A scoreless game heading into the 4th inning ended up as a blowout win for NC State as the Wolfpack took Washington to the woodshed in the season opener for both squads. The game was called after the 7th
inning on account of the run-rule.
State went quietly in the top of the 1st inning, while the Huskies threatened in the bottom half of that frame with back-to-back singles putting two men on with no outs. Ryan Marohn worked around the jam with assistance from Drew Lanphere, who recorded the first out on a back pick to second base.
A line drive double play erased a Mikey Ryan leadoff single for NC State in the 2nd inning while Washington went down in order. State also went down in order in the top of the 3rd while the Huskies managed a leadoff single in the bottom half of the inning, but Marohn promptly retired the next three hitters without allowing the runner to reach scoring position.
The 4th inning is when the game changed. Brayden Fraasman led off with a full-count walk, Dalton Bargo followed with a single, and both runners advanced on a flyout to the warning track in centerfield by Ryan. Luke Nixon then crushed a one-hopper line drive off the wall in left field to bring both runners home and stake State to an early 2-0 lead. Andrew Wiggins hit a big fly home run to left-center two batters later and the Pack held a 4-0 advantage.
Washington would load the bases with one out in the bottom of the frame thanks to two singles and a walk, but a Chris McHugh fired a shot to the plate on a Casen Taggart flyout to end the inning with the 7-2 double play.
State added three more runs in the 5th. McHugh singled with one out and then Bargo crushed a home run to right field to make it a 6-0 game. Ryan followed with a single and a steal of 2nd base to move into scoring position, coming home on a Nixon single to make it 7-0.
Marohn retired the first two hitters of the 5th but ran into a bit of trouble with a single and HBP, which resulted in the end of his day as his pitch count was up to 85. Anderson Nance came on to record a four-pitch strikeout to end the frame. Marohn’s final line: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP.
Lanphere led off the 6th inning with a double, moved up a bag on a Ty Head sacrifice bunt, and scored on a McHugh sacrifice fly to extend State’s lead to 8-0. The Huskies did manage to load the bases with two out on Nance in the bottom of the 6th, but he again recorded a strikeout to keep Washington without a run.
An already seemingly insurmountable lead turned into a complete blowout with a 5-run 7th inning. Bargo singled and advanced to third on a Nixon single. Nixon was then erased on a caught stealing. After a dropped foul ball by the catcher with two outs, Sherman Johnson doubled to bring home Bargo. Pinch hitter Brandon Novy walked and Lanphere brought home Johnson with a single while Novy advanced to third. Head then reached on a throwing error with Novy scoring on the play. McHugh singled home Lanphere and Fraasman singled home Head, making it a 13-0 game.
The Pack went with several substitutions for the bottom half of the 7th. Julien Peissel came on to pitch marking his first appearance as a member of the Wolfpack, while Devin Mitchell (LF) and Wyatt Peifer (3B) also made their NC State debuts. Peissel struck out the first batter he faced before allowing the next two hitter to reach. The game ended on a rather wild play. A routine ground ball to second base saw an errant throw from Nixon to Ryan that slowly rolled on the left side of the infield. While Ryan retrieved the ball, the Washington runner at second base decided to run towards third while that runner remained at the base. Eventually the runner at third bolted for home while the Ryan tagged out the runner between second and third, then fired home to Lanphere to apply the tag for the final out of the game. A dumb way to end the game, but it’s not like the Huskies had a hope of a comeback.
Nance earned the win for State and posted a final line of 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 2 K.
Six Pack batters registered multiple hits on the day: Bargo (3-for-4, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI), Nixon (3-for-4, 2B, R, 3 RBI, 0-1 SB), McHugh (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI), Ryan (2-for-4, R, 1-1 SB), Johnson (2-for-3, 2B, R, RBI, BB), and Lanphere (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI). Fraasman (1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB) also reached base safely multiple times.
NC State will be back at it Saturday morning with a 9:30am first pitch against Indiana State. The Sycamores beat Manhattan, 10-3, in their opener on Friday.
