Friday, February 17
Raleigh, N.C.
3 p.m.
NC State
1-0
14
vs
1
Wagner
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Wagner
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
6
0
NC State
2
4
0
0
2
0
4
2
X
14
19
0
Wolfpack Cruises to 14-1 Victory Over Wagner on Opening Day
2/17/2023 7:15:00 PM | Baseball
Pack Scores Multiple Runs in Five Innings in the Win Over Wagner
RALEIGH, N.C. – Five multi-run innings from the Wolfpack offense combined with shutdown pitching powered the NC State baseball team to a 14-1 victory over Wagner on Opening Day at Doak Field at Dail Park.
On Opening Day at a newly renovated Doak Field at Dail Park, NC State (1-0) quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind two runs in the first and four runs in the second inning. Payton Green drove in the Pack's first two runs with an RBI single to center field, bringing home Noah Soles and Carter Trice to make it 2-0.
The Pack stretched its lead to 6-0 in the second frame behind three RBI singles, including a two-run base hit from Soles to make it 4-0. Trevor Candelaria knocked in his first run as a member of the Pack to make it 5-0 before Green knocked in his third run of the game to extend the advantage to 6-0.
Wolfpack starting pitcher Logan Whitaker dominated on the mound in his season debut, needing just 79 pitches to toss seven innings of shutout baseball. Whitaker struck out three Seahawks and did not allow a walk in the standout performance.
Catcher Jacob Cozart blasted the Pack's first home run of the season in the fifth inning, stretching the lead to 8-0 when his homer sailed over the wall in left-center for a two-run shot.
NC State extended its lead to a game-high 12 runs behind a four-spot in the seventh inning. Parker Nolan notched his first RBI in a Wolfpack uniform with a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 9-0. Chase Nixon then doubled off the wall in left-center to tack on two more runs before LuJames Groover III registered his first RBI of the season with an RBI groundout to third base, capping the frame with a 12-0 lead.
Five freshmen made their debuts in Friday's rout of the Seahawks – Eli Serrano III, Cannon Peebles, Matt Heavner, Isaiah Barkett and Everette Harris. Harris recorded three outs on the mound in his collegiate debut, closing the eighth inning with a strikeout.
Peebles and Serrano III combined to go 3-for-3 off the bench, finishing with a combined three hits, a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Peebles' two-RBI double in his first-collegiate at-bat pushed the score to its final margin at 14-1 in the eighth inning.
Creed Watkins earned the final three outs of the night with three strikeouts, sealing the Pack's 13-run victory on Opening Day.
NC State captured its seventh-straight win on Opening Day behind head coach Elliott Avent. The Wolfpack is now 20-7 in season openers with Avent serving as head coach.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to clinch a series victory Saturday against Wagner. First pitch for Saturday's matchup at The Doak is set for 2 p.m. and will be carried live on ACC Network Extra.
On Opening Day at a newly renovated Doak Field at Dail Park, NC State (1-0) quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead behind two runs in the first and four runs in the second inning. Payton Green drove in the Pack's first two runs with an RBI single to center field, bringing home Noah Soles and Carter Trice to make it 2-0.
The Pack stretched its lead to 6-0 in the second frame behind three RBI singles, including a two-run base hit from Soles to make it 4-0. Trevor Candelaria knocked in his first run as a member of the Pack to make it 5-0 before Green knocked in his third run of the game to extend the advantage to 6-0.
Wolfpack starting pitcher Logan Whitaker dominated on the mound in his season debut, needing just 79 pitches to toss seven innings of shutout baseball. Whitaker struck out three Seahawks and did not allow a walk in the standout performance.
Catcher Jacob Cozart blasted the Pack's first home run of the season in the fifth inning, stretching the lead to 8-0 when his homer sailed over the wall in left-center for a two-run shot.
NC State extended its lead to a game-high 12 runs behind a four-spot in the seventh inning. Parker Nolan notched his first RBI in a Wolfpack uniform with a sacrifice fly to center field to make it 9-0. Chase Nixon then doubled off the wall in left-center to tack on two more runs before LuJames Groover III registered his first RBI of the season with an RBI groundout to third base, capping the frame with a 12-0 lead.
Five freshmen made their debuts in Friday's rout of the Seahawks – Eli Serrano III, Cannon Peebles, Matt Heavner, Isaiah Barkett and Everette Harris. Harris recorded three outs on the mound in his collegiate debut, closing the eighth inning with a strikeout.
Peebles and Serrano III combined to go 3-for-3 off the bench, finishing with a combined three hits, a double, two runs scored and two RBI. Peebles' two-RBI double in his first-collegiate at-bat pushed the score to its final margin at 14-1 in the eighth inning.
Creed Watkins earned the final three outs of the night with three strikeouts, sealing the Pack's 13-run victory on Opening Day.
NC State captured its seventh-straight win on Opening Day behind head coach Elliott Avent. The Wolfpack is now 20-7 in season openers with Avent serving as head coach.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to clinch a series victory Saturday against Wagner. First pitch for Saturday's matchup at The Doak is set for 2 p.m. and will be carried live on ACC Network Extra.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Whitaker, Logan (1-0)
L: MERKEL, Daniel (0-1)
Batting:
2B: FAICCHIO, Dante 1
RBI: CONNIFF, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: KENNEY, Matthew 1
CS: KOBAYASHI, Maimu 1
HBP: BEY, Cody 1
Batting:
2B: Nixon, Chase 1 ; Peebles, Cannon 1
HR: Cozart, Jacob 1
RBI: Soles, Noah 2 ; Nixon, Chase 2 ; Groover III, LuJames 1 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1 ; Green, Payton 3 ; Cozart, Jacob 2 ; Peebles, Cannon 2 ; Nolan, Parker 1
SF: Nolan, Parker 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Soles, Noah 2 ; Trice, Carter 2 ; Green, Payton 2 ; Falsken, Carson 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 2 ; Cozart, Jacob 3 ; Nolan, Parker 1 ; Harrison, Kalae 1
SB: Green, Payton 1
HBP: Trice, Carter 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
3
R
2
H
3
RBI
3
AB
2
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
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RHP
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