NC State baseball weekend recap: Still perfect
NC State baseball is one of just five teams in college baseball that remains undefeated. Also on the list are a pair of ACC rivals in Wake Forest and Virginia, plus Alabama and Troy.
For the second time in a week, NC State had to rally to stay that way. After taking games one and two in a three-game set with visiting NJIT comfortably, 9-2 and 21-2 respectively, the Pack found itself down 5-2 when coming to bat in the bottom of the eighth Sunday.
Two runs in that frame set up sophomore shortstop Payton Green’s heroics with no outs and a runner aboard in the bottom of the ninth with NC State trailing 5-4.
NC State Baseball In The Polls
Collegiate Baseball: 11th (up from 19th)
NCBWA: 14th (up from 20th)
USA Today Sports baseball coaches: 15th (up from 20th)
Perfect Game: 16th (up from 17th)
D1Baseball.com: 19th (up from 21st)
Baseball America: 21st (up from 24th)
At The Plate For NC State Baseball
While Green provided the fireworks Sunday, freshman catcher Cannon Peebles was a major story this weekend.
On Saturday, Peebles went 6 for 6 at the plate with two homers and three doubles. He scores twice and drove in 10 runs. He was the first NC State batter in nearly 22 years to have 6 hits in a game, and his 10 RBI were the most since 1999.
Also noteworthy, the switch hitter hit home runs from both sides of the plate. For the rest of the weekend, Peebles added 2 hits and a RBI.
Collegiate Baseball selected Peebles as one of its national players of the week.
On The Mound
Freshman lefty Dominic Fritton has justified the decision to make him a Sunday starter. Another quality outing improved Fritton to 15.2 innings on the season, allowing just 8 hits and 1 earned walk. He’s issued 5 walks and 13 strikeouts. Against NJIT, Fritton pitched 5.0 innings, giving up 2 hits and 1 earned run, walking a pair and fanning five.
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If early-season usage is an indication, junior righty Justin Lawson will be primary late-inning, high-leverage relief option. Lawson pitched twice over the weekend, bringing him to 5 appearances on the year. In 9.2 innings, Lawson has allowed 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 13 and not allowing a run.
Junior righthander Sam Highfill had a try Sunday in a high leverage situation but struggled, allowing back-to-back home runs to give up a 1-0 lead for the Wolfpack in the sixth inning. Highfill has yet to walk a batter in 9.1 innings this year, but he has allowed 11 hits, including four for extra bases.
Midweek Action Ahead For NC State Baseball
Clemson transfer and lefty P.J. Labriola will make his third straight start for the Pack in a midweek game, taking first pitch at 3 p.m. Tuesday at UNC Greensboro.
In a pair of earlier starts, Labriola has allowed 8 hits over 7.2 innings and has not walked anyone while fanning seven. He has given up 3 earned runs for a 3.52 earned run average (ERA).
UNCG is 7-5 and riding a 5-game winning streak, including sweeping Rutgers over the weekend. The Spartans are 1-3 against ACC teams, losing a weekend series in Greensboro to Notre Dame but shutting out the Irish 12-0 for the lone win over ND. Wake Forest crushed the Spartans 20-2 in a midweek contest.
