RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State claimed its eighth win in a row on Friday at Doak Field at Dail Park, thanks to a combined shutout from Wolfpack pitchers Logan Jernigan, D.J. Thomas and Eric Peterson.
The Pack (8-1) strolled to a 3-0 lead through the second, and closed the door with Jernigan, Thomas and Peterson. Jernigan (2-0) claimed the win on a career-long 7.1 with only 77 pitches, holding the Wolverines (1-6-1) to four hits and a walk while striking out four. Jernigan has gone 13.1 shutout innings in his past two outings combined, holding opponents to six hits and four walks while fanning 11. Jernigan has not allowed a run in his last 15.1 innings.
Thomas entered in the seventh, retiring two of three batters faced with a strikeout. Peterson picked up his first save of the year with a perfect ninth.
Brett Austin provided the only extra-base hit of the afternoon for either side, a leadoff double to start the game. Austin finished 2-for-4 with a run and an RBI, returning to the leadoff spot for the seventh time in nine games. Logan Ratledge went 2-for-4 with a run. Kyle Cavanaugh submitted a 2-for-3 effort with a run and an RBI. Fellow freshman Andrew Knizner turned in a 2-for-3 performance of his own.
Austin’s double opened the game for State, and a sac bunt from Jake Fincher moved him to third with one away. A passed ball during the next at-bat brought him home to put the Pack on top 1-0 early.
Ratledge helped the Wolfpack stretch that lead by starting the second with a single through the left side. A pair of strikeouts left him planted there with two down, until Cavanuagh’s RBI single to center scored Ratledge from second after a wild pitch. Knizner singled behind Cavanaugh to put two on, and Austin’s RBI single through the right side set the final margin at 3-0.
