Previewing NC State’s Opponent: Liberty

#12 NC State (3-0) will host Liberty (3-0) on the baseball diamond today at 3 PM.

The Wolfpack is 5-3 all-time against the Flames, with their last matchup being a 5-17 loss at home in 2019. NC State is 5-1 against Liberty at home.

Last year was the Flames’ first year in Conference USA, and they finished 5th with an 11-13 conference record (24-34 overall). They were picked to finish 5th in the preseason poll this year as well.

25 of the 39 players on Liberty’s roster are new to the squad, with 17 of them coming from the Transfer Portal and 8 from high school ranks. 12 of the 17 transfers are from junior college ranks.

The Flames kicked off their 2025 slate with a sweep this past weekend over St. John’s, outscoring the Red Storm 26-4.

Freshman DH Landon Scilley was 4 for 7 this past weekend, knocking in 4 runs. Scilley was D1Baseball’s Conference USA Preseason Freshman of the Year.

Junior second baseman Easton Swofford was 4 for 9 with a double. D1Baseball ranked him as the #46 Impact JUCO Transfer this offseason.

Sophomore shortstop Tanner Marsh was 4 for 10, with 5 runs, an RBI, and 1 stolen base. Marsh earned a spot on the Conference USA All-Freshman Team last year, hitting .272 with 20 RBI and 40 runs scored.

Senior right fielder Cam Troyer had an explosive opening weekend, going 4 for 11 with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 5 RBIs, and 3 runs. Last season, Troyer hit 7 home runs and 39 RBIs but only hit .243.

Junior third baseman Jaxon Sorenson was 3 for 9 with a double, a home run, 4 RBIs, 4 runs, and a stolen base. D1Baseball ranked Sorenson as the #26 Impact JUCO Transfer this offseason.

Rounding out the rest of the Flames’ starting lineup are a handful of other transfers: RS-SO catcher Tucker Moore (Missouri), JR LF Nick Barone (West Virginia), JR CF Michael Robertson (Florida), and SO 1B Riley DeCandido (Maryland).

Junior Dylan Mathiesen is expected to start for Liberty. He started opening day for the Flames last Friday, pitching 4 perfect innings, striking out 6. In 2024, he posted a 2-3 record with a 6.38 ERA in 24 innings, striking out 29. Mathiesen only started in 2 of his 14 appearances last year.