Friday, April 28
Raleigh, N.C.
6 p.m.
NC State
vs
The Citadel
Photo by: Mollie Mitchell
#Pack9 Welcomes The Citadel to The Doak This Weekend
4/27/2023 1:15:00 PM | Baseball
Weekend Game Times: 6 p.m. (Friday) | 4 p.m. (Saturday) | 1 p.m. (Sunday)
RALEIGH – The NC State baseball team welcomes The Citadel to The Doak this weekend for a three-game nonconference series. This weekend's series will run Friday through Sunday with first pitch times scheduled for 6 p.m., 4 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
All three games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra. A free audio stream will be available on the Varsity Network App for all three games with Tony Haynes on the call. All three games will also be available on WKNC 88.1.
NC State (26-14, 8-12 ACC) holds a 31-11 advantage in the all-time series against The Citadel (19-19, 4-8 SoCon).
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday – RHP Logan Whitaker (NCSU) vs. RHP Sam Swygert (The Citadel)
Saturday – RHP Matt Willadsen (NCSU) vs. TBA
Sunday – RHP Sam Highfill (NCSU) vs. RHP Cameron Reeves (The Citadel)
THE MATCHUP: SERIES AGAINST THE CITADEL
NC State enters this weekend's series against the Bulldogs with a 31-11 advantage in the all-time series. More notes from the series against The Citadel are listed below:
• NC State and The Citadel last met on March 2, 2008, when the Wolfpack held off the Bulldogs late for a 4-3 victory at Riley Park in Charleston, South Carolina. The Pack scored the game's first four runs. Eryk McConnell earned the pitching victory, while Jimmy Gillheeney notched the save.
• NC State has won five straight games against The Citadel dating back to 2004. The Bulldogs' most recent win in the series came in a 5-2 victory in Raleigh on March 17, 2004.
• Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent is 17-5 against the Bulldogs as NC State's head coach.
• NC State and The Citadel have met twice in NCAA Regionals. The Wolfpack defeated the Bulldogs 16-3 on May 24, 1975 in Columbia, South Carolina. The Citadel avenged its postseason defeat 15 years later with an 11-3 win over the Pack at Miami's Mark Light Field on May 25, 1990. The Citadel advanced to the College World Series in 1990, defeating Miami 4-1 in the Atlantic Regional Championship Game.
LAST TIME ON THE DIAMOND
NC State scored all five of its runs in a crucial third inning to knock off No. 12 East Carolina at The Doak. The Pirates scored four runs over a three-inning span from the fifth to seventh to trim their deficit to 5-4, but P.J. Labriola and Carson Kelly combined for the game's final seven outs to secure the victory. Labriola moved to 3-0 on the season, while Kelly recorded a four-out save for the first save of his career. Trevor Candelaria led NC State with two RBI, crushing a two-run homer to left center during the Pack's five-run outburst in the third.
STRONG MARK IN THE RPI
After the Pack's 5-4 win over East Carolina on Tuesday, NC State ranks No. 25 in Thursday's RPI poll. The Pack is 19-1 in games against teams ranked above No. 50 in Thursday's RPI poll. The Pack's 5-4 win over ECU (now No. 19) marked its seventh win over a top-25 RPI team this season. NC State enters the weekend with the 11th-ranked strength of schedule.
GINO'S IN A GROOVE
Junior LuJames Groover III had a breakout season for the Pack in 2022, making 55 starts and 57 total appearances in his first season in Raleigh. Groover III led NC State with a .364 batting average, 86 hits, 16 doubles and a .440 on-base percentage this past season. The junior tallied at least one hit in 48 of the Pack's 57 games this past season, reaching base safely in 50 contests. Since April 9, Groover III has caught fire, raising his average over 60 points to a team-high .348. The third baseman has hit safely in 13 straight games and has reached base in 26 straight contests, both of which rank as a team-high this season. Groover III's hot streak resulted in the junior winning ACC Player of the Week honors and Perfect Game National Player of the Week honors on April 17.
THE MAYOR RETURNS
Sam Highfill, often referred to as The Mayor by his teammates, returned to the mound in NC State's win at Coastal Carolina on Feb. 22. Highfill looked sharp in his first appearance since throwing three innings at Clemson on April 3, 2022, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts. His performance also helped him garner his first pitching victory of the season. Highfill missed the second half of the 2022 season due to a back injury. Highfill notched his first-career save in April 15's 4-3 comeback victory over Florida State. He shined in his first start in over a year in Tuesday's 5-4 win over ECU, tossing a season-high 62 pitches over a season-high four scoreless innings.
SCOUTING THE CITADEL
The Citadel (19-19, 4-8 SoCon) enters this weekend's series after posting an 11-3 victory at Charleston Southern on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs rank seventh in the SoCon baseball standings with a 4-8 league record. Overall, The Citadel ranks first in the league by allowing just 9.52 hits per game to opposing lineups. Cameron Reeves leads the Bulldogs on the mound with a 2.51 ERA and a 6-3 record in nine appearances/starts this season. Offensively, Travis Lott leads the team in batting average (.346), walks (23), home runs (three) and slugging percentage (.496).
STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY
NC State holds a 18-1 record when scoring first this season. The Pack has scored in the first inning 15 times and has scored in either the first or second inning 20 times in 2023.
