Tuesday, May 9
Raleigh, N.C.
6 p.m.
NC State
vs
Richmond
#Pack9 Hosts Richmond for Final Midweek Contest of 2023
5/8/2023 5:10:00 PM | Baseball
Game Time: 6 p.m. at The Doak
RALEIGH – The NC State baseball team hosts Richmond on Tuesday night for its final midweek game of the 2023 season. Tuesday's first pitch at Doak Field is set for 6 p.m.
Tuesday's game will be broadcasted live on ACC Network Extra. A free audio stream will be available on the Varsity Network App with Tony Haynes on the call. The game will also be available on WKNC 88.1
NC State (31-15) is 30-9 all-time against Richmond (21-24).
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Tuesday – RHP Baker Nelson (NCSU) vs. LHP Brian Reinke (Richmond)
THE MATCHUP: SERIES AGAINST RICHMOND
NC State enters Tuesday's game against Richmond with a 30-9 record against the Spiders. More notes from the series against Richmond are listed below:
• The Pack's most recent win over Richmond came in a neutral site matchup played in Charleston, South Carolina. NC State defeated the Spiders 12-5, recording four multi-run innings to earn the nonconference victory.
• Richmond has won three of the past five games against the Wolfpack in the series. The Spiders notched a 7-4 win in Raleigh the last time the two teams met back on May 7, 2014.
• Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent holds a 6-5 all-time record against Richmond.
• NC State won 17 straight games against the Spiders from March 9, 1981, to March 17, 1994.
LAST TIME ON THE DIAMOND
NC State's pitching staff helped lead the Wolfpack to back-to-back victories over Notre Dame this past weekend, helping the Pack secure its first ACC road series victory of the season. The series win also marked its first series victory at Notre Dame in program history (fifth series trip to South Bend). The Pack outscored the Fighting Irish 11-2 over the final two games, needing just four pitchers to toss the final 18 innings of the series. The Pack slugged two homers apiece in each victory and trailed after just one inning over the final two games of the series.
STRONG MARK IN THE RPI
NC State ranks No. 19 in Monday's RPI poll. The Pack is 22-1 in games against teams ranked above No. 50 in the most recent RPI poll. NC State ranks 25th nationally in overall strength of schedule. The Wolfpack tallied two wins over Notre Dame (No. 43) this past weekend in South Bend, improving to 4-2 against teams with an RPI ranking between 26-50.
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 batting average 60 points to .344. The third baseman has hit safely in 18 of his past 19 games and has reached base in 32 straight contests. 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.
WELCOME HOME TO RALEIGH, TRACY
Richmond head coach Tracy Woodson is a former #Pack9 standout, earning Second Team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America and the ABCA in 1984. Woodson also was named the ACC Player of the Year in 1984, which was the Pack's third ACC Player of the Year in program history and remains one of four since the award was first handed out in 1969. In 2003, Woodson joined six other former members of the Pack on the ACC 50th Anniversary Team. Woodson still holds the single-season (.930) and career (.720) record for slugging percentage at NC State. The current Spiders' head coach was drafted 77th overall (third round) in the 1984 MLB Draft.
SCOUTING RICHMOND
Richmond (21-24, 10-7 A-10) recorded a series victory at home against St. Bonaventure this past weekend. In its wins over the Bonnies, the Spiders outscored its opponent 34-4. Richmond won the rubber match of its series 19-4, scoring a season-high 19 runs in the victory. Offensively, Johnny Hipsman leads the Spiders with 69 hits, 117 total bases, a .643 slugging percentage and a .379 batting average. On the mound, the Spiders have tossed 368 strikeouts and issued 192 walks. Richmond's pitching staff carries a 6.74 ERA and 1.62 WHIP into Tuesday's midweek matchup.
COMEBACK PACK
The Wolfpack has rallied to win 10 times after going behind first, including back-to-back comeback wins to open its series sweep of Florida State. The Pack has recorded two wins in home series finales in comeback, walk-off fashion when Payton Green hit a two-run homer on March 5 to flip a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 win against NJIT and then Cannon Peebles hit a two-RBI single up the middle to flip a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 win over No. 14 Virginia on March 18. NC State completed its 10th comeback win of the year in Saturday's series-clinching victory at Notre Dame.
