innings and struck out five of nine batters he faced.
Redshirt senior pitcher Grant Sasser pitched .2 innings and allowed one hit and one strikeout. Senior pitcher Chris Overman struck out the side in the ninth to seal the game for his second save of the season.
Sophomore catcher Brett Austin was the Pack’s top performer of the game. In his five at-bats, Austin recorded three hits, including a run-scoring double in the bottom of the sixth.
“I have been seeing the ball well these past few games,” Austin said. “I have been relaxing at the plate and putting a good swing on it.”
The Pack left 15 runners on base, tying its season high set on Feb. 23 against La Salle. State had at least one base runner stranded in all eight innings it came to bat and left the bases loaded in the second and fourth innings.
The sixth inning showed the most action for both teams. Following a Quinnipiac leadoff single, Woeck entered the game to relieve Olczak. Senior shortstop Matt Bergquist then mishandled a ground ball which allowed another runner to reach base. The next batter reached on a fielder’s choice after Woeck’s failed attempt for a force out at third base, putting the Pack in a zero-out, bases loaded situation.
However, State’s defense would hold. On the following play, junior third baseman Sam Morgan fielded a ground ball and threw home to Austin for the force out. Woeck ended the Bobcats’ threat by striking out the next two batters.
“It was a tough situation to get into,” Woeck said. “We would rather not get into that situation, but when we were in it, we all stepped up and got our way out of it.”
The bottom of the sixth began with Morgan being hit by a pitch followed by a sacrifice bunt by Bergquist. After sophomore second baseman Logan Ratledge walked, Austin lined a 1-1 pitch to the left-center field gap for a double, scoring Morgan and advancing Ratledge to third.
Quinnipiac freshman Justin Thomas pitched five innings and held the Pack to seven hits while striking out four batters and walking three.
Bobcat senior Kevin O’Connell (0-1, 4.50 ERA) pitched the last three innings and allowed one run on two hits while striking out two, walking three and beaning two.
State will return to action Wednesday as Old Dominion comes to Raleigh. The game will start at 6 pm and can be heard on 88.1 WKNC.
“We played them last year,” Austin said. “They are a good team. You cannot take anybody lightly right now. We just have to come out and play like we know how to play.”
