Despite a 12-strikeout performance by junior starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, N.C. State fell to Duke in the first game of a three-game series Friday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The 2-0 loss dropped the Wolfpack’s conference record to 5-11.
Entering Friday’s game, Rodon needed only seven strikeouts to tie the NCSU school record of 386, held by former Wolfpack pitcher Terry Harvey. Following his 7.2-inning appearance on the mound Friday, Rodon sits at 391 during his three-year career at State.
After a quiet first inning, Duke got on the board in the bottom of the second when senior designated hitter David Perkins blasted a home run over the center field wall. The solo shot marked Perkins’ first homer since 2012 and the third of his career.
Rodon said that his rough start was due to his pitches coming up too high.
“When I leave the ball up, I just beat myself,” Rodon said. “When [Perkins] hit a home run, the ball was up. If you throw a slider there, he’s out. If you throw a fastball down, he’s out. That’s probably the ball he’ll ever hit off me.”
State looked ready to respond in the top of the third, as freshmen designated hitter Nathan Hood and right-fielder Garrett Suggs recorded back-to-back hits to give the Pack runners on first and third with no outs.
However, after a fly-out, Hood was caught at the plate after a beautiful throw from the Duke left-fielder. Despite the hot start, State ended the inning scoreless.
Duke struck again in the bottom of the third, as redshirt junior first baseman Mike Rosenfeld made his way home on an RBI single up the right field line after tripling to begin the inning. With the run, the Devils extended their lead to two runs.
Following Duke’s second run, both teams went silent on offense. While the Devils had a few chances to get on the board, Rodon shut down the batters he faced before any Duke runner could round the bases.
“From the fifth inning on, that was probably the best he’s thrown all year,” Wolfpack head coach Avent said. “From the fifth inning on, he made an adjustment. I almost didn’t send him out there for the eighth, but his pitching was so strong. Tonight, his slider was unhittable.”
Rodon was pulled midway through the eighth after walking his third batter. Sophomore closer Jon Olczak relieved the All-American and finished the inning without issue.
Despite starting the ninth at the top of the batting order, the Pack failed to make anything happen in the final inning of play. Rodon took the loss, dropping his record to 2-6.
In Rodon’s last five starts, the Pack has not scored more than one run. State never did find its rhythm offensively Friday, finishing the contest with a measly four hits. Avent credited strong pitching from his opponent as a cause for his team’s offensive woes.
“[Duke senior starting pitcher Drew] Van Orden was very good tonight,” Avent said. “Good pitching is going to get good hitters out.”
Game Two of the three-game series will take place Saturday at 1 p.m. at DBAP. State will look to improve its dismal conference record and gain some momentum before taking on arch-rival UNC-Chapel Hill Tuesday.
