Niners blank ACC foe N.C. State – The Charlotte 49ers baseball team improved to .500 with a 1-0 shutout over the Wolfpack

Inclement weather in the Queen City canceled the Charlotte 49ers home series against Marist this weekend. Instead, the Niners found themselves in Savannah, Ga., playing two games against the N.C. State Wolfpack sandwiched by a contest with UNC Greensboro.

The 49ers (2-2) pitching staff tossed a gem in a 1-0 victory in game one against the Wolfpack on Friday afternoon. Three pitchers combined to hold N.C. State scoreless, allowing just four hits.

Charlotte was led by starter Sean Geoghegan, a 6’6″ sophomore lefty, who has now delivered back-to-back six-inning shutout performances in his first two starts of the season. Geoghegan (1-0) has allowed just nine hits through 12 frames in 2015. He’s also fanned 11 batters, including a career-best six strikeouts Friday against the Wolfpack.

Geoghegan’s only scare came in the bottom of the first inning when he walked three batters to load the bases early. He would eventually settle down and work out of the jam by striking out the side, building momentum for his offense in the top of the second.

The Niners provided the only run of the afternoon on Brad Elwood’s RBI fielder’s choice. Elwood, one of just two seniors in the Charlotte lineup, hit a line drive to center field, but a base running error by Brett Netzer resulted in an out at third. Netzer’s mistake really hampered a struggling 49ers offense that also managed just four hits in the game.

Micah Wells entered the game in relief in the seventh inning and fired two scoreless frames, setting up the bottom of the ninth for closer Logan Sheerer.

Sheerer, who’s still looking for his first hit at the dish this season after leading the Niners in home runs as a freshman, needed just seven pitches to earn his second save of the year and preserve the win for Geoghegan.

N.C. State (4-3) was picked to finish middle of the pack in a stacked ACC that boasts five top 25 teams, including No. 1 Virginia. A win over a big-time opponent should do wonders for the confidence of this inexperienced Charlotte squad.

“I’m proud of the guys tonight,” said Charlotte head coach Loren Hibbs. “We didn’t get off to a great start, but did what we needed to in order to win.”

The 49ers return to action Saturday morning for a match-up with the UNCG Spartans (2-4) with first pitch scheduled for 11 a.m. Charlotte will cap the weekend with a rematch against the Wolfpack on Sunday afternoon.

Read more here: http://ninertimes.com/2015/02/niners-blank-acc-foe-n-c-state/
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