Here is your National Recap for April 11th.
Rodon overused; Duke defeats NC State 2-0 behind Van Orden
The top story of the night was the absolute criminal overuse of Carlos Rodon by the NC State coaching staff in the Wolfpack’s 2-0 defeat to Duke. Rodon was working on short rest and threw 134 pitches in 7.2 innings. Rodon in the game broke the NC State school record with 391 in the win. Things are not getting better for the Wolfpack as they are now 19-14 overall while being 5-11 in ACC play.
Thornton continues to roll as UNC hammers Wake 9-0
CHAPEL HILL — Trent Thornton matched a career high with 10 strikeouts over eight shutout innings and Tyler Ramirez hit a grand slam for his first home run as a Tar Heel as No. 29 North Carolina beat Wake Forest 9-0 Friday night at Boshamer Stadium. Thornton allowed just two hits and the Carolina offense took advantage of eight Wake Forest walks as UNC improved to 20-14 and 8-8 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
Thornton and Wake starter Jack Fischer (4-3) traded zeroes for the first three innings before the Tar Heel bats came alive in the fourth. After a leadoff single by Tom Zengel, Landon Lassiter reached on a four-pitch walk to put two on with nobdoy out. Parks Jordan then pushed a perfect bunt down the third base line for a hit and when Will Craig’s throw sailed wide of first, Zengel came around to score Carolina’s first run of the game.
Akron’s Valek Tosses Complete Game Shutout in 8-0 Win over Ohio
AKRON, Ohio – Sophomore John Valek III’s complete game shutout keyed The University of Akron (17-14, 7-3 MAC) baseball team to an 8-0 win over Mid-American Conference opponent Ohio University (5-25, 1-9 MAC) in the series opener on Friday afternoon at Lee R. Jackson Field.
In his longest outing of the season, Valek allowed six hits and one walk while striking out two Ohio batters. His record improved to 3-2 on the season, following the 103-pitch outing.
After a scoreless first, the Zips took a 1-0 lead in the bottom half of the second, a lead the team would not relinquish throughout the contest. Freshman James Meeker III lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Kris Simonton to score easily from third.
Northwestern overcomes Huge Deficit to beat Iowa
EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern scored 11 unanswered runs from the seventh inning on, Friday afternoon, to claw all the way back from a 10-run deficit and topple the Iowa Hawkeyes at Rocky Miller Park in thrilling fashion, 14-13. The game featured a combined 27 runs on 36 hits, both high marks in Big Ten games this season.
Thanks in large part to an offense that produced a combined nine runs in the seventh and eighth innings, and a pair of scoreless innings from senior relievers Nick Friar and Jack Quigley, the Wildcats entered the bottom of the ninth down by just a single tally, 13-12.
Extra Inning Homer Propels Longhorns to Win
NORMAN, Okla. – The No. 7/7 Texas baseball team won a seesaw affair over NR/26 Oklahoma, 10-8, in 10 innings Friday night at L. Dale Mitchell Park.
CJ Hinojosa hit a solo home run to lead off the top of the 10th inning, breaking an 8-8 tie to help lift the Longhorns (27-8, 7-3 Big 12) to a series opening win over the Sooners (23-12, 4-3 Big 12). Brooks Marlow’s bases-loaded walk gave Texas an insurance run as it improved to 3-0 in extra innings games this season.
John Curtiss came on to pitch the bottom of the 10th and retired three in a row after a leadoff walk to earn his fifth save of the year. Freshman Morgan Cooper (3-1) picked up the win by pitching brilliantly in relief, retiring all nine batters he faced in three scoreless innings.
UC Santa Barbara/Cal State Fullerton Suspended in Extras
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The opening game between No. 18 Cal State Fullerton and No. 22 UC Santa Barbara was suspended due to darkness Friday in the top of the 11th with the teams deadlocked 9-9. The game will resume Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.
Brian Foley also contributed to this report.
