NC State Baseball

WPN Shows Love for NC State Baseball On Their Return to Campus

Published

3 years ago

June 27, 2021

Cover photo from The Wolfpacker

As soon as news broke that the team would be arriving back in Raleigh Saturday night, the word spread like wild fire. Hundreds upon hundreds of fans, athletes, friends and family took to the streets and then moved inside Doak Field to give a standing ovation to this amazing team.

After what’s been a heartbreaking 36 hours for us, you’ve helped put some of the pieces back together.

Thank you, #WPN, for always having our backs ❤️ pic.twitter.com/aEmCWR4JpC

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) June 27, 2021

What followed was an emotional, loud (with both boos and cheers) half hour, where Avent and a handful of players made it known they loved WPN. Avent began the evening for thanking everyone for their support and saying something he said he wouldn’t ever do, call a team “the best.”

“You know I love NC State…and you know I love all our teams. I hate to use the word ‘best’, but I don’t think we’ve had a group of players that showed so much heart and character and fought through so many things. To not only bring so much joy to all the Wolfpack fans, but they captured the heart of the whole nation.”

"They captured the heart of the whole nation"

The support of #Wolfpack nation is incredible. So is @NCStateBaseball head coach Elliott Avent who spoke about the class and dignity this team has shown through adversity #WPN

🎥@JFiWRAL @WRAL pic.twitter.com/W9PmzzRncb

— Kacy Hintz (@KacyHintz) June 27, 2021

On a more somber note, Avent described having to wake players up at just past midnight, to get them downstairs for a team meeting. In the meeting, it was announced their season was over. What followed was emotion and tears and a decision to walk back to the ballpark in Omaha, for a team photo that they had yet to do. Unreal.

Avent closed out the gathering, letting the crowd know three things that will never be forgotten;

The class and the dignity of which these men handled that situation.
Tonight, coming back on this bus and this memory will be etched in our minds forever…the appreciation, respect and the passion of the great Wolfpack Nation.
The 2021 Wolfpack team that won the National Championship

NC State is now claiming they are your 2021 national champions @BarstoolPack pic.twitter.com/PxDcHuLROj

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) June 27, 2021

Murr, Highfill, Tatum and others also came forward to show their love. Highfill, bashful as always, got a loud “Vandy’s Daddy” chant.

"Vandy's daddy" chants break out for Sam Highfill pic.twitter.com/C0LqNpYxI7

— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) June 27, 2021

In short…this is amazing. If there was more time allotted, can guarantee another 500 folks would have been there. If you’re a player on the current team, you’ll remember this forever and it will reignite that fire of why you’re at State and the work still left. If you’re a prospect or commit, the fever pitch of WPN is a sign that this program has the chance to do big things.

Now build a new ballpark.

NC State Baseball

NC State Baseball Bracketology Report Heading Into Series Against Ball State

Published

2 days 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

2 days 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

3 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

4 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