NC State Baseball
South Carolina Hands #1 NC State First Midweek Loss, 10-8
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After the top-ranked NC State baseball team rallied to even the score at eight, South Carolina’s Jacob Olson hit a walkoff home run in the bottom of the ninth to give the Gamecocks a 10-8 victory Tuesday evening at BB&T Ballpark.
The Wolfpack suffers its first midweek loss of the season and just the second in the past two years. During that span, NC State has compiled a 17-1 mark in midweek games.
NC State moves to 27-3 on the year, while South Carolina improves to 18-11.
Quick Hits
– NC State and South Carolina each displayed their high-powered offenses in the first inning, as the Wolfpack scored four runs in the top half and the Gamecocks countered with seven.
– After a leadoff single from Jonny Butler, Will Wilson launched his team-leading ninth home run of the season to give NC State a 2-0 lead. The junior shortstop is now third in the ACC in homers on the year.
– Brad Debo smashed a two-run homer a few batters later, as Tyler McDonough walked prior to Debo hitting his third round-tripper over the left field wall, giving the Wolfpack a 4-0 lead.
– South Carolina hit three home runs in the bottom of the first, scoring seven runs to pull ahead.
– An RBI single from Wilson helped NC State cut the deficit to 7-5, as he drove in Devonte Brown who walked to start the inning.
– The Gamecocks plated their eighth run of the game in the fourth, but the Pack answered with a run in the top of the fifth.
– Evan Edwards led off with a single and advanced to third, scoring on a sacrifice fly from Debo.
– Trailing by two heading to the eighth, the first two NC State batters walked and scored on a single by Wilson, as SC committed a pair of errors allowing Vojtech Mensik and Butler to score.
– The Wolfpack looked to add more in the inning, but a pair of flyouts and a swinging strikeout ended the threat.
– With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and NC State looking to force extra innings, Olson hit a two-run walkoff homer to left field to give the Gamecocks the win.
Inside the Box Score
– Wilson tallied a game-high four hits and also drove in three runs, while Debo added a home run and also had three RBI.
– Butler and Mensik were both 2-for-4 with the former adding two runs and the latter one.
– Bailey and Edwards both reached safely to extend their streaks to 30 games, as they have reached safely in every game this year.
On the Mound
– NC State used eight pitchers in the contest with Michael Bienlien leading the way with 3.1 innings pitched.
– He struck out three batters, walked two and allowed just one hit.
– David Harrison was also strong in relief, working 2.2 innings with three strikeouts, yielding one earned run.
– Wolfpack pitchers only allowed one hit to the Gamecocks with a runner in scoring position, but the home runs proved to be the difference.
On Deck
NC State will travel to Boston College this weekend for a three-game series against the Eagles at Harrington Athletics Village. Friday’s game is set for 4 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.
NC State’s Mohamed Diarra Will Not Return to NC State for Final Season
NC State Baseball Bracketology Report Heading Into Series Against Ball State
Former NC State All-American SS Trea Turner Named NL Player of the Week
WATCH QB Grayson McCall’s Tape from the 2024 NC State Spring Game
NC State’s Payton Wilson & Dylan McMahon’s 2024 Draft Projections
NC State’s Mohamed Diarra Has Professional Options in France
Indiana State Transfer Shooting Guard Ryan Conwell Set to Visit NC State
NC State is High on Bowling Green Transfer Guard Marcus Hill
NC State Reaches Out to High Point Transfer Guard Duke Miles
Louisville Transfer Guard Mike James is a Priority for NC State
2024 NC State Commit Trey Parker Finishes 2nd in OTE Dunk Contest
VIDEO BREAKDOWN: Was BYU 3 point barrage unstoppable, or was NC State’s defense to blame? You decide.
VIDEO: Terquavion Smith GOES OFF in G-League Debut with 37 points & 8 Boards
NC State lands combo guard DJ Horne from the portal
