Thursday, May 18
Raleigh, N.C.
6 p.m.
NC State
vs
Pittsburgh
Photo by: Mollie Mitchell
#Pack9 Concludes Home Slate With Series Against Pitt
5/17/2023 5:35:00 PM | Baseball
Weekend Game Times: 6 p.m. (Thursday) | 6 p.m. (Friday) | 1 p.m. (Saturday)
RALEIGH – The NC State baseball team concludes its regular season schedule this weekend at home against Pittsburgh. This weekend's series at The Doak will run Thursday through Saturday with first pitch times scheduled for 6 p.m., 6 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
All three games of this weekend's series against the Panthers will be broadcasted 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. This weekend's contests will also be available on WKNC 88.1.
NC State (31-18, 10-16 ACC) holds a 14-1 advantage in the all-time series against Pittsburgh (23-27, 10-15 ACC).
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Thursday – RHP Logan Whitaker (NCSU) vs. RHP Jack Sokol (Pittsburgh)
Friday – RHP Matt Willadsen (NCSU) vs. RHP Logan Evans (Pittsburgh)
Saturday – TBD (NCSU) vs. RHP Kyle Mosley (Pittsburgh)
THE MATCHUP: SERIES AGAINST PITT
NC State enters this weekend's series against Pittsburgh with a 14-1 record against the Panthers. More notes from the series against Pitt are listed below:
• NC State is a perfect 14-0 against Pitt since the Panthers joined the ACC in 2013. The Pack is 12-0 in weekend series' matchups against Pitt and 2-0 against this weekend's visitors in ACC Tournament contests.
• The Wolfpack is 6-0 against Pitt at Doak Field at Dail Park. In the first recent meeting between the two programs back on March 27-29, 2015, NC State outscored the Panthers 30-8 in a three-game sweep at The Doak. NC State then swept Pitt in a much closer series in Raleigh back in 2019, posting a pair of one-run victories in a three-game sweep from March 8-10.
• In the most recent series between the Pack and Panthers, NC State swept No. 16 Pitt on the road from May 14-16, 2021. The Pack opened the series with a 3-2 win before closing out the series with 9-7 and 10-3 victories, respectively.
• The Wolfpack knocked off Pittsburgh 8-3 to advance to the 2022 ACC Tournament Championship Game this past season in Charlotte. NC State jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning behind three opening-inning homers. Canaan Silver tossed 5.2 innings to earn the win on the mound.
• Pittsburgh's sole win in the series came back in 1941 when the Panthers earned a 3-1 victory over Doc Newton's Wolfpack.
HONORING OUR SENIORS
Prior to Saturday's regular season finale, NC State will honor four student-athletes for its Senior Day celebration. The Wolfpack will honor Trevor Candelaria, Parker Nolan, Sam Highfill and Logan Whitaker prior to first pitch on Saturday afternoon. Below are the degrees these four student-athletes have recently completed and/or are actively working toward:
• Trevor Candelaria (Graduate Certificate: Leadership & Volunteer Management)
• Parker Nolan (Working Toward a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)
• Sam Highfill (Bachelor's Degree: Business Administration)
• Logan Whitaker (Bachelor's Degree: Sport Management)
FINISH STRONG
Since 2010, NC State is 8-4 in its final three-game ACC series of the regular season. The Pack has recorded three series sweeps during that stretch and is 4-2 in its final ACC regular season series since 2016.
LAST TIME ON THE DIAMOND
The Wolfpack was swept for just the second time in 2023 after North Carolina took all three games over NC State in Chapel Hill this past weekend. The Tar Heels erased a 5-0 deficit in game one before posting back-to-back victories to close out the weekend.
SCOUTING PITT
Pittsburgh (23-27, 10-15 ACC) enters this weekend's matchup in Raleigh following an 11-3 midweek victory over in-state rival Penn State at PNC Park. The Panthers dropped their weekend series at home to No. 11 Miami, winning game two 7-4 while dropping Friday and Sunday's games by just one run apiece. Pitt ranks second in the ACC with 303 walks at the plate and third in the league with 18 successful sacrifice bunts. Four Panthers have started all 50 games this season, highlighted by CJ Funk, who leads the team with 13 homers, 104 total bases and 28 extra-base hits. On the mound, the Panthers rank last in the ACC with a 1.83 WHIP as a pitching staff. Closer Bryan Nash has tallied a team-high seven saves with a 42-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
STRONG MARK IN THE RPI
NC State ranks No. 26 in Wednesday's RPI poll. The Pack is 24-2 in games against teams ranked above No. 50 in the most recent RPI poll. NC State ranks 20th nationally in overall strength of schedule and has seven wins over teams currently inside the top 50 of the RPI. The Pack ranks eighth among ACC teams in Wednesday's RPI rankings and is one of 10 ACC programs inside of the top 50 of the latest rankings.
PUTTING UP CROOKED NUMBERS
NC State's offense has scored runs in bunches this season, posting 95 multi-run innings through just 49 games (1.94 per game). NC State's single-game high for runs scored in one inning was 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth against Davidson on April 18. NC State's single-game high for the number of multi-run innings is five, scoring multiple runs in a game five times in three different matchups.
STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY
NC State holds a 21-2 record when scoring first this season. The Pack has scored in the first inning 18 times and has scored in either the first or second inning 25 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 597-225 (.726) record in games played at Doak Field at Dail Park. NC State has 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 23-7 at The Doak.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
All three games of this weekend's series against the Panthers will be broadcasted 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. This weekend's contests will also be available on WKNC 88.1.
NC State (31-18, 10-16 ACC) holds a 14-1 advantage in the all-time series against Pittsburgh (23-27, 10-15 ACC).
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Thursday – RHP Logan Whitaker (NCSU) vs. RHP Jack Sokol (Pittsburgh)
Friday – RHP Matt Willadsen (NCSU) vs. RHP Logan Evans (Pittsburgh)
Saturday – TBD (NCSU) vs. RHP Kyle Mosley (Pittsburgh)
THE MATCHUP: SERIES AGAINST PITT
NC State enters this weekend's series against Pittsburgh with a 14-1 record against the Panthers. More notes from the series against Pitt are listed below:
• NC State is a perfect 14-0 against Pitt since the Panthers joined the ACC in 2013. The Pack is 12-0 in weekend series' matchups against Pitt and 2-0 against this weekend's visitors in ACC Tournament contests.
• The Wolfpack is 6-0 against Pitt at Doak Field at Dail Park. In the first recent meeting between the two programs back on March 27-29, 2015, NC State outscored the Panthers 30-8 in a three-game sweep at The Doak. NC State then swept Pitt in a much closer series in Raleigh back in 2019, posting a pair of one-run victories in a three-game sweep from March 8-10.
• In the most recent series between the Pack and Panthers, NC State swept No. 16 Pitt on the road from May 14-16, 2021. The Pack opened the series with a 3-2 win before closing out the series with 9-7 and 10-3 victories, respectively.
• The Wolfpack knocked off Pittsburgh 8-3 to advance to the 2022 ACC Tournament Championship Game this past season in Charlotte. NC State jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning behind three opening-inning homers. Canaan Silver tossed 5.2 innings to earn the win on the mound.
• Pittsburgh's sole win in the series came back in 1941 when the Panthers earned a 3-1 victory over Doc Newton's Wolfpack.
HONORING OUR SENIORS
Prior to Saturday's regular season finale, NC State will honor four student-athletes for its Senior Day celebration. The Wolfpack will honor Trevor Candelaria, Parker Nolan, Sam Highfill and Logan Whitaker prior to first pitch on Saturday afternoon. Below are the degrees these four student-athletes have recently completed and/or are actively working toward:
• Trevor Candelaria (Graduate Certificate: Leadership & Volunteer Management)
• Parker Nolan (Working Toward a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies)
• Sam Highfill (Bachelor's Degree: Business Administration)
• Logan Whitaker (Bachelor's Degree: Sport Management)
FINISH STRONG
Since 2010, NC State is 8-4 in its final three-game ACC series of the regular season. The Pack has recorded three series sweeps during that stretch and is 4-2 in its final ACC regular season series since 2016.
LAST TIME ON THE DIAMOND
The Wolfpack was swept for just the second time in 2023 after North Carolina took all three games over NC State in Chapel Hill this past weekend. The Tar Heels erased a 5-0 deficit in game one before posting back-to-back victories to close out the weekend.
SCOUTING PITT
Pittsburgh (23-27, 10-15 ACC) enters this weekend's matchup in Raleigh following an 11-3 midweek victory over in-state rival Penn State at PNC Park. The Panthers dropped their weekend series at home to No. 11 Miami, winning game two 7-4 while dropping Friday and Sunday's games by just one run apiece. Pitt ranks second in the ACC with 303 walks at the plate and third in the league with 18 successful sacrifice bunts. Four Panthers have started all 50 games this season, highlighted by CJ Funk, who leads the team with 13 homers, 104 total bases and 28 extra-base hits. On the mound, the Panthers rank last in the ACC with a 1.83 WHIP as a pitching staff. Closer Bryan Nash has tallied a team-high seven saves with a 42-to-11 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
STRONG MARK IN THE RPI
NC State ranks No. 26 in Wednesday's RPI poll. The Pack is 24-2 in games against teams ranked above No. 50 in the most recent RPI poll. NC State ranks 20th nationally in overall strength of schedule and has seven wins over teams currently inside the top 50 of the RPI. The Pack ranks eighth among ACC teams in Wednesday's RPI rankings and is one of 10 ACC programs inside of the top 50 of the latest rankings.
PUTTING UP CROOKED NUMBERS
NC State's offense has scored runs in bunches this season, posting 95 multi-run innings through just 49 games (1.94 per game). NC State's single-game high for runs scored in one inning was 10 runs in the bottom of the fourth against Davidson on April 18. NC State's single-game high for the number of multi-run innings is five, scoring multiple runs in a game five times in three different matchups.
STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE HARD, NO MERCY
NC State holds a 21-2 record when scoring first this season. The Pack has scored in the first inning 18 times and has scored in either the first or second inning 25 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 597-225 (.726) record in games played at Doak Field at Dail Park. NC State has 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 23-7 at The Doak.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
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