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NC State Baseball

NC State Wins Series Opener Against Hawaii in Shootout, 17-12

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3 months ago

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The 13th ranked NC State Baseball team won the series opener at Hawaii on the road last night in an old fashioned shootout, defeating the Rainbow Warriors 17-12.

Every single player in NC State’s lineup logged a hit, with the team tallying 20 as a unit. Seven of the nine batters had 2+ hits.

Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz (ECU Transfer) led the Pack with 6 RBI’s. All 6 of Makarewicz’s RBI’s came off of two home runs (he now has 3 on the year). The first was an opposite field laser beam, and the 2nd was a bomb that I’m not sure landed yet.

Makarewicz entered last night as the Wolfpack’s RBI leader after opening weekend with 3. Needless to say, he’s still in the lead in that category. He also scored 3 runs last night.

Sophomore Left Fielder Josh Hogue (JUCO Transfer) led the Pack with 4 hits, with one of them being a triple.

Senior’s Noah Soles (RF) and Garrett Pennington (1B) (Wichita St. Transfer) both chipped in 3 hits apiece. Soles had 2 RBI’s and Pennington had 3. They each scored 3 runs. Soles hit 1 double, while Pennington hit 2. The tandem at the top of the lineup both have 7 hits through 4 games, which is tied for the team lead.

Catcher Jacob Cozart (JR), Center Fielder Eli Serrano III (SO) and DH Drew Lanphere (RS FR) all had 2 hits in last nights contest.

Senior Sam Highfill once again started on Friday night, but the results were drastically different than last week. Last week he gave up 1 earned run in 5 innings, while striking out 6. Last night he gave up 5 earned runs in 4 innings, while striking out 3. What wasn’t drastically different was Highfill’s lack of control. He walked 5 people in the season opener, and walked 4 people last night, while also hitting 2 others.

Logan Whitaker, another Senior pitcher, has now struggled in back-to-back games. Whitaker gave up 5 runs (4 earned) in 3 innings of relief. He gave up 5 hits and walked 3, but did manage to walk away with the Win. His 69 pitches were the most on the team, tallying more than the starter Highfill (63).

Senior P.J. Labriola struggled in his first appearance of 2024. He saw 3 batters, and all 3 batters picked up hits, knocking in 2 runs. Labriola didn’t record an out before being removed after 11 pitches.

The only two pitchers who didn’t give up any runs were Sophomore Shane Van Dam (DIII Transfer) and Freshman Jacob Dudan. Neither pitcher gave up a hit, but Van Dam did walk 5 batters. At this point in the season, it’s clear that Van Dam and Dudan are expected to be two of the Wolfpack’s most prominent pitchers out of the bullpen. This was Dudan’s 3rd appearance through 4 games for the Wolfpack, and Van Dam’s second.

It’s worth noting that NC State’s batters hit extremely well against Hawaii starter Harrison Bodendorf, who was a Freshman All-American last year. The Wolfpack scored 6 runs on Bodendorf in 3 innings.

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Matthew is Publisher and Co-Owner of Pack Insider. He is also the Lead Pastor of The Point Church in Cary, NC.

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NC State Baseball

Make Sure to Grab Your NC State Baseball Shirts!

Published

5 hours ago

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May 19, 2024

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The NC State Baseball team is one of it the hottest teams in all of College Baseball heading into next weeks 2024 ACC Tournament. They currently rank 14th in the RPI. They are the #3 seed in the ACC Tournament. They have 4 series victories over Top-10 teams, and 5 over Top-12 teams.

In preparation for the postseason, go ahead and grab yourself a few NC State Baseball shirts from our friends over at BreakingT. These are older shirts from over at BreakingT, but still worth the snag. I’ll reach out to them to see if they can cook some new ones up.

If you click the hyperlink above, or any of the pictures of the shirts below, go to the dropdown menu on the top right, and select “Alphabetically, A-Z”, and you will find all 4 of these on on the first two pages.

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NC State Baseball

The Pools for the 2024 ACC Baseball Tournament Have Been Set

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12 hours ago

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May 18, 2024

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The 2024 College Baseball Regular Season is over for all ACC teams, and the Pools have been set for the 2024 ACC Tournament that will kickoff next week in Charlotte, North Carolina.

NC State is the #3 seed in the Tourney, and they are in Pool C with #6 seed Duke, and #10 seed Virginia Tech.

Back at the end of March, the Wolfpack beat the Blue Devils in 2 out of 3 games at Doak Field, when Duke was ranked 9th in the country.

In Game 1, NC State won 4-3. Sam Highfill picked up the W with a Quality Start of 7 innings pitched, giving up 3 earned runs, while striking out 7. Freshman Jacob Dudan picked up the Save pitching 2 hitless innings, while striking out 3. Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart’s RBI Single in the Bottom of the 7th brought in the winning run.

