RALEIGH – Ranked no. 1 NC State baseball (26-2) secured a big win to even out the series with Virginia (16-11), 3-0. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Reid Johnston was brilliant in his outing going all nine innings receiving a standing ovation from the sellout crowd.
The Wolfpack started out strong in the second inning when sophomore infielder David Vazquez hit a two out double to right field bringing in the first run of the evening going up 1-0 against the Cavaliers.
Sophomore left-fielder Jonny Butler also had a successful offensive night when he smashed his first homer of the season sailing over the right-field fence to increase the lead 3-0 in the bottom of the 5th.
This was the first complete shut-out game by a pitcher at NC State since Carlos Rodon in 2013 at the Raleigh Regional. Johnston sported a 0.00 ERA on the game with seven strike-outs and only allowing six hits. The sophomore faced the minimum of three batters in four innings to allow no threats.
Virginia’s defense remained sharp from the first match-up allowing only three runs to be put on the board with seven hits. But, the Cavaliers’ offense wasn’t enough to push out another win against NC State.
Freshman Vojtech Mensik and junior Will Wilson turned out two outstanding plays in the 8th to give NC State the upper hand defensively. The infield assisted Johnston by turning two double plays to end the threat of runners on base.
Virginia began a slight come back in the top of the 9th when two players were on base with one out, but two easy plays were handed to the Wolfpack in order to finish out the game.
NC State will be back in hopes to take the series from the Cavaliers Sunday afternoon at 1:00 pm at Doak Field.