NC State Baseball
O’Donnell Breaks Program Record in NC State’s First Midweek Loss
RALEIGH, N.C. – Redshirt senior Joe O’Donnell broke the program record with his 88thcareer appearance on the mound, but the fifth-ranked NC State baseball team suffered its first midweek loss of the season as Campbell earned a 5-4 win Wednesday night at Doak Field at Dail Park.
After the Fighting Camels pulled ahead 5-4 in the top of the ninth, NC State loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the frame but couldn’t get the big hit to tie the game or take the lead.
NC State falls to 31-12 on the year, while Campbell improves to 24-18. The Wolfpack won the first two meetings against the Camels this season but was unable to complete the season sweep.
Quick Hits
– O’Donnell pitched the ninth for NC State to set the program record for career appearances, eclipsing Joey Devine’s mark of 87. He now owns the second-most appearances among active ACC pitchers.
– Campbell struck first in the contest with two runs in the top of the second to grab a 2-0 lead.
– With runners on second and third, Tyler Anshaw singled to right field to score both runners.
– NC State trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth after a pinch-hit RBI single from Brad Debo to score Terrell Tatum from second base.
– Josh McLain knotted the score at two in the seventh with a single to center field, as Tatum scored for the second time on the day.
– The Fighting Camels answered with a pair of runs in the eighth to pull ahead, 4-2, scoring a run on an RBI single from Bryce Myers and a wild pitch.
– NC State quickly countered in the bottom of the frame to even the tally at four after a sacrifice fly from Shane Shepard and a wild pitch. Unfortunately, a swinging strikeout followed with runners on second and third as the Pack was unable to strike for more runs in the inning.
– One swing of the bat gave Campbell a 5-4 lead in the ninth thanks to a solo homer from Matthew Barefoot and it proved to be the difference in the game.
Inside the Box Score
– Evan Edwards drew three walks in the game to extend his reached base safely streak to a team-leading 14 consecutive games.
– McLain’s single in the seventh stretched his reached base safely streak to 12 games.
– NC State outhit Campbell, 7-6, and drew 12 walks but it wasn’t enough to earn the win.
– Sophomore Mathieu Gauthier started on the mound for the Wolfpack and pitched 3.1 innings in a no decision.
On Deck
The Wolfpack returns to action this weekend when the squads hosts William & Mary for a non-conference series at Doak Field at Dail Park. Friday’s game is set for 6:30 p.m.
#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.