In Game 2, Sophomore Center Fielder Eli Serrano III hit a walk-off 2-Run Home Run to give the Wolfpack a 9-8 win over Duke, securing the series victory. The Wolfpack were trailing 8-3 heading into the Bottom of the 9th inning, but scored 6 Runs in the final frame. Senior 1st Baseman Garrett Pennington had 2 Home Runs in the game, and Senior Outfielder Noah Soles had one. Senior Logan Whitaker got the starting nod, and gave up 4 earned runs in 4 innings, striking out 4. Sophomore Derrick Smith picked up the Win, pitching a scoreless final frame, striking out 1.

In Game 3, the Blue Devils got the best of the Wolfpack, crushing them 13-2. Sophomore Dominic Fritton started the game, and gave up 4 earned runs in 4 innings, striking out 5. Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makarewicz was the only bright spot on offense, going 3 for 3, with a Home Run, 2 RBI’s and 2 Runs.

NC State didn’t play #10 seed Virginia Tech in the regular season this year.

Due to securing a Top-4 seed in the Tournament, NC State will not play on the opening day of the Tournament on Tuesday. Their 1st game will be against the Hokies.

The full schedule of the 2024 ACC Baseball Tournament will be released tomorrow. Stay tuned.

 

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NC State Baseball

#17 NC State’s Late Game Heroics Strike Again, Defeating #8 Wake Forest 9-6 to Complete the Sweep

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16 hours ago

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May 18, 2024

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#17 NC State’s late game heroics continued this afternoon, defeating #8 Wake Forest 9-6 in dramatic fashion late in the game for the 3rd straight game, completing the sweep of the Demon Deacons.

With the game tied 6-6, the Wolfpack scored 3 runs in the Bottom of the 8th inning, that would end up being the winning runs. With 2 outs, Freshman Alex Sosa scored on a throwing error, and Senior 1st Baseman Garrett Pennington followed that up with a 2 RBI Double.

Senior Starting Pitcher Logan Whitaker gave up 5 runs (1 unearned) in 4 innings pitched, striking out 5, while walking none. Freshman Ryan Marohn was fabulous in relief, giving up only 1 earned run in 4 innings pitched, striking out 4. Marohn has been extremely dependable as a True Freshman. After picking up the Win today, he boasts a 4-2 record with a 3.60 ERA.

Sophomore Derrick Smith came in to close things out in the Bottom of the 9th, and in electric fashion, he struck out all three batters to pick up his 5th Save of the season.

Sosa had himself a day, putting the Pack on the board in the Bottom of the 2nd with an RBI Single, which was followed up by a Solo Home Run in the Bottom of the 6th inning.

Pennington and Junior Catcher Jacob Cozart both had 3 RBI’s this afternoon. Pennington not only hit his 2 RBI Double in the Bottom of the 8th, but he also hit an RBI Single in the Bottom of the 5th. Cozart hit a 3-run bomb in the bottom of the 6th.

Sophomore Center Fielder Eli Serrano III and Senior 3rd Baseman Alec Makerewicz also had multi-hit performances. Serrano III was 2 for 4 with an RBI and a Run, while A-Mak was 2 for 1 with a Run.

With the victory, NC State secured the #3 seed in this upcoming weeks 2024 ACC Tournament, and more than likely locked up a spot as a Regional Host in the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

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NC State Baseball

With a Win Today, #17 NC State Will Secure a Top-4 Spot in the 2024 ACC Baseball Tournament

Published

23 hours ago

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May 18, 2024

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After last night’s dramatic walk-off victory over #8 Wake Forest, #17 NC State is 17-11 in ACC play, and if the season were to end today, the Wolfpack would a Top-4 seed in next weeks ACC Tournament in Charlotte, North Carolina.

UNC has locked up the #1 seed (21-9), and Clemson has locked up the #2 seed (19-10)

NC State and FSU are tied with conference records of 17-11, but as things currently stand, the Wolfpack would be the #3 seed over FSU. NC State currently holds the edge over the Seminoles according to tie breaker rules. In head-to-head games, the two teams split. The Wolfpack hold the edge due to having a better Divisional record.

Here are the scenarios for the Pack heading into the regular season finale against Wake Forest this afternoon:

NC State will secure the #3 spot if they win today in the series finale against Wake Forest.

If NC State loses, FSU loses, and UVA loses, NC State will secure the #3 seed.

If NC State loses, FSU loses, and UVA wins, NC State would secure the #4 seed.

If NC State loses, FSU wins and UVA loses, the Wolfpack will secure the #4 seed.

If NC State loses, FSU wins and UVA wins, the Wolfpack will fall out of the Top-4, and be the #5 seed.

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