North Carolina State University Athletics
Friday, February 19
Raleigh, N.C.
3 PM
NC State
vs
VMI
#Pack9 Opens 2021 Season Sunday In Doubleheader With Davidson
2/20/2021 1:40:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH – No. 11 NC State baseball will take the field for the first time in 347 days Sunday when it opens its season against Davidson in a 1 PM doubleheader at Doak Field at Dail Park.
Both games will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra. There will be a free audio stream digitally on GoPack.com for game one, and a stream on WKNC 88.1 FM and the TuneIn App for game two. WKNC will join in during game one after the conclusion of the NC State women's basketball team's game versus North Carolina.
The #Pack9 was originally supposed to open its season with a three-game series versus VMI Feb. 19-21, but the weekend was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Keydet program.
2021 ATTENDANCE
With an altered schedule and changes to fan attendance and stadium capacity for the 2021 baseball season, NC State Athletics will not offer season tickets. For each game, there will be a limited pass list for family members of both NC State and the visiting team, and tickets will be available for 100 fans outside of the family pass lists. The fan tickets will be split up between 2020 NC State baseball season ticket accounts and NC State students. Please continue to visit GoPack.com for the latest updates.
For those who received a ticket for Sunday's game originally scheduled against VMI, it will be valid for the Davidson games.
STARTING PITCHERS
Game One – LHP Evan Justice (NCSU) vs. RHP Alex Fenton (Davidson)
Game Two – RHP Sam Highfill (NCSU) vs. LHP Ryan Feczko (Davidson)
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday will mark the 120th and 121st meetings between the Wolfpack and Wildcats, as NC State owns an 88-31 advantage in the all-time series. The teams last met on Feb. 14, 2015 in Raleigh, and the Pack earned an 8-3 victory over the Wildcats.
NC State has won the last nine matchups between the two squads.
QUARTER OF A CENTURY
For head coach Elliott Avent, Sunday will mark the beginning of his 25th season at the helm of the NC State baseball program. He currently owns a 1,113-744 career record and is the 11th-winningest active head coach in NCAA baseball. Additionally, he has compiled an 889-531 ledger at NC State and is the school's all-time leader in victories.
SEASON OPENERS
If NC State earns a win in game one versus Davidson Sunday, it would mark the fifth time in the last six years that the Wolfpack has opened its season with a win under Avent.
Through his 24 seasons at the helm, the Pack is 17-7 in season openers. The program's longest streak in winning its first game of the year in his tenure is eight (2001-08).
2020 SEASON RECAP
The Wolfpack finished 14-3 in the shortened 2020 season, highlighted by a 12-0 start for the second-straight year, and finished as high as No. 9 nationally while staying ranked by all six major polls the entire season.
2021 OUTLOOK
The team returns 25 players from last season and welcomes 12 freshmen and junior college transfer Danny Carnazzo to the 2021 roster.
Offensively, the Pack's returners account for 84 percent of last year's hits and 77 percent of its runs scored. The returners among the pitching staff account for 81 percent of the innings pitched and 86 percent of the strikeouts from the 2020 season.
The Wolfpack lost standouts Patrick Bailey (c) and Nick Swiney (lhp) to the 2020 MLB Draft, but will look to fill those voids on the mound and behind the plate. The pair was drafted in the first and second rounds, respectively, to the San Francisco Giants.
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
NC State will begin the season nationally ranked in all six major polls (#11 NCBWA, #12 USA Today, #13 DI Baseball, #13 Collegiate Baseball, #16 Perfect Game, #17 Baseball America), marking the 19th consecutive season the program has started or ended the season nationally ranked.
Among the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Pack was picked to finish second in the Atlantic Division of the 2021 ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Additionally, the following players received preseason honors from various publications:
Kent Klyman (NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List)
Tyler McDonough (DI Baseball Preseason Third Team All-American)
Jose Torres (DI Baseball Preseason Third Team All-American, USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List)
Luca Tresh (Collegiate Baseball Preseason Third Team All-American, Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List)
SCOUTING DAVIDSON
Davidson opens its season Saturday evening with a game against Morehead State at home. The Wildcats were supposed to play two games this weekend with Mount St. Mary's at home, but due to weather affecting the Mountaineers' travel they were canceled.
The squad went 13-3 in the shortened 2020 season, which was the program's best start in history, and was picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 Conference this year.
The Wildcats bring back many key pieces to last year's team, including the weekend starting pitching rotation of Gabe Levy, Blake Hely and Alex Fenton, who combined to go 9-1 with a 1.90 ERA covering 80.1 innings last year. Offensively, the squad returns Alex Fedje-Johnson, who led the team with a .298 batting average in 2020, Ruben Fontes, the 2019 A-10 leader in home runs with 14, and Parker Nolan, who drove in a team-best 14 runs batted in last year.
Additionally, Davidson added 10 freshmen to its 2021 roster, and four of them are projected to see playing time early on in the season.
