Wolfpack bats stay hot, crush Longwood, 19-3

A six-run second inning was all NC State needed to put away the Longwood Lancers, but it wasn’t all they did. Wolfpack bats stayed hot, pounding out 19 runs on 18 hits on the way to a 19-3 beatdown of their Big South opponent.

NC State has now scored 74 runs over their first five games of the season.

Fourteen Pack hitters took a turn at the dish in this one with ten of them registering hits. Thirteen of those Pack hitters either scored or drove in a run, or both.

Leading the way for State in this one were three-hit efforts by Devonte Brown (3-for-4, 2B, HR, 4 R, 3 RBI, BB, SF), who homered for the second straight game, and LuJames Groover (3-for-6, 2B, 3 R, 3 RBI). Dominic Pilolli (2-for-3, 3B, R, 2 RBI, BB), Eddie Eisert (2-for-2, 3B, 2 R, 2 RBI), Josh Hood (2-for-5, 2B, R, 3 RBI, SF), and Will Marcy (2-for-2, HR, R, 2 RBI) each tallied two-hit days. More impressive were that Eisert and Marcy didn’t even step to the plate until the 7th inning, the inning in which Marcy logged both his hits, including his first career home run.

Tommy White (1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB) had his first non-multi-hit game of his career, but still reached base safely three times as the Longwood pitchers stayed away from him for the most part. Matt Oldham (1-for-1, 2B, BB) came off the bench to reach base safely twice, while J.T. Jarrett (1-for-2, R, BB) did the same, except from his usual starting role.

In the 7th inning, State came mere inches away from hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs, as Payton Green’s double off the top of the left-center wall was sandwiched by Marcy’s and Brown’s home runs. Two batters after Brown, Groover hit one off the wall himself in left-center field. It was just that kind of day for the Pack hitters.

Not at all lost in the offensive onslaught was the effort by Wolfpack starting pitcher Logan Whitaker. In just his second career appearance - and first career start - Whitaker was masterful over five shutout innings, allowing just two hits and one hit batsman while striking out five batters. In his lone bit of trouble in the 3rd inning, he worked out of allowing the first two batters on base, exhibiting great control and mental fortitude for someone with so little collegiate pitching experience.

The back-to-back midweek starts by Whitaker and Logan Adams provide confidence in the starting depth of this year’s pitching staff.

Speaking of confidence in the pitching staff, Garrett Payne (2.0 IP, 0 H, 2 BB, 3 K) provided another multi-inning scoreless relief effort, while Brandon Hudson (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 K) looked good in his Wolfpack debut.

Trey Cooper also made his NC State debut after missing his true freshman season of 2021 recuperating from Tommy John Surgery. He flashed great stuff, including an electric fastball, but ultimately control issues - both for he and Cooper King, who followed him - saddled Cooper with the three Lancer runs on the day.

The Pack are back at it Friday evening at 6:00pm versus Quinnipiac (1-2).