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NC State Baseball

NC State Drops ACC Championship Opener Against Virginia, 4-2

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6 years ago

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DURHAM, N.C. – The eighth-ranked NC State baseball team was edged by Virginia, 4-2, in its ACC Championship opener Thursday afternoon at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Wolfpack had the tying and go-ahead run on base in the eighth but was unable to get the run across.

NC State returns to action Friday evening against Florida State at 7 p.m. The winner will advance to the semifinals on Saturday afternoon at 5 p.m. to face the winner of the Duke/Louisville game.

The Wolfpack falls to 40-15 on the year and the Cavs conclude their season with a 29-25 overall record, after losing their first game of the conference championship against Florida State on Tuesday.

Avent’s Additions
Opening Statement…
“I thought we played good tonight, but we ran into a Virginia team that played very well,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “I mean, you saw their Florida State game Tuesday. They had so many opportunities to win that game, and I’ve said it before, that’s a good ballclub. You saw the pitching from Abbott and Lynch the other night, and then what we saw from Casey and Sousa today.

“They’ve got a heck of a coaching staff, they’ve got a heck of a team, and tonight they were better.”

Quick Hits
– NC State jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the game after a solo home run from Patrick Bailey in the top of the second.
– The ACC Freshman of the Year drove a first-pitch fastball over the wall in right field for his 11thhome run.
– In the third inning, the Wolfpack extended its lead to 2-0 after a two-out RBI single by Josh McLain.
– Shane Shepard led off the frame with a single and advanced to third after a sacrifice bunt and groundout to score on the play.
– Virginia answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the third to level the score at two after an RBI single from Jake McCarthy and a sac fly by Andy Weber.
– The Cavaliers took a 3-2 lead in the fourth after a throwing error by the Pack allowed the runner to score from third.
– NC State threatened in the top of the eighth after a two-out walk to Josh McLain and a double by Will Wilson, but unfortunately was unable to score a run to knot the score.
– Virginia tacked on an insurance run in the bottom half to take a 4-2 advantage and held on for the win.

Inside the Box Score
– Bailey led the Wolfpack at the plate with a 2-for-4 outing, including a solo homer and a double.
– Shepard also tallied two hits in the contest with a single and a double, while McLain and Wilson each had one hit.
– Wilson’s double extended his hitting streak to nine games, dating back to the first game against James Madison on May 8.

On the Mound
– Freshman Reid Johnston started on the mound for the Pack but struggled with his command and gave way to David Harrison in the third.
– Harrison pitched 2.2 innings with a pair of strikeouts but was charged with the loss after allowing an unearned run.
– Nick Swiney pitched 1.2 innings, while Nolan Clenney and Evan Justice each threw a third of an inning.
– Mathieu Gauthier closed out the game on the mound with the final two-thirds of an inning.

On Deck
NC State returns to action tomorrow night against Florida State at 7 p.m. in its second game of the ACC Championship. The winner will advance to the semifinals on Saturday at 5 p.m. and face the winner of Duke and Louisville.

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NC State Baseball

NC State Baseball Bracketology Report Heading Into Series Against Ball State

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18 hours ago

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April 24, 2024

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#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

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NC State Baseball

#21 NC State 6 #7 ECU 10: Box Score (with notes)

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1 day ago

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April 23, 2024

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#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’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.

NC State will look to flush this loss, and get ready for a 3-game series at home this weekend against Ball State.

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NC State Baseball

#21 NC State is Looking for Revenge Against #7 ECU

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2 days ago

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April 23, 2024

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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.

 

 

 

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NC State is Solidly Back in the Top-25 After Series Victory Over Rival UNC

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3 days ago

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April 22, 2024

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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.

Baseball America – 17th

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D1Baseball – 21st

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USA Today Coaches Poll – 23rd

Perfect Game – 25th 

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