Friday, February 16
Raleigh, N.C.
3 p.m.
NC State
1-0
6
vs
1
VCU
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
R
H
E
VCU
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
NC State
0
0
1
4
0
0
0
1
X
6
13
0
Photo by: Mollie Mitchell
#13 Wolfpack Notches 6-1 Opening Day Win Over VCU
2/16/2024 6:39:00 PM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. – The No. 13 NC State baseball team notched its eighth straight Opening Day victory with a 6-1 win over VCU on Friday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park.
After VCU (0-1) struck first with a run in the opening frame, the Wolfpack (1-0) scored the game's final six runs to notch head coach Elliott Avent's 999th win at NC State.
Freshman Alex Sosa tied the score with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third, scoring Jacob Cozart from third base to make it 1-1. Sosa's base hit marked both his first hit and RBI in an NC State uniform.
The Wolfpack took its first lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Heavner, who smacked his first-career home run in the Pack's final home game of the 2023 season, delivered NC State's first homer of 2024 with a solo shot to open the fourth. Garrett Pennington, Cozart and Alec Makarewicz all recorded RBI in the frame to expand the Pack's advantage to 5-1.
Wolfpack starting pitcher Sam Highfill settled in after allowing a run in the first, tossing four straight scoreless frames to earn his first win of the year. Highfill allowed just one hit with six strikeouts over five innings, not giving up a hit over his final four innings on the mound.
Sophomore Shane Van Dam shined in his Wolfpack debut, tossing four scoreless innings to earn the save on Opening Day. Van Dam struck out five opposing batters while allowing just two hits and two walks.
Cozart extended NC State's lead to its final margin at 6-1 with a towering solo home run to right field in the eighth inning.
Five Wolfpack batters recorded two-hit performances in Friday's win – Noah Soles, Brandon Butterworth, Cozart, Makarewicz and Sosa. Cozart's two RBI led the team.
Wolfpack batters struck out just two times on Friday while drawing seven walks. The Pack's pitching duo of Highfill and Van Dam combined to punch out 11 batters while allowing only three hits. Highfill and Van Dam did not allow an extra-base hit, limiting VCU to three singles in nine innings.
VCU reliever Campbell Ellis suffered the loss for the Rams.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to secure its first series victory of the season in Saturday's matchup against VCU. First pitch at The Doak is set for 2 p.m. and will stream live on ACC Network Extra. Head coach Elliott Avent can also notch his 1,000th win at NC State with a victory on Saturday.
After VCU (0-1) struck first with a run in the opening frame, the Wolfpack (1-0) scored the game's final six runs to notch head coach Elliott Avent's 999th win at NC State.
Freshman Alex Sosa tied the score with a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the third, scoring Jacob Cozart from third base to make it 1-1. Sosa's base hit marked both his first hit and RBI in an NC State uniform.
The Wolfpack took its first lead with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Heavner, who smacked his first-career home run in the Pack's final home game of the 2023 season, delivered NC State's first homer of 2024 with a solo shot to open the fourth. Garrett Pennington, Cozart and Alec Makarewicz all recorded RBI in the frame to expand the Pack's advantage to 5-1.
Wolfpack starting pitcher Sam Highfill settled in after allowing a run in the first, tossing four straight scoreless frames to earn his first win of the year. Highfill allowed just one hit with six strikeouts over five innings, not giving up a hit over his final four innings on the mound.
Sophomore Shane Van Dam shined in his Wolfpack debut, tossing four scoreless innings to earn the save on Opening Day. Van Dam struck out five opposing batters while allowing just two hits and two walks.
Cozart extended NC State's lead to its final margin at 6-1 with a towering solo home run to right field in the eighth inning.
Five Wolfpack batters recorded two-hit performances in Friday's win – Noah Soles, Brandon Butterworth, Cozart, Makarewicz and Sosa. Cozart's two RBI led the team.
Wolfpack batters struck out just two times on Friday while drawing seven walks. The Pack's pitching duo of Highfill and Van Dam combined to punch out 11 batters while allowing only three hits. Highfill and Van Dam did not allow an extra-base hit, limiting VCU to three singles in nine innings.
VCU reliever Campbell Ellis suffered the loss for the Rams.
UP NEXT
NC State looks to secure its first series victory of the season in Saturday's matchup against VCU. First pitch at The Doak is set for 2 p.m. and will stream live on ACC Network Extra. Head coach Elliott Avent can also notch his 1,000th win at NC State with a victory on Saturday.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Highfill, Sam (1-0)
L: Ellis, Campbell (0-1)
S: Van Dam, Shane (1)
Batting:
RBI: McHugh, Chris 1
SF: McHugh, Chris 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Kleinman, Casey 1
HBP: McHugh, Chris 1
Batting:
2B: Makarewicz, Alec 1
HR: Cozart, Jacob 1 ; Heavner, Matt 1
RBI: Pennington, Garrett 1 ; Cozart, Jacob 2 ; Makarewicz, Alec 1 ; Sosa, Alex 1 ; Heavner, Matt 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Soles, Noah 1 ; Serrano III, Eli 1 ; Cozart, Jacob 2 ; Heavner, Matt 1 ; Butterworth, Brandon 1
CS: Makarewicz, Alec 1
HBP: Soles, Noah 1 ; Pennington, Garrett 1
Game Leaders
Hitting
AB
4
R
1
H
2
RBI
0
AB
4
R
2
H
2
RBI
2
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
Players Mentioned
INF
/ BaseballC
/ Baseball
INF
/ Baseball
RHP/INF
/ BaseballINF
/ Baseball
INF
/ BaseballOF
/ Baseball
RHP
/ BaseballAuburn Regional Preview: Elliott Avent on ACC PM
Thursday, May 29
Game Three Press Conference: Athens Super Regional
Tuesday, June 11
Game Two Press Conference: Athens Super Regional
Sunday, June 09
Game One Press Conference - Athens Super Regional
Saturday, June 08