NC State Baseball
NC State Drops Series Opener At Virginia Tech
BLACKSBURG, Va. – The NC State baseball team had a tough day on the field Thursday evening, as the Virginia Tech Hokies opened the series with a 10-2 win at English Field at Union Park.
The loss was just the fifth of the season for the sixth-ranked Wolfpack, as the squad has won eight of its last 10 games.
NC State falls to 21-5 on the year and 7-3 in ACC play, while Virginia Tech moves to 11-13 and 5-5 in conference action. Sophomore Michael Bienlien started on the mound for the Wolfpack and was hit with the loss, while Tech’s Connor Coward earned his second win of the season.
Quick Hits
– For the sixth time this season, NC State scored in the first inning as the Wolfpack plated a pair of runs to take an early lead.
– Making his return from injury, Stephen Pitarra led off the game with a walk and advanced to third after a double to right field by Brett Kinneman, as he narrowly missed his 13th home run of the season.
– Pitarra scored his first run of the season to give NC State a 1-0 lead, as Josh McLain reached on an error by the second baseman.
– Brock Deatherage dropped a perfect bunt and Kinneman scored from third to make it 2-0 in favor of the Wolfpack.
– NC State ran into trouble in the third inning and could not get out of it, as Virginia Tech plated eight runs in the frame and the Wolfpack could not make up the deficit.
– Sophomore Mathieu Gauthier delivered a strong relief appearance for the Pack, as he threw five innings and did not allow a run until the bottom of the eighth.
Up Next
NC State and Virginia Tech will return to the field Friday afternoon for game two of the series. First pitch is slated 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.