HOME SUCCESS AT THE DOAK
Welcome to our house. Doak Field at Dail Park has served as a dominant home field advantage for the Wolfpack since 1966. In 2022, the Pack finished with a 22-10 record at The Doak. Since head coach Elliott Avent returned to Raleigh to take over the #Pack9 program in 1997, NC State has posted a 594-225 (.725) record in games played at Doak Field at Dail Park. NC State has now won 20 or more games at The Doak 21 times since Avent's first year as head coach in 1997. The Pack has opened 2023 20-7 at The Doak.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
All three games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra. A free audio stream will be available on the Varsity Network App for all three games with Tony Haynes on the call. All three games will also be available on WKNC 88.1.
NC State (26-14, 8-12 ACC) holds a 31-11 advantage in the all-time series against The Citadel (19-19, 4-8 SoCon).
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday – RHP Logan Whitaker (NCSU) vs. RHP Sam Swygert (The Citadel)
Saturday – RHP Matt Willadsen (NCSU) vs. TBA
Sunday – RHP Sam Highfill (NCSU) vs. RHP Cameron Reeves (The Citadel)
THE MATCHUP: SERIES AGAINST THE CITADEL
NC State enters this weekend's series against the Bulldogs with a 31-11 advantage in the all-time series. More notes from the series against The Citadel are listed below:
• NC State and The Citadel last met on March 2, 2008, when the Wolfpack held off the Bulldogs late for a 4-3 victory at Riley Park in Charleston, South Carolina. The Pack scored the game's first four runs. Eryk McConnell earned the pitching victory, while Jimmy Gillheeney notched the save.
• NC State has won five straight games against The Citadel dating back to 2004. The Bulldogs' most recent win in the series came in a 5-2 victory in Raleigh on March 17, 2004.
• Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent is 17-5 against the Bulldogs as NC State's head coach.
• NC State and The Citadel have met twice in NCAA Regionals. The Wolfpack defeated the Bulldogs 16-3 on May 24, 1975 in Columbia, South Carolina. The Citadel avenged its postseason defeat 15 years later with an 11-3 win over the Pack at Miami's Mark Light Field on May 25, 1990. The Citadel advanced to the College World Series in 1990, defeating Miami 4-1 in the Atlantic Regional Championship Game.
LAST TIME ON THE DIAMOND
NC State scored all five of its runs in a crucial third inning to knock off No. 12 East Carolina at The Doak. The Pirates scored four runs over a three-inning span from the fifth to seventh to trim their deficit to 5-4, but P.J. Labriola and Carson Kelly combined for the game's final seven outs to secure the victory. Labriola moved to 3-0 on the season, while Kelly recorded a four-out save for the first save of his career. Trevor Candelaria led NC State with two RBI, crushing a two-run homer to left center during the Pack's five-run outburst in the third.
STRONG MARK IN THE RPI
After the Pack's 5-4 win over East Carolina on Tuesday, NC State ranks No. 25 in Thursday's RPI poll. The Pack is 19-1 in games against teams ranked above No. 50 in Thursday's RPI poll. The Pack's 5-4 win over ECU (now No. 19) marked its seventh win over a top-25 RPI team this season. NC State enters the weekend with the 11th-ranked strength of schedule.
GINO'S IN A GROOVE
Junior LuJames Groover III had a breakout season for the Pack in 2022, making 55 starts and 57 total appearances in his first season in Raleigh. Groover III led NC State with a .364 batting average, 86 hits, 16 doubles and a .440 on-base percentage this past season. The junior tallied at least one hit in 48 of the Pack's 57 games this past season, reaching base safely in 50 contests. Since April 9, Groover III has caught fire, raising his average over 60 points to a team-high .348. The third baseman has hit safely in 13 straight games and has reached base in 26 straight contests, both of which rank as a team-high this season. Groover III's hot streak resulted in the junior winning ACC Player of the Week honors and Perfect Game National Player of the Week honors on April 17.
THE MAYOR RETURNS
Sam Highfill, often referred to as The Mayor by his teammates, returned to the mound in NC State's win at Coastal Carolina on Feb. 22. Highfill looked sharp in his first appearance since throwing three innings at Clemson on April 3, 2022, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit with a pair of strikeouts. His performance also helped him garner his first pitching victory of the season. Highfill missed the second half of the 2022 season due to a back injury. Highfill notched his first-career save in April 15's 4-3 comeback victory over Florida State. He shined in his first start in over a year in Tuesday's 5-4 win over ECU, tossing a season-high 62 pitches over a season-high four scoreless innings.
SCOUTING THE CITADEL
The Citadel (19-19, 4-8 SoCon) enters this weekend's series after posting an 11-3 victory at Charleston Southern on Tuesday night. The Bulldogs rank seventh in the SoCon baseball standings with a 4-8 league record. Overall, The Citadel ranks first in the league by allowing just 9.52 hits per game to opposing lineups. Cameron Reeves leads the Bulldogs on the mound with a 2.51 ERA and a 6-3 record in nine appearances/starts this season. Offensively, Travis Lott leads the team in batting average (.346), walks (23), home runs (three) and slugging percentage (.496).
STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY
NC State holds a 18-1 record when scoring first this season. The Pack has scored in the first inning 15 times and has scored in either the first or second inning 20 times in 2023.
HOME SUCCESS AT THE DOAK
Welcome to our house. Doak Field at Dail Park has served as a dominant home field advantage for the Wolfpack since 1966. In 2022, the Pack finished with a 22-10 record at The Doak. Since head coach Elliott Avent returned to Raleigh to take over the #Pack9 program in 1997, NC State has posted a 594-225 (.725) record in games played at Doak Field at Dail Park. NC State has now won 20 or more games at The Doak 21 times since Avent's first year as head coach in 1997. The Pack has opened 2023 20-7 at The Doak.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
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