ON DECK
Tuesday, Feb. 23 • vs. UNCG • 3 PM
Both games will be broadcast on the ACC Network Extra. There will be a free audio stream digitally on GoPack.com for game one, and a stream on WKNC 88.1 FM and the TuneIn App for game two. WKNC will join in during game one after the conclusion of the NC State women's basketball team's game versus North Carolina.
The #Pack9 was originally supposed to open its season with a three-game series versus VMI Feb. 19-21, but the weekend was canceled due to COVID-19 issues within the Keydet program.
2021 ATTENDANCE
With an altered schedule and changes to fan attendance and stadium capacity for the 2021 baseball season, NC State Athletics will not offer season tickets. For each game, there will be a limited pass list for family members of both NC State and the visiting team, and tickets will be available for 100 fans outside of the family pass lists. The fan tickets will be split up between 2020 NC State baseball season ticket accounts and NC State students. Please continue to visit GoPack.com for the latest updates.
For those who received a ticket for Sunday's game originally scheduled against VMI, it will be valid for the Davidson games.
STARTING PITCHERS
Game One – LHP Evan Justice (NCSU) vs. RHP Alex Fenton (Davidson)
Game Two – RHP Sam Highfill (NCSU) vs. LHP Ryan Feczko (Davidson)
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday will mark the 120th and 121st meetings between the Wolfpack and Wildcats, as NC State owns an 88-31 advantage in the all-time series. The teams last met on Feb. 14, 2015 in Raleigh, and the Pack earned an 8-3 victory over the Wildcats.
NC State has won the last nine matchups between the two squads.
QUARTER OF A CENTURY
For head coach Elliott Avent, Sunday will mark the beginning of his 25th season at the helm of the NC State baseball program. He currently owns a 1,113-744 career record and is the 11th-winningest active head coach in NCAA baseball. Additionally, he has compiled an 889-531 ledger at NC State and is the school's all-time leader in victories.
SEASON OPENERS
If NC State earns a win in game one versus Davidson Sunday, it would mark the fifth time in the last six years that the Wolfpack has opened its season with a win under Avent.
Through his 24 seasons at the helm, the Pack is 17-7 in season openers. The program's longest streak in winning its first game of the year in his tenure is eight (2001-08).
2020 SEASON RECAP
The Wolfpack finished 14-3 in the shortened 2020 season, highlighted by a 12-0 start for the second-straight year, and finished as high as No. 9 nationally while staying ranked by all six major polls the entire season.
2021 OUTLOOK
The team returns 25 players from last season and welcomes 12 freshmen and junior college transfer Danny Carnazzo to the 2021 roster.
Offensively, the Pack's returners account for 84 percent of last year's hits and 77 percent of its runs scored. The returners among the pitching staff account for 81 percent of the innings pitched and 86 percent of the strikeouts from the 2020 season.
The Wolfpack lost standouts Patrick Bailey (c) and Nick Swiney (lhp) to the 2020 MLB Draft, but will look to fill those voids on the mound and behind the plate. The pair was drafted in the first and second rounds, respectively, to the San Francisco Giants.
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
NC State will begin the season nationally ranked in all six major polls (#11 NCBWA, #12 USA Today, #13 DI Baseball, #13 Collegiate Baseball, #16 Perfect Game, #17 Baseball America), marking the 19th consecutive season the program has started or ended the season nationally ranked.
Among the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Pack was picked to finish second in the Atlantic Division of the 2021 ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
Additionally, the following players received preseason honors from various publications:
Kent Klyman (NCBWA Stopper of the Year Preseason Watch List)
Tyler McDonough (DI Baseball Preseason Third Team All-American)
Jose Torres (DI Baseball Preseason Third Team All-American, USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award Preseason Watch List)
Luca Tresh (Collegiate Baseball Preseason Third Team All-American, Bobby Bragan Collegiate Slugger Award Watch List)
SCOUTING DAVIDSON
Davidson opens its season Saturday evening with a game against Morehead State at home. The Wildcats were supposed to play two games this weekend with Mount St. Mary's at home, but due to weather affecting the Mountaineers' travel they were canceled.
The squad went 13-3 in the shortened 2020 season, which was the program's best start in history, and was picked to finish third in the Atlantic 10 Conference this year.
The Wildcats bring back many key pieces to last year's team, including the weekend starting pitching rotation of Gabe Levy, Blake Hely and Alex Fenton, who combined to go 9-1 with a 1.90 ERA covering 80.1 innings last year. Offensively, the squad returns Alex Fedje-Johnson, who led the team with a .298 batting average in 2020, Ruben Fontes, the 2019 A-10 leader in home runs with 14, and Parker Nolan, who drove in a team-best 14 runs batted in last year.
Additionally, Davidson added 10 freshmen to its 2021 roster, and four of them are projected to see playing time early on in the season.
ON DECK
Tuesday, Feb. 23 • vs. UNCG • 3 PM
Players Mentioned
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