NC State Baseball
#10 NC State Splits Doubleheader, Clinches Series vs. BC
RALEIGH, N.C. – After earning a win on Friday in the ACC opener, No. 10 NC State baseball split a doubleheader with Boston College Saturday afternoon to clinch the series. The Wolfpack won the first game of the twin bill, 13-7, before dropping an 11-3 decision in the nightcap.
NC State moves to 13-3 overall and 2-1 in ACC play, while Boston College improves to 6-8 and 1-2 in conference action.
Quick Hits Game One
– Boston College jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the contest, but Shane Shepard cut the lead to one with a two-run homer in the bottom of the second.
– After the Eagles tacked on a run in the top half of the third, the Wolfpack countered in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs to even the score at 4-4 after an RBI single from Patrick Bailey and a throwing error by BC.
– NC State took its first lead of the game in the fourth following a leadoff double from Josh McLain and a single from Brett Kinneman to plate McLain.
– Brad Debo and Dillon Cooper each contributed RBI singles in the frame, as the Wolfpack scored four runs in the fourth to grab an 8-4 advantage.
– Boston College wouldn’t go away and trimmed the NC State lead to 8-6 with a pair of runs in the sixth.
– The Pack pushed across two runs in the seventh on a walk with the bases loaded and a hit-by-pitch to extend the tally to 10-6.
– Will Wilson doubled down the left field line and Debo singled up the middle to provide the Wolfpack’s final three runs of the contest.
Inside the Box Score
– Wilson led the Pack at the plate with a 4-for-5 performance with three runs scored and two RBI.
– Freshman J.T. Jarrett was 3-for-5 in the game and Debo was 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs.
– Nick Swiney was credited with the win after tossing three innings of relief, striking out a pair of batters and did not allow an earned run.
– For the second consecutive game, sophomore Kent Klyman earned the save with two hitless innings of work with two strikeouts.
Quick Hits Game Two
– NC State had a tough start to the second game of the day, as Boston College scored a pair of runs in the first and pulled away a few innings later.
– Kinneman hit his NCAA-leading ninth home run in the bottom of the eighth, a solo blast to right field.
– Debo smacked his first homer of the 2018 season in the ninth, a two-run shot to left field.
– Wilson drew a walk in the fourth inning to extend his reached base safely streak to 31 games, dating back to last season.
Up Next
NC State returns to action Tuesday afternoon when the Wolfpack hosts UNC Asheville at 3 p.m. at Doak Field at Dail Park.
#21 NC State is coming off of a series victory over UNC this past weekend, and a loss to #7 ECU on the road last night. Where does NC State project to land in the 2024 NCAA Tournament?
The Wolfpack have already seen the Pirates twice this season, but according to D1Baseball and Baseball America, they might not be done playing ECU. Both of them project NC State to be a #2 seed in the Greenville Regional, with D1Baseball projecting the Pirates as the #6 seed and Baseball America projecting them as the #8 seed.
NC State has plenty of baseball left to play, with series against UVA (#14), FSU (#10) and Wake Forest (#8). If the Wolfpack can handle business in 2 of those 3 series, you could make an argument for NC State hosting their own regional.
D1Baseball
Baseball America
#21 NC State lost to #7 ECU 6-10 on the road this evening in a midweek game. As a result, the Pirates have won both games against the Wolfpack in 2024.
When you record 10 hits and score 6 runs, you would hope that’s enough offense to win a baseball game.
Unfortunately the Wolfpack pitching staff was unable to contain the bats of the Pirates, allowing ECU to put 15 hits and 10 runs in the Box Score.
Kudos to Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz for making a STATEment in his return to Clark-LeClair Stadium. A-Mak transferred to NC State from ECU this offseason. This evening Makarewicz was 2-4 with 1 RBI, 2 Runs, and 1 Walk.
A-MAK 👏 ON 👏 THE 👏 ATTACK 👏#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/7Lps43hXow
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
A-Mak’s Home Run was a part of back-to-back-to-back Home Runs in the Top of the 3rd for the Wolfpack, with Sophomore Right Fielder Josh Hogue and Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart also hitting bombs.
Hogue Homer 💪#Pack9 | @JoshHogue5 pic.twitter.com/CMV3rCQu4B
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
‘Zart completes the trifecta 🤌 pic.twitter.com/gipiWvbcFb
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 23, 2024
NC State will look to flush this loss, and get ready for a 3-game series at home this weekend against Ball State.
Earlier this season on April 2nd, #21 NC State (22-15) lost to #7 ECU (31-8) 4-12 in Raleigh. This evening the Wolfpack will look to get revenge against the Pirates in a game in Greenville at 6pm.
Overall, NC State holds a 71-43 advantage over East Carolina in the series, which dates back to 1957.
Last year, the Wolfpack and the Pirates split their 2-game series, ironically, losing at home, and winning in Greenville.
Replicating last years results will be no small task. The Pirates are ranked 7th in the land, and boast a 3-1 record against ranked opponents this season. One of those wins was against NC State, when the Wolfpack was ranked 19th. The other two ranked wins were at UNC when they were ranked 15th.
NC State has done well against ranked opponents, going 7-4 against teams in the Top-25, and 4-2 against teams in the Top-10.
The Pirates’ pitching staff leads the AAC and is in the Top-10 nationally in ERA (3.61), WHIP (1.18), hits allowed per nine innings (6.99) and strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.04).
ECU’s home field advantage is a real thing, going 20-2 at home thus far this season.
Senior Carter Cunningham leads the Pirates in nearly every offensive category, batting .396 with 9 Home Runs. He’s not alone though. Five of ECU’s regular starters have batting averages over .300.
It will be a homecoming for Senior Wolfpack Third Baseman Alec Makarewicz, who transferred to NC State from ECU this offseason. A-Mak is having the best season of his career, hitting 15 Home Runs while batting .349. It would be fitting for Makarewicz to win at his old stomping grounds.
NC State’s Baseball team is solidly back in the Top-25 after winning a series over rival UNC this past weekend, winning 2 of 3 at home. Last week, the Wolfpack were ranked 22nd in the Baseball America poll, but in none of the others.
NC State will play a midweek game at East Carolina tomorrow night on the road, and the Pirates rank 7th in the D1Baseball and Coaches Poll.
