Wolfpack bats explode for 11 runs, clinch series against No. 15 Virginia Tech

In game one of a Sunday doubleheader against No. 15 Virginia Tech, the NC State baseball team defeated the Hokies 11-3 behind an offensive explosion and great starting pitching. The win clinched the series for the Wolfpack. 

Offensively, NC State (18-13, 11-12 ACC) had 14 hits and scored at least one run in each of the first four innings of the game. Junior left fielder Jonny Butler (4-5, 2 HR, 4 RBI) homered twice while sophomore center fielder Tyler McDonough (3-5, RBI) had two doubles to lead the Wolfpack. 

Junior right-handed pitcher Reid Johnston (6 IP, ER, H, 5 K, BB) was a workhorse on the mound today for the Wolfpack. Giving up just one hit, he retired the last 13 batters he faced. He also only walked one batter, attacking the strike zone all afternoon. 

In the first inning, NC State opened up the scoring with three runs. Freshman shortstop Jose Torres (1-4, 2 RBI) scored junior first baseman Austin Murr (2-4, RBI, BB) on a fielder's choice to shortstop. Later in the inning, junior designated hitter Terrell Tatum (2-3, 2 RBI) knocked a bloop single to left field that scored both sophomore catcher Luca Tresh (0-3, 2 BB) and McDonough.

Virginia Tech (21-14, 15-11 ACC) responded in the second inning with one run on a sacrifice fly to right field from Nick Biddison. Later in the frame, with a runner on third and two outs, Johnston recorded a strikeout to end the inning and limit the damage. 

NC State kept the bats rolling in the bottom of the frame with three more runs, all with two outs. Butler singled to right field, scoring McDonough and junior second baseman J.T. Jarrett (0-3, BB). The next batter, Torres, ripped a single to left-center to score Tresh and give NC State the 6-1 lead. 

In the third inning, Murr scored junior right fielder Devonte Brown (1-4) on a single to left field, advancing to second on a fielding error. The next batter, McDonough, scored him with a double to left field. 

Butler led off the fourth inning with a solo home run to center field to give the Wolfpack a 9-1 lead. The Wolfpack added another run in the sixth inning on an infield single, scoring Butler off the bat of Brown. 

With Johnston out of the game, the Hokies added two runs in the seventh inning with a couple of RBI singles, one from Kevin Madden and the other from Biddison. Both of these runs were credited to freshman left-handed pitcher Chris Villaman. 

Butler crushed his second solo home run of the game, this one to right field in the eighth inning to give NC State its 11th and final run of the afternoon. Redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Dalton Feeney (2.1 IP, H, 3 BB, 5 K) worked 2.1 scoreless innings on the bump for the Wolfpack to close out the game. 

The Wolfpack will go for the three-game sweep in the second game of the doubleheader. First pitch from Doak Field is scheduled for 4 p.m. Follow @TechSports on Twitter for live updates.