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NC State Baseball Sweeps Regional to Move to Sweet 16 Super Regionals

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3 years ago

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State came in the favorite to advance and they took the minimal amount of games to do it. Even though State was the #2 seed in the Ruston Region (host Louisiana Tech), the Wolfpack left no doubt who the best team was.

State started with an 8-1 win over Alabama, before beating LA Tech twice in a row 8-3 and 14-7. With the two true road games, State is now an astounding 17-3 on the road. It would have seemed they would be playing Arkansas next, who is the #1 ranked team in the country, but a slight delay due to an upset win by Nebraska, means State will have to wait until Monday night to determine their next opponent. Regardless, the Super Regional will be in Fayetteville.

 

Hitting

Just going to say it right away to be done with it…wish these bats showed up against the Dookies…moving on. To put up 30 runs in three games is amazing. To do it in the Regionals, with 22 of those coming against the top seed and home team is even more incredible. We thought that dingers could be the key, and boy were they ever with seven homers over the extended weekend.

Pre-season we marked Devonte Brown as the player with the biggest “Breakout Potential”. Just realizing now that we forgot to add “Postseason” to that line, so we 10000% just NAILED that prediction. In the three game sweep, Brown went 6-11 with 3 HRs, 1 3B and 7 RBIs. The breakout performance now gives the Pack, five players in double-digit dingers.

But truly, the top of the lineup was the difference maker. Just look at the production from the top four spots (also Brown was batting 7th and Tresh 6th, so teams are just pooping their pants at this point):

Murr: 8-15 (.533) 2 RBIs
McDonough: 6-15 (.400), 4 RBIs
Butler: 4-10 (.400), 5 RBIs
Tatum 6-11 (.545), 2 RBIs

 

Pitching

Good Lord what a turnaround. In my wildest dreams I’d never imagine the confidence that this staff has at this point in the season. Reid Johnston wins yet again (now 8-2 on the season) with an eight inning, seven strikeout, 1 run game. Furthermore, he was about at a nine pitch per inning pace for the first four innings. Unreal stuff. Then the freshmen took over.

While I had Johnston as my team MVP for the year, I enjoy watching Highfill the most. Aggressive but calm and just getting loads of experience for his future State career. While he had to pitch out of some jams, he still was able to muster a 5.1 inning, no run win. Evan Justice, gave up two dingers, but otherwise had EIGHT STRIKEOUTS in his near four innings of work.

In the final game, Willadsen was solid. In fact if you take away LA Tech’s Bates, Willadsen threw a six inning, no run win. Unfortunately, things don’t work that way and he was on the hook for five.

Overall, you have to feel as though with some combination of Johnston, Highfill, Willadsen, Villaman and Justice, that this team can steal some games against anyone moving forward.

 

Coaching

Simply put, love what Avent is doing and deserves all the credit in the world for turning this around. If they would have won the ACC, I think you could consider this season a massive success already. Awkwardly enough, feel like a trip to Omaha is the line in the sand, as it stands. Regardless, the man is shaping this team to be winners and putting the school in a good place moving forward.

 

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Passionate State fan that just wants to win...something...like anything...

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NC State Baseball

NC State Baseball Bracketology Report Heading Into Series Against Ball State

Published

2 days 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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3 days 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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3 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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4 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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