After dropping its season opener against Appalachian State, Wolfpack baseball took its anger out on weekend opponents La Salle and Wagner. The Pack swept the three-game weekend series and scored a combined 48 runs in the process. State held its opponents to only four runs.
Senior outfielder Brett Williams, junior infielder Sam Morgan and sophomore shortstop Trea Turner combined for 21 hits, six home runs and 22 RBIs.
“It was a great performance for us,” Williams said. “Offensively we were struggling a little bit to start the season. It’s just a huge confidence builder for us.”
State combines for no-hitter
Sophomore Carlos Rodon (1-1) and freshman Karl Keglovits combined for a no-hitter against La Salle in a decisive 5-0 victory. The team unveiled its new black uniforms.
Rodon went seven innings and recorded a career-high 14 strikeouts. He walked only one batter.
The score remained deadlocked until State’s bats came alive in the sixth inning, when the team scored all of its five runs.
Senior outfielder Terran Senay ripped a two-run homer to put the team up 2-0. Three other base runners would end up coming across home plate.
“It was a lot better,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “A lot better idea of what we’re looking for, what we’re going to do.”
Sophomore catcher Brett Austin hit the second triple of his career.
Offensive outburst powers Pack
The Wolfpack scored in every inning, except the second as it routed the Wagner, 18-0, in the first of two games against the Seahawks over the weekend.
Williams exploded for two home runs, two doubles and five RBI. Morgan went three-for-five and finished with a home run and four RBI. Senior catcher Grant Clyde tacked on four RBI after hitting a grand slam in his only a bat of the game.
Sophomore pitcher Logan Jernigan (1-1) claimed the victory for the Pack going five innings, striking out four batters.
The team hit for a combined 15 hits and suffered two errors.
Onslaught leads State past Seahawks
The Pack combined for a 25-run outburst in the second half of its double header against Wagner.
The Seahawks jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead in the first inning, but that would be all the scoring Wagner would muster up against the Pack.
State scored 25 unanswered runs as the team defeated the Seahawks, 25-4.
Williams and Turner combined for 11 RBI and two home runs.
Morgan and Clyde both launched homers over the fence, for the second time in as many games.
“Sam Morgan had a good weekend and got back to doing what he does well,” Avent said. “Grant Clyde took some better swings, so that was encouraging.”
Four of Turner’s RBI came off of his first grand slam of the season, and career, in the fourth inning.
“We’re having better at bats, taking better pitches,” Turner said.
Once again, the team scored in seven of eight innings for the second straight game.
“Scoring seven out of eight innings in two double headers,” Avent said. “We got down four to nothing but it didn’t seem to bother anybody”
The Pack lit up the scoreboard in the fourth, scoring seven runs, and the eighth, scoring 13 runs.
Starting pitcher, senior Josh Easley, went four innings, gave up four runs on two hits and struck out four batters.
Sophomore pitcher Travis Orwig (1-0) was credited with the win.
“It’s a positive seeing us having better at bats and producing runs even when there’s nothing there, we’re finding ways to score,” Turner said.
