NC State Baseball
NC State Loses 3-1 to Vanderbilt in Weirdest Game Ever
I’m exhausted.
Feels like this day has gone about 45 hours too long, and yet we have at least one more game of State baseball tomorrow. With THIRTEEN players…that’s right…THIRTEEN PLAYERS, State baseball actually outperformed the #4 team in the country in just about all facets of the game, besides the final score. To those State fans talking about “WeLL ThAt’S aLL ThAT MatTErs!!!”…I don’t want to hear it right now.
With all the odds stacked against them, the Wolfpack hung close the entirety of the game. They left bases loaded in the 7th and two runners on in both the 8th and 9th. They were in it fully and almost pulled it off. Personally, I don’t remember a State game in a long time that by blood was pumping with “this could be magical” feeling. Absolutely fun game to watch, just wish it ended differently.
How It All Started
Rumors were swirling all morning about COVID issues. Up until about 45 minutes before the game, we at PI, most WPN and apparently Avent himself, thought he’d be down a few players. It ended up being so much worse.
McDonough, Torres, Willadsen, Villaman, Justice, Jarrett, Tatum, Johnston and every single reliever outside of three were knocked off the roster.
Will they be available tomorrow? No idea…
Jarrett appears to be the only individual that officially has COVID and has been sent home. All others appear to be part of contact tracing/COVID protocol.
An Unreal Effort
Pick a story line for this game that isn’t unbelievably crazy.
-Highfill pitches his a*s off to win the second game of the CWS. Then has to play first base today. At the plate he was 3-4, AFTER NOT HITTING A SINGLE TIME THIS YEAR. Last year, he had five at bats. The man comes into a game as cold as can be and has multiple hits off a guy many consider the best starter in college baseball. That’s unbelievably crazy.
-Holding Vanderbilt to only two runs was the duo of Garrett Payne and Dalton Feeney. Payne started for the first time this year, after only making six appearances for less than 9 total innings. Dalton has pitched 13.1 this year, but held a 11.48 ERA with equal number of walks and strikeouts (14). Yet the two managed to go a combined nine innings with six hits and three runs (only one earned). That’s unbelievably crazy.
-Brown’s catch…that’s it…that alone was unbelievably crazy.
Superman or @DevonteBrown03?!
📺ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/zDBb0pvBSh
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) June 25, 2021
-Just even the storyline that State didn’t know until they got to the ballpark that there were issues. We don’t have the means for rapid testing or some kind of better protocols to announce at 1pm for a 2pm game that something is off? The national anthem lineup was as humorous as it was sad. I hope and pray that we have more than 13 guys tomorrow. Regardless, unbelievably crazy.
What Now?
We simply wait. First pitch MAYBE at 2pm tomorrow. Highfill will be the State starter, with just Cooper King available in the pen.
We’re all sick of moral victories, but maybe this is the one literal time we can fully accept it to some extent. This game will be one you will remember forever.
#20 NC State lost to UNC-Wilmington 4-5 this evening at home, losing their 5th straight midweek game. The Wolfpack were swept by the Seahawks this year, ironically losing 4-5 down in Wilmington on April 9th.
Freshman Ryan Marohn got the starting nod, and he was excellent, giving up 1 earned run in 5 innings pitched, striking out 7. It was arguably his best start since his collegiate debut against VCU in the opening series.
Sophomore Shane Van Dam was Mr. Reliable through much of the season, but he hasn’t had his best stuff as of late. This evening, he faced four batters, hitting 2, walking another, and surrendering a hit to the other. Van Dam failed to record an out, and gave up 3 earned runs. Heading into the UNC game back on April 18th, Van Dam had a 2.63 ERA. After the past 4 appearances, his ERA has shot up to 3.96.
Freshman Jacob Dudan settled things down, pitching 4 scoreless innings, giving up only 1 hit, while striking out 5.
Unfortunately, Sophomore Derrick Smith allowed the Seahawks to score a run in the Top of the 10th, which was enough for the opposing team to leave Raleigh with a win, with NC State failing to score a run in the final 5 frames.
Junior Jacob Cozart continues an insane power surge, hitting two more Home Runs tonight. Cozart has hit 7 Home Runs in the past 6 games.
*Scheduled tweet* pic.twitter.com/eHvyuGT6so
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 30, 2024
SCOREBOARD SHOT 🚀 pic.twitter.com/tMvY8imzgG
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 30, 2024
Cozart now has 14 Home Runs on the year. His previous career high was 11.
Senior 1st Baseman Garrett Pennington also hit a Solo Home Run, his 11th bomb of the year.
Goodbye Baseball ✌️#Pack9 | @Garrettpenn14 pic.twitter.com/p0tySYt3aF
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 30, 2024
On Friday, the Wolfpack will head down to Tallahassee for a 3-game series against #7 Florida State.
After sweeping Ball State this past weekend, NC State jumped up in almost all of the Top-25 polls.
Baseball America – 13th (+4)
RPI – 20th (+9)
D1Baseball – 20th (+1)
USAToday Coaches Poll – 20th (+3)
Perfect Game – 25th (-)
#21 NC State defeated Ball St. 11-3 this afternoon, completing the sweep of the Cardinals.
Freshman Cooper Consiglio got the start, and pitched a career high 85 pitches, giving up 2 earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched. He struck out 3, and walked 3.
Junior Carson Kelly came in for an inning of relief after Consiglio’s exodus, and even though he gave up a run, he was credited with the win.
Junior’s Jacob Cozart (C) and Brandon Butterworth (SS) each hit Home Runs, and each had 3 RBI’s. Cozart was a double shy of hitting for the Cycle. He is on a torrid streak, hitting Home Runs in 6 of the last 7 games.
Hot start from ‘Zart 🔥 pic.twitter.com/2inPsZfFnZ
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 28, 2024
Two-out, two-run damage from Butters 🧈#Pack9 | @SlippinOnButter pic.twitter.com/K2raWgWISa
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 28, 2024
SIX homers in SEVEN games for No. 14 💪 pic.twitter.com/4oEBC93N6H
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) April 28, 2024
Sophomore Center Fielder Eli Serrano III had a multi-hit game, going 2 for 5 with 2 Runs, and Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makerewicz had a 2 RBI Double.
The Wolfpack will host UNCW this Tuesday at 5pm.