Nick Swiney strikes out 15, allows one hit as NC State tops Purdue, 6-0

Nick Swiney is pretty good, y’all. After allowing a leadoff single in the first, Swiney didn’t allow another Purdue hit. Actually, after plunking the clean-up hitter in the 1st with two outs, Swiney set down the next 22 hitters in a row for the Boilermakers as he turned in one of the most impressive outings for an NC State pitcher in about as long as I can remember.

Swiney’s final line: 8.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 15 K.

Swiney’s line now on the season: 3-0, 21.0 IP, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 37 K.

With that type of pitching on the mound, State didn’t need much to get the victory, but the bats still struggled for a while against Purdue starter Cory Brooks. In the 3rd inning, the Wolfpack finally got on the board thanks to an Austin Murr triple off the wall/screen in right field, scoring Brad Debo from 3rd. Debo had led off the inning with a single and moved up bags on a Jose Torres single and a ball in the dirt.

State scratched another run in the 6th, but also squandered a major opportunity to blow the game open by only getting the one run despite loading the bases after that one run had scored.

Patrick Bailey led off the 6th with a single, moved to third on a Devonte Brown single, and scored on a David Vazquez pinch-hit sacrifice bunt thanks to a nifty head-first slide that allowed him to get the bag with his left hand before the catcher could apply the tag.

The Pack finally busted the game open in the 7th, putting up a four-spot. Murr led off the inning with a double, advancing to 3rd when the Purdue centerfielder misplayed the ball in an effort to cut it off before it got to the wall in right center. Tyler McDonough scored Murr in the next at-bat with a sacrifice fly to center. Bailey and Brown followed with walks before J.T. Jarrett, who was hitting in the sixth spot after entering the game as a defensive substitute the inning before, cranked a home run to left field. The homer, Jarrett’s second of the year and third of his career, extended the lead out to 6-0.

Dalton Feeney pitched the ninth for State, getting a ground out, allowing a walk, and inducing a game-ending 6-4-3 double play.

Murr (2-5, 2B, 3B, R, RBI), Brown (2-4, R, BB, SB), and Torres (2-4) each had multiple hits for the Pack. Bailey (1-4, R, BB) also reached base safely multiple times on the day.

The Wolfpack will be back in action for their final game of the Cambria Classic/ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Sunday at 7:00pm when they take on host Minnesota. Freshman Chris Villaman will be on the mound for State.