Thursday, May 18
Raleigh, N.C.
6 p.m.
NC State
32-18, 11-16
7
vs
2
Pittsburgh
23-28, 10-16
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
Pittsburgh
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
2
5
1
NC State
0
0
3
0
2
2
0
0
X
7
14
0
Whitaker, Peebles Shine in Pack's Series-Opening Win Over Pitt
5/18/2023 9:43:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH – The NC State baseball team opened its final ACC regular season series with a 7-2 victory over Pittsburgh on Thursday night at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Right-handed starting pitcher Logan Whitaker (4-3) shined in the Pack's Thursday night win, pitching seven shutout innings while allowing just one hit with six strikeouts. Whitaker tossed a season-high 113 pitches in the stellar performance, facing the minimum three times and allowing only a bloop single with one out in the fifth inning.
NC State (32-18, 11-16 ACC) struck first in the third inning when Cannon Peebles crushed his team-high 11th home run of the season. Peebles' three-run blast into the NC State bullpen made it 3-0 Wolfpack with two outs in the third. With the homer, Peebles moved into a tie for fourth place in program history for home runs hit by an NC State freshman.
The Pack added to its lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. After Jacob Cozart reached via a hit-by-pitch, Peebles ripped a single into right field. Pittsburgh right fielder CJ Funk then allowed Peebles' single to roll under his glove for a fielding error, allowing Cozart to advance all the way home to make it 4-0 Wolfpack.
Eli Serrano III then extended the Pack's lead to 5-0 with an RBI double down the right-field line.
Back-to-back two-out RBI doubles from Cozart and Peebles stretched the Pack's lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth. NC State scored five of its seven runs with two outs in Thursday's victory.
Baker Nelson tossed the final two frames to secure the win. After allowing a pair of solo homers in the eighth inning, Nelson pitched a scoreless ninth with a strikeout.
Pitt (23-28, 10-16 ACC) tallied both its runs in the top of the eighth on solo homers from Jayden Melendez and Noah Martinez.
The Panthers' Jack Sokol (6-5) suffered the loss on the mound for Pitt , allowing four runs over four innings pitched.
Peebles finished the night 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, four RBI and two runs scored. His four-hit performance was the Pack's first four-hit game since Carter Trice tallied four hits at No. 12 East Carolina on April 4. LuJames Groover III, Payton Green and Serrano III each finished with two hits apiece.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to capture the series victory on Friday night at Doak Field. Friday's matchup against Pittsburgh is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Right-handed starting pitcher Logan Whitaker (4-3) shined in the Pack's Thursday night win, pitching seven shutout innings while allowing just one hit with six strikeouts. Whitaker tossed a season-high 113 pitches in the stellar performance, facing the minimum three times and allowing only a bloop single with one out in the fifth inning.
NC State (32-18, 11-16 ACC) struck first in the third inning when Cannon Peebles crushed his team-high 11th home run of the season. Peebles' three-run blast into the NC State bullpen made it 3-0 Wolfpack with two outs in the third. With the homer, Peebles moved into a tie for fourth place in program history for home runs hit by an NC State freshman.
The Pack added to its lead with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. After Jacob Cozart reached via a hit-by-pitch, Peebles ripped a single into right field. Pittsburgh right fielder CJ Funk then allowed Peebles' single to roll under his glove for a fielding error, allowing Cozart to advance all the way home to make it 4-0 Wolfpack.
Eli Serrano III then extended the Pack's lead to 5-0 with an RBI double down the right-field line.
Back-to-back two-out RBI doubles from Cozart and Peebles stretched the Pack's lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the sixth. NC State scored five of its seven runs with two outs in Thursday's victory.
Baker Nelson tossed the final two frames to secure the win. After allowing a pair of solo homers in the eighth inning, Nelson pitched a scoreless ninth with a strikeout.
Pitt (23-28, 10-16 ACC) tallied both its runs in the top of the eighth on solo homers from Jayden Melendez and Noah Martinez.
The Panthers' Jack Sokol (6-5) suffered the loss on the mound for Pitt , allowing four runs over four innings pitched.
Peebles finished the night 4-for-4 with a home run, a double, four RBI and two runs scored. His four-hit performance was the Pack's first four-hit game since Carter Trice tallied four hits at No. 12 East Carolina on April 4. LuJames Groover III, Payton Green and Serrano III each finished with two hits apiece.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to capture the series victory on Friday night at Doak Field. Friday's matchup against Pittsburgh is set for 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Whitaker, Logan (4-3)
L: SOKOL, Jack (6-5)
Batting:
HR: MELENDEZ, Jayden 1 ; MARTINEZ, Noah 1
RBI: MELENDEZ, Jayden 1 ; MARTINEZ, Noah 1
Base Running:
RUNS: MELENDEZ, Jayden 1 ; MARTINEZ, Noah 1
SB: HESS, Kyle 1
HBP: MARTINEZ, Noah 1
Batting:
2B: Cozart, Jacob 1 ; Peebles, Cannon 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 1 ; Candelaria, Trevor 1
HR: Peebles, Cannon 1
RBI: Cozart, Jacob 1 ; Peebles, Cannon 4 ; Serrano III, Eli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Soles, Noah 1 ; Groover III, LuJames 2 ; Cozart, Jacob 2 ; Peebles, Cannon 2
SB: Groover III, LuJames 1 ; Harrison, Kalae 1
CS: Green, Payton 1
HBP: Soles, Noah 1 ; Cozart, Jacob 1
PO: Green, Payton 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
2
H
4
RBI
4
AB
5
R
2
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
C
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RHP
/ BaseballC
/ BaseballINF/OF
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
RHP
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