DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Edgardo Villegas homered, four Miami pitchers kept NC State scoreless over the final eight innings, and the Hurricanes defeated the Wolfpack 4-2 on Thursday night in the ACC Tournament.
Each team scored two runs in the first inning and Miami went ahead 3-2 in the fourth when Dominic Pitelli led off with a double then scored on a single by Renzo Gonzalez. The Hurricanes added a run in the eighth when Jacoby Long walked and later scored on a wild pitch.
Trailing 4-2, the Wolfpack went 1-2-3 in the eighth and again in the ninth against closer Andrew Walters, who pitched 2 1/3 innings and picked up his 10th save. Rafe Schlesinger (3-1) was credited with the win.
Miami opened the game with a leadoff walk, then Villegas blasted a two-run homer. The lead was short-lived when North Carolina State’s Eli Serrano III laced a two-out two-run single in the bottom of the first.
Sam Highfill (6-3) took the loss after allowing five hits and three runs in 3 2/3 innings.
The game was fourth-seeded Miami’s tournament opener and the Hurricanes (38-18) can win their pool by beating No. 5 Duke on Friday. A Duke win would leave all three teams with 1-1 records.
No. 9 NC State (35-19) beat Duke 8-7 in 11 innings on Tuesday.
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