NC State moved up in the Polls after going 3-1 last week, shutting out Norfolk St. 18-0 in a midweek game, and beating UVA in 2 of 3 over the weekend on the road.

It looks like Baseball America has paid the most attention to the fact that NC State has series wins over 4 Top-12 teams, with 3 of them being against teams in the Top-10.

Here’s a look at how NC State moved up in the Polls:

Baseball America – 9th (+4)

D1Baseball – 17th (+6)

Coaches Poll – 21st (+3)

RPI

Perfect Game – 22nd (+3)

#23 NC State crushed the #10 Cavaliers yesterday 13-5 in a rubber match, giving the Wolfpack their first series victory at UVA since 2016. It was their first series victory over the Cavaliers since 2019.

Senior Logan Whitaker got the start, but it was Freshman Cooper Consiglio who earned MVP honors from the mound. After Whitaker gave up 5 earned runs in 4.2 innings (5 K’s/0 BB’s), Consiglio came in and pitched 4.1 innings of 1-hit baseball, giving up 0 earned runs, while striking out 3.

Consiglio has done his best work against the best competition this season.

Cooper Consiglio (@CooperConsiglio) against Clemson, UVA, & FSU all top 10 opponents:

14.2 IP. 3 ER. 1.84 ERA. @PackHomerPod

— Alex Gee (@coachgee74) May 12, 2024

In the Top of the 1st, Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth gave the Wolfpack a 3-0 lead with a Home Run, which was his 6th of the year. Prior to this year, the most Home Runs Butterworth ever hit in in a single season was 5 last year at Western Carolina.

ButterBomb 💣#Pack9 | @SlippinOnButter 🧈 pic.twitter.com/v5ctQtGrDK

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) May 12, 2024

Virginia would respond in the Bottom of the 2nd with 4 runs to take the lead, but it wouldn’t last too long. The Wolfpack scored four of their own in the Top of the 4th. Senior 1st Baseman Garrett Pennington got things started with an RBI Single, and Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz followed that up with an RBI Double.

Can’t stop Penny, tie game at The Dish 😤#Pack9 | @Garrettpenn14 pic.twitter.com/K7RqdCzM47

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) May 12, 2024

RBI Machine 🤖#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/SrcmQGVASt

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) May 12, 2024

The Wolfpack were fortunate to score the next two runs, scoring one on a wild pitch, and another when the Cavaliers lost a fly ball in the sunlight that was easily catchable.

With a 2-run lead in the Top of the 6th, Pennington hit his 3rd Home Run of the series, with this one knocking in 2 Runs.

OVER THE BATTER’S EYE 😱#Pack9 | @Garrettpenn14 pic.twitter.com/BAdsnZf5z2

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) May 12, 2024

Pennington has now hit 14 Home Runs this season.

In the Top of the 7th, Sophomore Matt Heavner hit a Sac Fly, and in the Top of the 8th, Freshman Left Fielder Luke Nixon put an exclamation point on the game, hitting a 3-Run Home Run.

LUUUUUKKKKEEEEEE 💪 pic.twitter.com/gpfYqSIgCk

— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) May 12, 2024

Pennington was on fire this weekend. Yesterday afternoon, he was 3 for 4 with 4 Runs and 3 RBI’s.

Nixon was 2 for 4 with a Home Run and a Triple.

NC State has Top-10 series wins against Clemson (#2), UVA (#10), and Duke (#9), with another Top-15 series win over UNC (#11). The Wolfpack also split a 2-game series against FSU (#7).

NC State (29-19/15-11) will close out the regular season later this week with a 3-game series against #12 Wake Forest at home.

#23 NC State tried to make another comeback effort in Game 2 against #10 UVA, but it wouldn’t be enough, falling 5-9 to the Cavaliers.

Sophomore Dominic Fritton gave up 6 runs in 5.2 innings pitched, striking out 4. His 106 pitches tied a season high.

The Wolfpack did manage to collect 8 Hits, but it was far from matching the Cavs 14.

Senior 1st Baseman Garrett Pennington had the hot bat for the Pack, going 3 for 4 with, a Home Run, 2 Runs and 2 RBI’s. The Home Run was Pennington’s 13th of the year.

Sophomore Center Fielder Eli Serrano III had the only other multi-hit performance, going 2-5 with a Double, a Run and an RBI.

Serrano III and Pennington made up for 5 of NC State’s 8 hits.

With a win tomorrow in the rubber match, NC State will look to win their first series against UVA since 2019, and their first in Charlottesville since 2016.

NC State Head Coach Elliott Avent confirmed last night that Sophomore Relief Pitcher Shane Van Dam will miss the remainder of the season with a UCL injury, and will require Tommy John Surgery.

Van Dam has served as the Wolfpack’s anchor in Middle Relief. He finished his first season in Raleigh with a 4-0 record and a 4.58 ERA, striking out 38 batters in 37.1 innings.

Van Dam was a tremendous pickup for the Wolfpack out of the Portal, transferring in from SUNY Cortland, a Division III school, where he also played Quarterback.

Last night, Freshman Jacob Dudan served in Van Dam’s role, as the next man up. Dudan has a 2-2 record with a 4.63 ERA, striking out 37 batters in 35 innings pitched.