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#5 NC State Beats Pitt 4-3 in ACC Opener, Sets New School Record for Best Start to a Season

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4 years ago

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RALEIGH, N.C. – Thanks to a 4-3 win in its ACC opener against Pitt Friday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park, the 5th-ranked NC State baseball team is off to its best start in program history with a record of 13-0.

The Wolfpack’s win eclipses the previous best start for the program at 12-0, achieved by the 1992 squad.

NC State is one of the nation’s four remaining unbeaten teams and is the first team in the ACC to reach 13 wins this season. Pitt falls to 6-5 on the year and 0-1 in ACC play.

Avent’s Additions

“I thought we played very, very well because Pitt obviously played very well,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “Getting the early run was big, but they came back with two runs in the sixth and then added that run in the seventh.

“Once again, it shows you how resilient our ballclub is. We trailed 8-1 on Wednesday and down 3-1 today, this team continues to find ways. It doesn’t matter who it is.”

Quick Hits

– NC State struck first for the eighth time this season, as the Wolfpack pushed across a run in the bottom of the first.

– Will Wilson ripped a single through the left side and scored later in the inning on a fielder’s choice from Tyler McDonough.

– Pitt plated a pair of runs in the sixth to grab a 2-1 lead following an RBI single from Nico Popa and an RBI triple from Kyle Hess.

– A wild pitch tacked on another run for the Panthers in the seventh, but the Wolfpack responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame.

– Lawson McArthur sparked the rally with a pinch-hit leadoff double to right field, before Luca Tresh battled to draw a walk in a pinch-hit role.

– Following a hit-by-pitch to load the bases, Evan Edwards grounded into a fielder’s choice but an errant throw to second attempting to get the runner allowed two runs to score for the Pack.

– Patrick Bailey followed with a fielder’s choice to second base to drive in Jonny Butler from third to give NC State a 4-3 advantage.

– Michael Bienlien worked a 1-2-3 eighth inning with a pair of looking strikeouts to earn his second win and Kent Klyman shut the door in the ninth to secure his first save.

Inside the Box Score

– Brad Debo extended his hitting streak to eight games with a double in the sixth.

– Bailey, Butler and Edwards all reached base safely in the contest and have done so in every game this season.

– McArthur paced the Pack at the plate, as he tallied a pair of doubles off the bench and also scored a run.

– Bailey, Debo and Wilson had one hit apiece.

– NC State did not commit an error defensively for the ninth time this season, as the squad is second in the ACC in fielding percentage.

– Jason Parker started on the mound for the Wolfpack and threw five shutout innings and departed with a 1-0 lead. He struck out four batters and only allowed a pair of singles.

On Deck

NC State and Pitt will return to the field for game two of the series. First pitch has been moved up to 1 p.m. in an effort to avoid the likelihood of inclement weather later in the day.

(Photo Credit: @NCStateBaseball)

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NC State Baseball

NC State Baseball Rankings Update After Another Undefeated Week

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3 months ago

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February 28, 2023

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The NC State Baseball team is now 7-0 through two weeks of play, going 4-0 last week, defeating Coastal Carolina 16-4 on the road in a midweek game, and sweeping Belmont at home this past weekend (11-4, 7-0, 7-1).

The Wolfpack remain ranked 21st in the D1Baseball Top-25.

(NCAA)

The Wolfpack moved up 11 spots to #19 in the Collegiate Baseball Poll, up 2 spots to #20 in the Coaches Poll, and up 1 spot to #24 in the Baseball America poll.

NC State will host Longwood today at 3pm in their next matchup.

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NC State Baseball

NC State Sticks at #21 After Opening Weekend Sweep

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3 months ago

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February 20, 2023

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NC State’s Men’s Baseball team stayed put at #21 in the D1Baseball Top-25 after an opening weekend sweep of Wagner.

(NCAA)

NC State also stayed put at #25 in the Baseball America’s new poll, and stayed put at #30 in the Collegiate Baseball Poll.

The Wolfpack will play Coastal Carolina on the road this Wednesday at

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NC State Baseball

NC State Picked 3rd in the Atlantic in the 2023 ACC Baseball Preseason Poll

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4 months ago

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February 3, 2023

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The 2023 ACC Preseason Poll was released yesterday, and NC State is projected to finish 3rd in the Atlantic.

NC State finished 5th in the Atlantic Division in 2022, with a 14-15 record in Conference play.

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NC State Baseball

The Doak is getting its renovation…and NC State fans aren’t exactly loving it

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4 months ago

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January 26, 2023

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I was just about to write a piece about the Doak renovation going down.

But while I was over on Twitter, I saw a ton of comments on it, all of them NC State fans, and almost all of them critical of the new look.


Look, I don’t know what’s going on here. Maybe it’ll look a lot better once it’s done, or maybe the grass will match up a lot better when it greens up. But right now, it’s a little jarring. Here is how it used to look…

And here is how it’s looking right now…

Again, I’m going to wait until it’s really done before I cast judgement, but I think the official tweet from the school marketing it and drawing attention to it, has people thinking it’s in it’s final form. And maybe it is. But I hope it’s not.

I remember this being shared a while back…

This shows grass in foul territory and dirt in the 1st/3rd baselines. So I’m not sure when this turf thing came along. And while we’re on the subject, aren’t we a turf management school? Shouldn’t we be turning up our noses at artificial turf?

Apparently, this is a thing now, where foul territories are artificial turf and fair territory is grass. Here is Mississippi State’s baseball field doing the same thing.

Can’t say I like it there either, honestly. It just seems like one of those fads. Remember when everyone was going crazy with field/court colors?

Did anyone ever really like those? Do people like them now? Have they ever gotten a recruit to come to the school? Have they ever scared a recruit away?

I don’t know. You tell me. I’ll hold final judgment, but things NC State fans don’t seem like they’re going to follow along.

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