Good teams find a way to win. It’s becoming very clear that this year’s edition of NC State baseball is a good team; the Pack erased a 4-0 deficit Sunday at Doak Field and won 5-4 on a ninth-inning walk-off to sweep its last weekend series before ACC play against Minnesota.
Senior first baseman Evan Edwards led the way with a 4-of-5 day, including the game-tying RBI double in the ninth for the Wolfpack (11-0), and junior designated hitter Brad Debo had the walk-off single against the Golden Gophers (2-8).
“I think it comes down to the chemistry in the locker room,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “How bad do they want to win; how much do they like one another. How much do they respect one another. How much do they feel like everybody works. When those things happen then I think it just makes it a little better all the way around in trying to come back, trying to hold onto a lead. When everybody’s bought in, it makes it much easier and I think this team right now is very bought in.”
Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the ninth, the Wolfpack led things off with walks from junior outfielder Lawson McArthur and sophomore left fielder Johnny Butler. After a wild pitch advanced both runners with junior shortstop Will Wilson at the plate, Wilson brought McArthur home with a sac fly to right to bring NC State within one.
Edwards then picked up his fourth hit of the game, and it was a big one, a double off the right-field wall that tied the game at four.
“I think it just shows how much drive this team has, and the want-to that line up and pitching staff has to battle back right there and get some runs late in the game,” Edwards said.
After sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey was intentionally walked and freshman center fielder Tyler McDonough fouled out to third, Debo came up to bat seeking his fifth hit of the series.
He got just that, lining a single just fair down the right-field line, scoring Edwards from first and walking the Wolfpack off and keeping his team undefeated.
“It’s a good feeling,” Debo said. “… I was excited; we kind of got fired up there in the ninth. It just started off with two walks, and as soon as we got those two walks I knew we were going to win that game.”
Sophomore righty Reid Johnson got his first start of the season on the mound for NC State. In four innings pitched, he allowed two earned runs on four hits while striking out two and walking three.
“Same thing I see from Reid every time he goes out there,” Avent said. “Extreme confidence, nothing bothers him. There were like three plays that we felt like we could’ve made that we didn’t make today and we’re all thinking it and we all know it but it doesn’t bother Reid. Reid was the perfect guy to pitch into the game today. Nothing bothers him, great confidence in himself and he’s got great stuff to boot.”
The Pack’s relief corps put in a strong outing, as the combination of sophomores Evan Justice and Nick Swiney, junior Micheal Bienlien and senior Nolan Clenney allowed just one run on three hits while striking out six and walking one.
“It’s really good”, Clenney said. “I don’t think we had as many [arms] last year. And just the depth of it this year just shows. Any guy can go out there, compete, get the job done and we have confidence in everyone in the pen.”
The Golden Gophers built a 4-0 lead through 5.5 innings; starting pitcher Joshua Culliver did not allow a hit through the first three.
The Wolfpack finally broke the shutout in the bottom of the sixth. After Edwards again led things off with a single to center, sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey singled to left and Minnesota’s left fielder bobbled the ball, allowing Bailey to take second and Edwards to score from first to make it a 4-1 game.
“I knew, with this lineup we have, we were gonna get some hits across the board there late, ” Edwards said. “Just the want-to of this team, I feel that’s just gonna happen when we’re not having a good game.”
After singles from Debo and McDonough loaded the bases with no outs, the Pack was able to get another run across via an RBI groundout from sophomore right fielder Terrell Tatum, but could not find another and still trailed by two heading into the seventh. The Wolfpack stranded nine base runners before the ninth-inning rally.
“I would just say preparation, just what we do with practice every day,” Debo said. “Practice is tough, it’s not meant to be easy, so everything that we do at practice is for moments like that. Battling with two strikes…it’s for that.”
NC State will face NC Central at old Durham Athletic Park Wednesday before opening ACC play against Pittsburgh at Doak Field next Wednesday.
Senior infielder Evan Edwards slides into third base on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at Doak Field. Edwards went 4-5 with two doubles, two runs scored and one run batted in in the Wolfpack's 5-4 walk-off win over Minnesota.
