AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Ryan Marohn pitched eight shutout innings and got home run support from three teammates in N.C. State’s 12-0 victory over Central Connecticut State on Saturday to stay alive in the Auburn Regional.
Marohn (8-3) allowed five hits and struck out 10. He got out of a jam in the eighth inning when he struck out the side after putting runners on second and third with nobody out. Tristan Potts came on in the ninth inning. He had runners on second and third with two out but got the next batter to foul out.
Alex Sosa got things started for the Wolfpack offense with a two-run home run in the first inning. Ryder Woodson’s two-run home run capped a four-run fourth inning to make it 6-0.
N.C. State added a run in the fifth on Luke Nixon’s sacrifice fly and two in the eighth on a couple of ground balls.
Nixon cracked a three-run home run in the ninth to cap the scoring. He had four RBIs for the day. Woodson drove in three and Sosa two.
Vincent Borghese (10-3) took the loss.
No. 2 regional seed N.C. State (34-20) advances to Sunday’s elimination game against the loser of Saturday’s later game between No. 1 Auburn and No. 3 Stetson.
Central Connecticut State (31-17), the nine-time Northeast Conference Tournament champion, is 1-18 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.