NC State Baseball
#6 NC State Baseball Slips Past George Mason, 3-2 (w/ highlights)
RALEIGH, N.C. – The sixth-ranked NC State baseball team slipped past the visiting George Mason Patriots Tuesday afternoon with a 3-2 victory at Doak Field at Dail Park. The Wolfpack scored all three of its runs in the second inning, but its stellar pitching staff held the visitors in check.
NC State moves to 21-4 on the year, which is the best start for the program since 2003 when the squad had an identical record under head coach Elliott Avent, while George Mason falls to 10-12.
Freshman Nick Swiney earned the win on the mound and is now 3-0, while redshirt senior Joe O’Donnell shut the door in the ninth to secure his fifth save.
Avent’s Additions
On matching the program’s best start since 2003…
“The thing I’m most proud of about this program is the consistency through the last 50 years, which has been incredible,” said Avent. “I think the reason we’re 21-4 is that we’ve had unbelievable senior leadership. It’s impressive to watch this team go about their business. We were very fortunate to win today, but we’ll take it.”
“Baseball’s not an easy game to play, but it’s a fun game to watch and it’s a fun game to watch when it’s played well and right now these guys are going about their business very, very well.”
Quick Hits
– George Mason struck first in the contest after a double down the left field line by Greg Popatak and an RBI single by Scott Morgan to give the Patriots a 1-0 lead.
– NC State countered in the bottom half of the second inning with three runs to take the lead and never relinquished it.
– Senior Brock Deatherage sparked the offense for the Wolfpack by legging out a bunt single before stealing second base to get into scoring position.
– Following a walk by Shane Shepard, Dillon Cooper reached on an infield single to the shortstop and an errant throw allowed Deatherage to score and knot the game at one apiece.
– Shepard and Cooper scored on a fielding error by the George Mason second baseman, as the Wolfpack capitalized on the miscue to grab a 3-1 lead.
– The Patriots got a run back in the fourth but could not get any closer.
Inside the Box Score
– Sophomore Will Wilson singled to center field in the bottom of the sixth to extend his reached base safely streak to 40 games dating back to last season.
– Senior Josh McLain had a hit in the third inning to stretch his hitting streak to 13 games, as he has tallied a hit in 24 of the Wolfpack’s 25 games.
On the Mound
– Freshman Reid Johnston started on the mound for NC State and pitched four innings with three strikeouts.
– Classmate Swiney relieved him and threw 3.2 innings, allowing just one hit and fanned four batters.
– With a runner on third in the eighth, Nolan Clenney entered the game to pitch and struck out the only batter he faced to end the threat.
– O’Donnell got a flyout, looking strikeout and groundout in the ninth to log the save.
– The Wolfpack’s pitching staff leads the ACC with 12 saves on the year.
Box Score
Up Next
NC State returns to action this weekend when the Wolfpack heads to Blacksburg, Va., for a three-game series at Virginia Tech. In observance of Easter weekend, the series will be played Thursday through Saturday. Thursday’s game is set for 4 p.m. at English Field at Union Park.
#21 NC State convincingly defeated Ball State 10-2 in the series opener in Raleigh this evening.
Senior Sam Highfill pitched a Quality Start against the Cardinals, giving up 2 earned runs in 6 innings, while striking out 6. The Quality Start was Highfill’s 3rd of the season, and his record on the year is now 4-1.
Freshman Ryan Marohn was brilliant in relief, pitching 3 scoreless innings, giving up only 1 hit, while striking out 3. Marohn picked up his 1st Save of his collegiate career.
Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz was the Wolfpack’s Offensive MVP, going 2 for 4, with a Grand Slam.
17 homers, 55 RBI and another GRAND SLAM for A-Mak 💣#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/fTBCrh5afv
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 26, 2024
Makarewica now has 17 Home Runs and 55 RBI’s.
Sophomore Right Fielder Josh Hogue, Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart, Junior Left Fielder Chase Nixon, Freshman 2nd Baseman Luke Nixon and Sophomore Matt Heavner all had an RBI apiece.
Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth was the only player besides A-Mak to have multiple hits, going 2 for 4 with a Double.
Game 2 is tomorrow at 3pm.
#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.