NC State bounced back after dropping the second game of its opening series at Hawai’i with a convincing 8-1 win in the rubber match. Five pitchers combined to twirl a one-hitter in the series-deciding game, and Brett Kinneman had a couple of doubles and a walk to continue his torrid start to his sophomore campaign.
Walks plagued NC State hurlers—they issued eight free passes on Sunday—but it was the Rainbow Warriors’ generosity that staked the Pack to a 2-0 lead in the series finale. Evan Mendoza and Shane Shepherd drew back-to-back walks to open the second. Highly-touted freshman Brad Debo, making his first start, followed with a fielder’s choice that was thrown away in an effort to turn two.