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Baseball America Predicts NC State’s Will Wilson to Win ACC Player of the Year

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5 years ago

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Baseball America released their preseason ACC predictions and awards this week, and NC State Junior Shortstop Will Wilson is their preseason pick to win the 2019 ACC Player of the Year Award.

Player of the Year: Will Wilson, SS, North Carolina State

The best pure hitter in the ACC, Wilson hit. 303 over his first two years with the Wolfpack, and he showed last year that he packs plenty of power into a smaller frame with 15 home runs. Clemson shortstop Logan Davidson also homered 15 times and is another strong candidate for this award, though Wilson’s track record of hitting trumps Davidson’s and makes him the safer pick. Scouts rave about Wilson’s off-the-field makeup and baseball instincts, but what stands out the most is his innate feel for putting the barrel on the ball and making adjustments at the plate. Wilson has improved defensively and brings reliable hands and enough arm strength for shortstop, but his lack of quickness could move him to second base at the next level. He’s got more than enough defensive ability to handle the position at the college level, however. (BA)

They project the Wolfpack to finish 4th in the Atlantic Division, and make the NCAA Tournament once again this year. Here’s what they had to say about the Pack.

North Carolina State: The Wolfpack return a number of important pieces to a lineup that helped push them to a 41-28 record last season, most notably shortstop Will Wilson. Outside of Wilson’s impact bat, NC State returns catcher Patrick Bailey, who hit .321/.419/.604 with 13 home runs during his freshman campaign. Bailey’s defensive ability matches or exceeds his skill with a bat, and he ranks as the top defensive catcher in the league with excellent receiving, blocking and throwing ability as well as a knack for handling the pitching staff. Speaking of which, NC State believes the 2019 team will have the most pitching depth the program has had since 2013 during the Carlos Rodon years. While the Wolfpack doesn’t have that caliber of arm, righthander Reid Johnston returns from last year’s weekend rotation after posting a 3.06 ERA over 64.1 innings, while junior college transfer righthander Alec Barger can run his fastball into the mid-90s and has improved his off-speed offerings during the fall. Additionally, NC State brings back 6-foot-7 lefthander Kent Klyman, who posted a 2.34 ERA out of the bullpen with 67 strikeouts in 61.2 innings of work. Klyman could be used in the rotation this season, but head coach Elliot Avent also has lefthander Canaan Silver—another junior college transfer—who throws a four-pitch arsenal for strikes consistently. (BA)

They also project that Wilson is the #2 2019 MLB Draft prospect, and that Sophomore Catcher Patrick Bailey is the #2 prospect in the ACC for the 2020 MLB Draft.

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Matthew is Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He writes for all sports, with a focus on football and recruiting, and is in charge of business strategy. He is an NC State alum who majored in business. Matthew is also the lead pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Baseball

WATCH All 9 of NC State’s RBI’s From Their 9-8 Walk-Off Win Over #11 UNC

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16 hours ago

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April 18, 2024

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NC State just defeated their rival #11 UNC 9-8 in dramatic fashion, walking it off in the Bottom of the 9th inning via a Solo Home Run from Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth.

The Wolfpack victory snapped a 5-game losing streak to the Tar Heels.

Check out all 9 RBI’s from NC State’s 6th walk-off win of the season, which leads the nation.

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NC State Baseball

NC State Defeats #11 UNC 9-8 with Walk-Off HR in Series Opener

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17 hours ago

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April 18, 2024

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NC State just defeated #11 UNC 9-8 via a walk-off Home Run from Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth in the Bottom of the 9th inning.

The Wolfpack have 6 walk-off wins in 2024, which leads the nation.

In a game in which there was a combined 8 Home Runs between both teams, it was the last one that mattered most.

UNC kicked things off in the Top of the 1st inning with a Home Run from Casey Cook. The Wolfpack would respond in the Bottom of the 1st with a 2-RBI Single from Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart.

Cook would hit another Home Run in the Top of the 3rd, and Vance Honeycutt would also hit a 2-Run Home Run, giving the Tar Heels a 4-2 lead.

Once again, the Wolfpack responded in the bottom frame. Senior Third Baseman Alec Makarewicz hit his 15th Home Run of the season.

Junior Outfielder Chase Nixon had an RBI Single, and his Freshman brother Luke (2B) brought in the third run of the inning on a fielders choice, giving the Wolfpack a 5-4 lead.

The 4th inning was the only inning of the contest in which no runs were scored.

UNC’s Park Harber tied the game in the Top of the 5th with a solo shot.

Cozart was the Wolfpack’s MVP, giving his team a 3-run cushion in the bottom of the 6th inning with a 3-run Home Run. He had 5 RBI’s this evening.

The cushion wasn’t enough, with the Tar Heels scoring 3 runs over the next two innings. Alberto Osuna hit a solo shot, Alex Madera had an RBI Single, and Harber hit a sac fly.

With the game tied in the bottom of the 9th, with one out, Brandon Butterworth crushed the ball over the left field fence, snapping a 5-game losing streak against UNC.

Wolfpack Starter Sam Highfill lasted 3.1 innings, giving up 4 runs, while striking out 4. His ERA on the year is 5.16.

It was Sophomore Shane Van Dam that brought stability to the mound, pitching 3.2 innings, giving up 2 earned runs, while striking out 5. On the year, Van Dam’s ERA is 2.90.

Sophomore Derrick Smith came in to close things out, and gave up 1 run on 1 hit in 2 innings, striking out 2. Smith picked up the Win, and is 3-0 on the year.

Game 2 of the series is tomorrow night at 6pm at Doak Field. The Wolfpack will look to secure their first series victory over their rival since 2021, and their first one at home since 2016.

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NC State Baseball

NC State vs. UNC: A Historical Perspective

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24 hours ago

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April 18, 2024

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The Wolfpack and the Tar Heels face one another on the diamond at 7pm on ACC Network.

NC State holds a 139-175-1 record against North Carolina in the all-time series.

NC State’s most recent series victory over North Carolina came in style, taking all three games in Chapel Hill with a three-game sweep over the Tar Heels from March 26-29, 2021. The Wolfpack allowed just six runs over three games in a dominant sweep over UNC, outscoring the Tar Heels 23-6 .

NC State has hosted UNC just twice over the past eight seasons. NC State’s most recent home series victory over North Carolina came from May 19-21, 2016. The Wolfpack won the rubber match, claiming the series with a dominant 10-1 victory on May 21.

North Carolina has won five straight in the series dating back to a series at Doak Field at Dail Park in 2022. NC State’s most recent win over the Tar Heels came in game one of a doubleheader on May 8, 2022, cruising to a 9-2 victory over UNC.

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NC State Baseball

NC State Baseball Bracketology Report Heading into UNC Series

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1 day ago

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April 18, 2024

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NC State and #11 UNC will kickoff a 3-game series in Raleigh tonight, but before the two rivals hit the diamond, here’s a Bracketology report for the Wolfpack before the first pitch.

D1Baseball currently projects that NC State will be the #2 seed in Greenville Region, hosted by #9 seed East Carolina. Back on April 2nd, the Wolfpack lost 4-12 to the Pirates at the Doak.

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Baseball America projects NC State will be a #2 seed in the Knoxville Region, hosted by #6 seed Tennessee.

The Wolfpack are currently 20-14 overall, ranking 33rd in the RPI.

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