NC State Baseball

Jump on the NC State Baseball Bandwagon and Enjoy the Ride

Published

3 years ago

June 25, 2021

I was having beers with another State grad on Sunday. We were still in disbelief that State Baseball was in Omaha, let alone winning. Part of my buddy’s disbelief, however, was that he didn’t really see it coming. Not because of the 1-8 start or the Game 1 loss to Arkansas, but because he hadn’t been paying attention at all. To be fair to him, he loves State, but with two kids and the rigors of life, he hadn’t been able to just sit down and enjoy it.

And I know how he feels.

In 2013, I was a recent grad hanging out in Raleigh. Had all the time in the world and every once in a while jumped over to Doak to watch Rodon and Turner do their thing. I watched, but in the most casual of contexts. Next thing I know, State’s in Omaha…Another blink of my eyes, they’re done. I had a chance to watch and be actively engaged in a team that had broken down the proverbial 35+ year Omaha wall…and I just didn’t jump in.

Joe Wins, But Point Stands

Cut to this week. I’m disappointed because I had this long written out thought about how amazing this State sports season has been. We’ve been competitive in every freaking sport, won team championships and dozens of individual honors. Then Joe Giglio (love that dude) brought it up on his show. Bittersweet to hear folks agree and have the same thought process, crushed I didn’t click ‘publish’ fast enough.

All the cursed teams eventually get their moment. @giglio_OG says this is NC State’s moment, so Pack fans should simply enjoy the next few days in Omaha. Get the full convo and more in the best of podcast. https://t.co/5DjpqpcXI4 pic.twitter.com/rt4FCPGVnc

— Joe Ovies (@joeovies) June 23, 2021

Like…ditto Joe…ditto…

Enjoy This Ride, Bandwagoners and All

It’s awesome being a State fan. We have a bigger Brotherhood than Duke…We have the Brotherhood of Pain (Trademarking in progress). Talk to a State fan anywhere in the world and they’ll share their heartbreak stories, before they get to the good times. We feed off the pain, we love the cursed feeling.

So then we have moments like this baseball team. We don’t enjoy the games for what they are, we just think about how it will go wrong. Like tell me you weren’t peeing in your pants for Vandy Part I? Tell me that even with all the confidence in the world that Justice would stand tall, you weren’t wondering how a two-run home run was going to end it?

It’s understandable! This isn’t our first rodeo. Yet, that’s what both Giglio and I are here to say…It doesn’t matter, enjoy this in the moment.

State shouldn’t be in the Final Four. They shouldn’t have even made it to Omaha. Frankly, they probably shouldn’t have even ended the season over .500. Yet here we are nearing July and still watching games.

Regardless of what happens today and into next week, this team has brought all the excitement and drama we could have ever asked for. Call your buddies up and go to a bar and get rowdy. It’s okay if you’re just getting involved now and picking up tidbits of who’s who on this squad. Just live in the moment knowing you’re witnessing the furthest a State baseball team HAS EVER GONE.

Love this State baseball team. I love this State fandom moment. Go Pack.

NC State Baseball

NC State Baseball Bracketology Report Heading Into Series Against Ball State

Published

16 hours ago

April 24, 2024

Matthew Bradham

#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

NC State Baseball

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

Published

1 day ago

April 23, 2024

Matthew Bradham

#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.

NC State Baseball

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

Published

2 days ago

April 23, 2024

Matthew Bradham

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 Baseball

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

Published

3 days ago

April 22, 2024

Matthew Bradham

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