NC State drops midweek game to Elon, 14-6

You know what they always say: midweek pitching is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get. What’s the worst chocolate in a standard box of chocolates? The one with coconut in it? That’s what NC State got yesterday.

The Wolfpack was hoping to bounce back from losing its weekend series at Miami, but Elon had other ideas. The Phoenix scored five runs in both the first and second innings, connecting on a three-run shot and a grand slam in the process.

It was a rough season debut for State’s Jacob Halford, who was responsible for all five runs in the first and recorded just one out. Carson Kelly got out of the first but didn’t make it through the second, and by the time State was up in the bottom of the second, it was in a 10-0 hole.

State got three runs in the fourth on RBI singles from Gino Groover and Trevor Candelaria, and solo homers from Noah Soles and Parker Nolan in the fifth, but there would be no epic comeback, as Elon pitching kept the Pack scoreless over the last four frames.

Well, these things happen. It’s nothing worth dwelling on, especially since Virginia is in town for a three-game set beginning Thursday.