Pennington powers Pack9 to 6-4 win over South Carolina and 2-0 start in Raleigh Regional

RALEIGH, N.C. – No. 10 NC State stayed in the group of winners of the Raleigh Regional with more late-game heroics in a win over South Carolina. The Wolfpack hit three home runs early, two of which came from Garrett Pennington, and got help from the Gamecocks late for a 6-4 victory at Doak Field.

With the game 4-4 and the bases loaded in the seventh inning, freshman Alex Sosa walked to bring home the fifth run. Then, after a double steal attempt nearly went wrong, Pennington was left dead, but a throw by the South Carolina receiver went off his helmet and led to an easy run for the Pack9 in the bottom of the eighth. .

After a solid performance from starter Dom Fritton that saw him allow two runs in five innings with three strikeouts and four walks, the bullpen finished the job. Aside from a two-run homer allowed by Cooper Consiglio, the Wolfpack got four more solid innings from freshman and Derrick Smith in the final frames.

Smith was particularly impressive, taking on the heart of South Carolina’s order and sending them packing in the eighth. The right-handed reliever was a stunner, striking out Cole Messina and Kennedy Jones to end the eighth before earning the save in the ninth with another scoreless frame.

The night wouldn’t be complete without mentioning a solo bomb by Eli Serrano III in the fifth to answer a Cocks bomb in the previous frame. That, along with Brandon Butterworth’s phenomenal defense all night, helped push the Pack over the top in a close game to stay in the winner’s bracket.

The Wolfpack will now await the winner of the rematch between South Carolina and James Madison starting at noon on Sunday. Regardless of who the Pack9 plays, they are one win away from advancing to the Super Regionals with the cup scheduled for 6 pm at Doak Field on Sunday night.

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