Brian Brown’s program record 61st start in a Wolfpack uniform was a memorable one. The senior, who garnered ACC pitcher of the year honors and was tabbed as a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, went the distance in NC State’s 9-3 win over Northeastern in an elimination game in the Raleigh regional. Brown struck out the side in the ninth as rain poured down at the Doak at Dail.
As good as Brown was, he still had to share the spotlight with his battery mate, freshman Patrick Bailey. Bailey hit a two-run shot in the first and added a three-run blast in the fifth which put the Pack up 9-1. The freshman switch hitter, who added a walk and scored three times, leads the club’s regulars in on-base percentage (.420) and is up to 13 home runs, which is tied for fourth most for the power-laden Pack.
Evan Edwards cleared the bases with a wind-aided triple in the Pack third and scored on a Brock Deatherage single. Josh McLain singled three times and scored twice.
Brown scattered eight hits, didn’t walk anybody, and struck out eight in going the distance. He was touched up for solo home runs by Northeastern’s Scott Holzwasser and Jeff Costello.
Auburn appears to be starting ace and likely number one overall pick in Monday’s MLB draft, Casey Mize, against Army as it looks to go to 2-0 in the regional. State will face the loser of tonight’s 7 p.m. contest tomorrow in another elimination game. Should the Pack survive that, they’ll need to take two in a row from tonight’s winner to advance to the super regional.