Tommy White Breaks Wolfpack HR Record

RALEIGH, N.C.  -– NC State baseball’s Tommy White belted his 23rd home run of the season on Thursday night in the Wolfpack’s series opener with Wake Forest at Doak Field at Dail Park, breaking the Atlantic Coast Conference’s freshman home run record.

 

It was a record that stood for 24 years, as it was set by Florida State’s Chris Diaz in 1998. He was named a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy Award earlier in the day, and White is now two home runs away from the NC State single-season record and three away from the NCAA freshman record.

 

NC State (33-18, 14-13 ACC) suffered an 8-2 loss to the Demon Deacons (37-16-1, 113-14-1 ACC) in the contest, as Wake struck early and managed to never lose its lead.

 

The Demon Deacons scored first with a pair of runs in the second inning on Brock Wilken’s two-run homer down the left field line after Nick Kurtz led off the frame with an outfield single.

 

NC State got on the board in the fourth with a solo shot off the bat of LuJames Groover III, his 10th of the year, to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.

 

Groover is the fourth player on the Wolfpack roster to record double-digit home runs.

 

In the eighth, Wake Forest added to their lead on Brendan Tinsman’s RBI single to right field with a runner in scoring position, but White managed to put the Pack once again within one in the bottom half of the inning with his 23rd home run of the season, making the score 3-2.

 

The Demon Deacons pulled away in the ninth with a five-run surge thanks to Michael Turconi’s three-run homer to right field and Adam Cecere’s two-run double to center, and the Pack was unable to overcome the deficit in its final three outs.

 

On the mound starting pitcher Logan Whitaker worked a career-high 7.1 innings surrendering three runs on five hits while fanning five batters. At the plate, White led the offense with a 2-for-4 outing while Payton Green, Groover and Josh Hood each tallied a hit in the contest.

 

NC State returns to action in game two of its series with Wake Forest Friday night, with first pitch set for 6:30 p.m. at Doak Field at Dail Park. The game will be broadcast on ACCNX and there will be a radio broadcast on WKNC 88.1 and the Varsity Network App.