Elon Baseball Falls to #22 NC State at Home Tuesday

ELON, N.C. – Despite a strong outing by Jared Wetherbee, #22 NC State pulled away late as the Elon University baseball program fell 5-0 Tuesday, Feb. 19 at Latham Park.

BOX SCORE | FINAL RESULTS

Making his first career start, the sophomore left-hander held the Wolfpack (4-0) to one run on three hits and two walks. He totaled seven strikeouts across 5.2 innings. Brandon Justice tossed 1.2 innings in relief, giving up two runs on as many walks with three punch outs. Also coming out of the bullpen were Owen Lorenz, Naushon Galbraith, and Dean McCarthy.

Jack Roberts batted 2-for-3 with a double to lead the Phoenix (3-1) at the plate. Anthony Galason also turned in a multi-hit performance, his third in four games, as he finished 2-for-5. Joe Satterfield (1-for-2 with two walks) and Tyler Stanley (1-for-1) collected the other two hits for Elon.

How It Happened: It was a pitching duel through the first five innings as neither side could plate a run early. The maroon and gold had an opportunity in the bottom half with consecutive walks by Garrett Stonehouse and Satterfield. A Cam Devanney fly out to center allowed Stonehouse to advance to third, but Wolfpack starting pitcher Michael Bienlien recorded a strikeout to get out of the inning.

Elon threatened again in the third as Galason hit a leadoff single up the middle before Stonehouse and Satterfield both walked for the second time in as many at bats. With NC State handing the ball over to freshman righty Baker Nelson, a foul out to catcher and a groundout to second kept the home team off the board.

Roberts drove a 2-1 pitch to the wall in left center for a two-out double in the fourth, but a Tyler Cranston ball couldn’t find the grass in center field. NC State finally got a tally as Will Wilson led off the sixth with a home run to left.

In the seventh, Roberts slapped a slow-roller towards third to reach safely. After Stanley entered s a pinch runner, Galason found a hole in the left side of the Wolfpack defense. A Stonehouse fly out to right allowed Stanley to move up 90 feet, but the junior was left stranded as the Red and White got the third out.

NC State picked up some insurance with three runs on one hit and three walks in the eighth. With the bases juiced, a double down the right-field line plated two. Matt Oldham was able to flip the ball to a covering Lorenz to get a runner out at home, but another run crossed home on a wild pitch. The Wolfpack then added a run in the ninth for the final. Vojtech Mensik drew a six-pitch walk, stole second, and advanced to third on a ground out to second. He then came around on another wild pitch.

Notes: Earlier in the day, junior George Kirby was named the CAA Pitcher of the Week for his outing last Saturday, Feb 16 against Lafayette. It marked the first weekly honor of his career…Satterfield is on a five-game hit streak dating back to last season. Galason has posted a hit in four straight games and Stanley has hit safely in 3-of-4 games…Elon remains a perfect 6-fot-6 on stolen base attempts. NC State’s catcher had a good throw that would have caught Galason at second, but Stonehouse had an eight-pitch battle to get the free trip to first…Despite the loss, the Phoenix still leads its opponents in runs (22-7), hits (39-13), extra-base hits (10-4), RBIs (19-5), walks (22-14), steals (6-4), and strikeouts (51-29).

On Deck: Elon goes on the road tomorrow, Feb. 20, as the Phoenix has a 4 p.m. meeting with the N.C. A&T Aggies (3-1) at War Memorial Stadium in Greensboro, N.C.