They used live oak to build that ship which was many times stronger than the white oak commonly used at the time. Cannon balls pretty much bounced right off the hull. This wood was so valued for its high strenght that the British even sent raiding partys ashore in the Carolinas to harvest anything they could get.
The main killer in naval warfare at the time wasn't the actual cannon ball but was more likely to be splinters of wood after the ball cleared through a plank or beam. Live oak being much stronger, also didn't splinter as much. It would be the difference between amour plate and titanium, or at least something similar.