NC State Baseball
ANALYSIS: NC State Fans Should Be Proud of Exponential Progress
As the end of the 2017-18 athletic year comes to an end, when you simply look at the data, you can’t miss the fact that NC State’s athletic program as a whole continues to make massive strides in the right direction.
With one sport (Baseball) left to finalize the 2017-18 Directors’ Cup Final Standings, NC State sits in 15th place nationally. The Directors’ Cup, which began in 1993, calculates the best overall college athletic programs in the country. For starters, as you see below, NC State’s athletic program has moved from 89th nationally in 2010, to likely finishing in the Top-15 in 2018. That number only becomes more impressive when you consider the fact that NC State ranked 48th out of 65 Power 5 schools in expenses this year. NC State doesn’t have deep pockets like many of the Power 5 schools do, but that hasn’t stopped them from becoming one of the elite athletic programs nationally.
As you see in the chart below, even though NC State’s expenses rank 48th out of 65 Power 5 schools, the expenses have increased by $36.9 million since 2010, and the Operating Revenue by $34.9 million. Financially, things are continuing to head in the right direction, and the more they do so, the possibilities of increased success in each individual sport continues to rise as well.
Sure, NC State fans want ACC Championships, as well they should, but the Wolfpack fan base should also be extremely proud of the work the student athletes are producing in the classroom. As you can see in the chart below, in 2010 NC State had 4 Academic All-Americans in the entire Athletic Program. In 2018, that number jumped to 53, which is an increase of 1,225%.
For the first time ever, the cumulative average GPA for all of NC State’s athletes combined is over 3.0.
The Graduation Success Rate for the Wolfpack Athletic Program in 2017-18 is 85%, which is the highest in NC State history.
Lets move our attention back from the academics to the athletic. NC State had 6 coaches win Coach of the Year Awards this year for the second consecutive year. Only 1 coach won such an award in 2010, with none doing so in 2011.
This year 12 NC State athletes were National Champions, which once again, is the highest mark in school history.
Seventy-Five Wolfpack athletes were Competitive All-Americans this season. As you look at the chart below, that number was in the single digits in 2010 and 2011. Once again, an all-time high.
For the third consecutive year, 3 NC State sports took home conference championships (Gymnastics, Men’s Swimming and Women’s Cross Country).
11 NC State sports finished in the Top-25 in the Final Rankings, which is yet again, another all-time high. We will have to wait and see if Baseball lands in the Top-25 in the Final Rankings, bringing that number to 12.
NC State Athletic Director Debbie Yow has this ship heading in the right direction. That isn’t anecdotal. The data is there to prove it.
(Thanks to Fred Demarest, NC State’s Senior Associate Athletics Director/Communications and Brand Management, for providing the charts used in this piece)
#21 NC State convincingly defeated Ball State 10-2 in the series opener in Raleigh this evening.
Senior Sam Highfill pitched a Quality Start against the Cardinals, giving up 2 earned runs in 6 innings, while striking out 6. The Quality Start was Highfill’s 3rd of the season, and his record on the year is now 4-1.
Freshman Ryan Marohn was brilliant in relief, pitching 3 scoreless innings, giving up only 1 hit, while striking out 3. Marohn picked up his 1st Save of his collegiate career.
Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz was the Wolfpack’s Offensive MVP, going 2 for 4, with a Grand Slam.
17 homers, 55 RBI and another GRAND SLAM for A-Mak 💣#Pack9 | @Alec_mak99 pic.twitter.com/fTBCrh5afv
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 26, 2024
Makarewica now has 17 Home Runs and 55 RBI’s.
Sophomore Right Fielder Josh Hogue, Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart, Junior Left Fielder Chase Nixon, Freshman 2nd Baseman Luke Nixon and Sophomore Matt Heavner all had an RBI apiece.
Junior Shortstop Brandon Butterworth was the only player besides A-Mak to have multiple hits, going 2 for 4 with a Double.
Game 2 is tomorrow at 3pm.
#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
#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.
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.