NC State baseball weekend preview: Pack welcomes Belmont
NC State baseball is off to a strong start to the 2023 campaign. After a season-opening sweep of Wagner, the Wolfpack dismantled Coastal Carolina on the road Wednesday, cruising to a 16-4 victory in Myrtle Beach, S.C.
The next eight games are all at NC State baseball’s Doak Field in Raleigh, starting with a three-game set with Belmont from the Missouri Valley Conference.
Here is a preview of this weekend’s action against Belmont.
NC State Baseball In The Polls
D1Baseball.com: 21st (no change)
Perfect Game: 21st (no change)
USA Today Sports baseball coaches: 22nd (not updated)
NCBWA: 22nd (up from 24th)
Baseball America: 25th (no change)
Collegiate Baseball: 30th (no change)
Midweek Recap
NC State started fast with at two-run homer from sophomore first baseman Will Marcy in the top of the first and after a 5-run fourth inning never looked back.
The day belonged to senior centerfielder Parker Nolan. Batting seventh in the lineup, the Davidson transfer went 4 of 5 at the plate with a double and two no-doubt home runs to give him 6 runs batted in for the day. He also scored 4 runs.
Clemson left-handed transfer P.J. Labriola got the start and went 3.2 innings, allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits while striking out five. Hero of the 2021 College World Series team Sam Highfill made his season debut with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, striking out a pair while allowing 1 hit, and he picked up the win.
Weekend Rotation
NC State baseball coach Elliott Avent is going with the same rotation he used in the opening series vs. Wagner.
Redshirt junior righty Logan Whitaker went 7.0 scoreless innings in the opener, giving up 5 hits and not walking a batter while striking out 3.
Junior righthander Matt Willadsen had 6 strikeouts over 6.0 innings, allowing 2 earned runs on 5 hits and not walking a batter.
Sunday starter is freshman lefty Dominic Fritton. He made a successful career debut, going 4.1 innings of 1-hit ball vs. Wagner, although he walked three and hit a batter.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
DJ Lagway
Florida QB to return vs. LSU
- 2
Dylan Raiola injury
Nebraska QB will play vs. USC
- 3
Elko pokes at Kiffin
A&M coach jokes over kick times
- 4New
SEC changes course
Alcohol sales at SEC Championship Game
- 5
Bryce Underwood
Michigan prepared to offer No. 1 recruit $10.5M over 4 years
Scouting Belmont
A season ago, Belmont won its first ever Ohio Valley Conference regular season title and even swept a series at Purdue. That was the Bruins’ final season in that league. This spring marks the debut of Belmont in the Missouri Valley, which is a notch above the OVC.
The preseason MVC poll picked Belmont to finish sixth in the 10-team league.
The Bruins approach the 3-game NC State series with a 2-3 record and will be on the road for the first time this season. Belmont split a pair of doubleheaders over opening weekend with UT Martin and lost a midweek game against Western Kentucky.
Junior shortstop Sam Kirkpatrick is off to a red-hot start with 10 hits in 18 at bats. He already has three 3-hit games and has belted a homer and a double. Junior third baseman Mason Landers was named the MVC Player of the Week after hitting 3 home runs against UT Martin.
Junior lefty Andy Bean will start Friday against NC State. He was the OVC Pitcher of the Year last season after going 9-1 on the mound and allowing 73 hits in 85.1 innings. In his season debut, Bean surrendered 4 hits over 5 innings, including a solo homer for his lone earned run allowed, while walking a pair and striking out seven.
Both of Saturday and Sunday’s starters for Belmont will be lefties, too. Jalen Borders, a 6-foot-7 junior, will go against Willadsen in the second game of the series. He went 5-2 with a 3.04 earned run average in 2022 and was second-team all-conference. Borders struck out 9 in his debut but was also hit hard, giving up 5 hits (including a pair of doubles) and 5 earned runs, over 3.2 innings.
Junior Dominic Baratta has graduated from reliever to starter and was sterling in his season debut, allowing just 1 hit over 5.0 scoreless innings with 7 strikeouts, although he did walk four.
