South Raleigh News

ATHENS, Ga. – Eleven hits powered an 11-run second inning as the NC State baseball team secured an 18-1 victory over seventh-seeded Georgia (42-16) to commence the NCAA Athens Super Regional.

NC State (37-20) moved closer to Omaha with its largest margin of victory ever in an NCAA Tournament game, surpassing a previous record of a 16-run margin against Navy in 2016.

The Wolfpack broke open Saturday's Super Regional opener with a record-setting second inning, scoring 11 runs on 11 hits to take an 11-0 lead. The inning began with eight consecutive hits, including back-to-back bunt singles from Luke Nixon and Matt Heavner, which reloaded the bases for Noah Soles after giving the Pack a 1-0 advantage.

Soles then hit a bases-clearing double down the right-field line for a 4-0 NC State lead. Leadoff batter Eli Serrano III followed by hitting a two-run homer on the next pitch, extending the lead to 6-0. Brandon Butterworth contributed an RBI single for a 7-0 lead before Nixon and Soles each recorded two-RBI efforts, bringing the score to 11-0.

NC State's performance in the second inning marked its most hits and runs in a game this season and set program records for hits and runs in a single inning during a Super Regional game. Soles finished with five RBI in the frame, while freshman Luke Nixon logged three RBI.

Catcher Jacob Cozart, recently named a Buster Posey Award finalist, extended NC State's lead to 12-0 with a solo homer in the third inning—his 17th of the season. Cozart later added an RBI single in the fifth for a 13-0 lead.

Wolfpack starting pitcher Sam Highfill (7-2) capitalized on robust run support, pitching six innings while allowing four hits and one run. NC State holds a record of 14-2 in games Highfill has pitched this season.

The Wolfpack added another run in the sixth before posting two-run frames in both the seventh and ninth innings, culminating at an 18-1 final score. Georgia scored its only run on Corey Collins' two-out RBI single in the fifth inning.

Seven of NC State's nine starters recorded multiple hits. Alec Makarewicz led with four hits; Cozart and Nixon each had three hits. Soles paced NC State with five RBI—all achieved during their substantial second inning.

Sophomore reliever Andrew Shaffner secured the save by closing out three scoreless innings without allowing any hits and striking out Sebastian Murillo to end the game.

Georgia starting pitcher Kolten Smith (9-3) took the loss.

UP NEXT

No.10 national seed NC State continues its Super Regional series at seventh-seeded Georgia on Sunday at noon, televised on ESPNU.