Wolfpack pounds UNC-Wilmington, 11-3

This was a competitive game for all of about two innings. NC State posted a five-run third inning to blow open the game with UNC-Wilmington and never looked back from there. The Wolfpack plated runs in every inning from the 2nd to 6th while running away with the 11-3 victory.

Will Wilson returned to the lineup after a long absence to face the team that took him out of commission for a stretch and Kent Klyman returned to the mound for the first time in ten days - and his first extensive action in over two weeks. While Wilson looked a bit rough in shaking off the cobwebs (0-for-5, 2 K), Klyman looked like his old self (2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K), even displaying some of the bravado on the mound that we State fans have become used to.

The two offensive story lines in this game were the home runs and the production from the bottom of the order. The 6-7-8-9 hitters (Brad Debo, Terrell Tatum, J.T. Jarrett, and Dillon Cooper) combined to go 8-for-16 with 2 2B, 3B, HR, 4 BB, 6 R, and 7 RBI. Debo and Cooper recorded three hits each (with Cooper coming just a home run short of the cycle) and Tatum had two hits, including a three-run home run as part of the five-run third inning. Jarrett walked three times in the game.

In addition to the production from the bottom of the order, Evan Edwards hit a pair of solo home runs and worked a walk, while Patrick Bailey went back-to-back with Edwards on his home run in the third inning. Tyler McDonough reached base three times on the day, going 1-for-3 with a BB, HBP, and 2 R.

On the mound, Cameron Cotter picked up his fourth win of the season as he opened the Johnny Wholestaff game for the Wolfpack with 2.1 pitch-count-capped shutout innings. Evan Justice, Andrew Blake, Klyman, Alec Barger, and Nolan Clenney combined for 6.2 innings of relief, allowing just one earned run while striking out ten UNCW batters.

The Wolfpack are back in action Friday at home at 6:30pm as they kick off a three-game series with Radford.