With a grueling 56 game schedule for the N.C. State baseball team, it sometimes becomes tough to keep up the focus and adrenaline every game of the season, especially during a mid-week game against a team that has only won a single game this season.
However, the Pack found a way to win as it took down the UNC-Central Eagles for the second time this season, winning 11-0. Freshman starter Chris Overman (1-0) got the win, while Glenn Frye got the loss for the Eagles. The Wolfpack move to 22-12 (6-9 in ACC) on the season with the win, while the Eagles drop to 1-32.
“It’s a Tuesday game after a Monday off and this weekend didn’t go as well as planned. But against these kind of teams you just have to go out and not go down to their level and stay above it and get on them early,” sophomore third baseman Andrew Ciencin said. “You can’t keep this kind of team in the game and I am happy we pulled it out. The beginning of the game was a bit sloppy but we finished well.”
The game was much closer earlier on as the Pack struggled to score early in the game, but was able to pile on the runs at the end of the game, scoring eight of its 11 runs in the final two innings.
“We didn’t come ready to play,” coach Elliott Avent said. “That is pretty obvious and I think everybody saw that.”
Four pitchers combined for the shutout for State. However, it was in jeopardy in the ninth when the Eagles loaded the bases with no outs. But freshman Mike Clark was able to work the team out of the jam. With the pitchers not allowing a run, coach Avent may have to own up to a promise he made to the pitchers before the game.
“I promised the pitchers all year they won’t take batting practice, and I said throw a shutout and you can take BP,” Avent said. “I think they were a bit worried in the ninth, but [Mike] Clark got out of it.”
Senior Dallas Poulk started the scoring for the Pack as the second baseman lead of the game in the bottom of the first with a homerun off of the right field foul pole, which gave State a 1-0 lead.
The Pack used multiple pitchers in the game as freshman pitcher Chris Overman started the game for State. He pitched three strong innings, gave up only one hit, and struck out five Eagle hitters all while earning his first collegiate win.
“It is pretty exciting,” Overman said. “I am just really relived because I haven’t pitched to well, but I felt like I pitched well enough to get the win tonight. In the pen for some reason it doesn’t look as good as it does on the mound. But it works itself out. I feel like I was commanding my off-speed stuff pretty well and the fastball was working well.”
The Eagles threatened the Pack in the bottom of the fifth inning and managed to get two runners to third base. However, relief pitcher Mike Russo was able to work out of the jam and keep UNC-Central scoreless.
Freshman shortstop Chris Diaz added another run for the Pack in the bottom of the fifth inning when he drove in junior Russell Wilson home with a single. N.C. State went on to add another run in the inning when Pratt Maynard scored pinch hitter Andrew Ciencin from third when he grounded out to the second baseman, taking the score to 3-0.
The Eagles got a good pitching performance out of their starting pitcher Glenn Frye, who held the Pack bats at bay. But the team was finally able to chase Frye in the bottom of the seventh when it put up three runs in the inning, extending the lead to 6-0.
The Pack piled it on in the eighth inning as eight straight N.C. State hitters reached base safely, helping the team to bat around in the inning and put the game out of reach with a five run inning. This gave the Pack the win and possible momentum for the game against UNC-Wilmington tomorrow night.
“The back half of the game we played really well and did a lot of things better, especially base running and at bats,” Avent said. “It was a win and we played good the second half of the game and hopefully that can carry over to tomorrow.”
