Wolfpack downs Tigers, 6-1, in Game One of penultimate 2019 ACC series

That... yes, that will work.

NC State pitchers Jason Parker and Nick Swiney combined to allow just one Clemson run on five hits while the Wolfpack offense plated four runs over the first two innings as State cruised to a 6-1 win in the opening game of the ACC series between the two squads.

With the win, NC State improves to 38-12 overall, 15-10 in the ACC. Clemson drops to 29-21 overall and 12-13 in ACC play.

Will Wilson staked the Wolfpack to an early 2-0 lead with a no-doubter home run to left field in the 1st inning, scoring himself and Jonny Butler, who had led off the bottom of the 1st with a single. The Wilson home run - his team leading 15th of the season, matching his home run total from 2018 - was all the offense that the Pack would need on the night to secure the win.

For good measure, though, State would put up four more runs in the game - all before Clemson would plate their lone run of the game. In the 2nd inning, Brad Debo led off with a double, then moved to third base on a one-out David Vazquez single. Dillon Cooper plated Debo with an RBI bunt single to push the lead to 3-0. Cooper would come around to score a batter later on a Butler fielder’s choice that resulted in a throwing error, making the score 4-0.

Tyler McDonough pushed the NC State lead to 6-0 in the 7th inning with a two-out triple, scoring Butler and Wilson, both of whom reached on walks to start the inning.

The lone Clemson run came on a one-out, 9th inning home run with the game well in hand.

Parker started the game for the Wolfpack on the mound and was excellent into the 5th inning. With two out, two on, and in a 3-1 count, Parker was lifted for Swiney, which ended up working just fine for State. Swiney K’d the batter, and then went on to shut down the Tigers bats for the rest of the game en route to earning the win on the mound. In addition to his excellent pitching, Swiney’s outing also saves the rest of the State bullpen, keeping the arms fresh for the remainder of the series. Clemson, on the other hand, had to use three relief pitchers in the contest.

Parker’s final line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 2 HBP, 3 K. Swiney’s final line in earning his 6th win of the season: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 K.

Wilson (2-for-2, 2B, HR, 2 BB, 2 R, 2 RBI), McDonough (2-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI), and Vazquez (2-for-3) each had two hits on the day for the Wolfpack, while Butler also reached twice on the day (1-for-4, BB, 2 R).

Game Two of the series is set for a noon start time on Saturday, with the game time being moved up due to potential inclement weather in the Raleigh area later in the day. Reid Johnston will be on the mound for NC State facing off with Clemson’s ace Davis Sharpe.