PUTTING UP CROOKED NUMBERS
NC State's offense has scored runs in bunches this season, posting 93 multi-run innings through just 46 games (2.02 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 21-1 record when scoring first this season. The Pack has scored in the first inning 17 times and has scored in either the first or second inning 24 times in 2023.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
Tuesday's game will be broadcasted live on ACC Network Extra. A free audio stream will be available on the Varsity Network App with Tony Haynes on the call. The game will also be available on WKNC 88.1
NC State (31-15) is 30-9 all-time against Richmond (21-24).
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Tuesday – RHP Baker Nelson (NCSU) vs. LHP Brian Reinke (Richmond)
THE MATCHUP: SERIES AGAINST RICHMOND
NC State enters Tuesday's game against Richmond with a 30-9 record against the Spiders. More notes from the series against Richmond are listed below:
• The Pack's most recent win over Richmond came in a neutral site matchup played in Charleston, South Carolina. NC State defeated the Spiders 12-5, recording four multi-run innings to earn the nonconference victory.
• Richmond has won three of the past five games against the Wolfpack in the series. The Spiders notched a 7-4 win in Raleigh the last time the two teams met back on May 7, 2014.
• Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent holds a 6-5 all-time record against Richmond.
• NC State won 17 straight games against the Spiders from March 9, 1981, to March 17, 1994.
LAST TIME ON THE DIAMOND
NC State's pitching staff helped lead the Wolfpack to back-to-back victories over Notre Dame this past weekend, helping the Pack secure its first ACC road series victory of the season. The series win also marked its first series victory at Notre Dame in program history (fifth series trip to South Bend). The Pack outscored the Fighting Irish 11-2 over the final two games, needing just four pitchers to toss the final 18 innings of the series. The Pack slugged two homers apiece in each victory and trailed after just one inning over the final two games of the series.
STRONG MARK IN THE RPI
NC State ranks No. 19 in Monday's RPI poll. The Pack is 22-1 in games against teams ranked above No. 50 in the most recent RPI poll. NC State ranks 25th nationally in overall strength of schedule. The Wolfpack tallied two wins over Notre Dame (No. 43) this past weekend in South Bend, improving to 4-2 against teams with an RPI ranking between 26-50.
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 batting average 60 points to .344. The third baseman has hit safely in 18 of his past 19 games and has reached base in 32 straight contests. 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.
WELCOME HOME TO RALEIGH, TRACY
Richmond head coach Tracy Woodson is a former #Pack9 standout, earning Second Team All-America honors from Collegiate Baseball, Baseball America and the ABCA in 1984. Woodson also was named the ACC Player of the Year in 1984, which was the Pack's third ACC Player of the Year in program history and remains one of four since the award was first handed out in 1969. In 2003, Woodson joined six other former members of the Pack on the ACC 50th Anniversary Team. Woodson still holds the single-season (.930) and career (.720) record for slugging percentage at NC State. The current Spiders' head coach was drafted 77th overall (third round) in the 1984 MLB Draft.
SCOUTING RICHMOND
Richmond (21-24, 10-7 A-10) recorded a series victory at home against St. Bonaventure this past weekend. In its wins over the Bonnies, the Spiders outscored its opponent 34-4. Richmond won the rubber match of its series 19-4, scoring a season-high 19 runs in the victory. Offensively, Johnny Hipsman leads the Spiders with 69 hits, 117 total bases, a .643 slugging percentage and a .379 batting average. On the mound, the Spiders have tossed 368 strikeouts and issued 192 walks. Richmond's pitching staff carries a 6.74 ERA and 1.62 WHIP into Tuesday's midweek matchup.
COMEBACK PACK
The Wolfpack has rallied to win 10 times after going behind first, including back-to-back comeback wins to open its series sweep of Florida State. The Pack has recorded two wins in home series finales in comeback, walk-off fashion when Payton Green hit a two-run homer on March 5 to flip a 5-4 deficit into a 6-5 win against NJIT and then Cannon Peebles hit a two-RBI single up the middle to flip a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 win over No. 14 Virginia on March 18. NC State completed its 10th comeback win of the year in Saturday's series-clinching victory at Notre Dame.
PUTTING UP CROOKED NUMBERS
NC State's offense has scored runs in bunches this season, posting 93 multi-run innings through just 46 games (2.02 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 21-1 record when scoring first this season. The Pack has scored in the first inning 17 times and has scored in either the first or second inning 24 times in 2023.
#Pack9 | @NCStateBaseball
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