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Winthrop
NC State Baseball Begins 2026 Home Slate Against Winthrop
2/17/2026 4:05:00 PM | Baseball
Raleigh, N.C. – After a 2-0 weekend in Puerto Rico, No. 17 NC State Baseball returns to Raleigh for the 2026 home opener as the Wolfpack gets set to take on Winthrop on Wednesday, Feb. 18th, at 3 p.m. at Doak Field.
The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra with Evan Budrovich and former Pack player Scott Davis on the call. Fans can also catch the game on WKNC 88.1 and the Varsity Network app.
Dollar Dog Night returns to Doak Field this season with three opportunities for fans to get in on the action, including the home opener tomorrow. Instructions on obtaining a parking permit can be found HERE.
Probable Starting Pitchers
Wednesday: RHP Heath Andrews (NCSU) vs. RHP Mason Thompkins (WIN)
After being scheduled to start Sunday's canceled contest in Puerto Rico against Seton Hall, Andrews gets the Tuesday start. He finished the 2025 season with a 4-3 record, 6.02 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 14 starts.
The sixth overall meeting between the Wolfpack and the Eagles, and just the first since 2003. The first meeting between the two programs came in 1988, under head coach Ray Tanner, with the Wolfpack winning 19-4.
The NC State offense looks to continue its hot start to the season after outscoring its opponents 23-4 over the weekend. Helping spur the offense was a mix of new and returning faces. Transfers Dalton Bargo and Andrew Wiggins each went deep for their first home runs with the Wolfpack. Bargo had back-to-back games in which he went deep.
There were plenty of Pack debuts in Puerto Rico, including five transfers, two freshmen, and two returners coming back from injury. Freshman Sam Harris and Aiden Kitchings each pitched an inning against Indiana State, with each picking up their first career strikeouts.
Julien Peissel, who hadn't pitched since May 2024 while at UNCG, was back on the mound for the Pack, putting up a scoreless inning against Washington. After suffering a season-ending injury last season, redshirt freshman Truitt Manuel took the mound for the first time in his collegiate career, getting the final out against the Sycamores.
Following the Wolfpack's 10-4 win over Indiana State on Saturday in Puerto Rico, NC State head coach Elliott Avent won his 1,073rd game at NC State, surpassing Jim Morris for fourth most by an ACC head coach. Avent is just one of five ACC coaches to surpass 1,000 wins at a single program. Mike Martin (FSU-1,363), Danny Hall (GT 1,244), Bill Wilhelm (Clemson, 1,161), and Jim Morris (1,072. Morris coached at both Georgia Tech (1982-93) and Miami (2005-18).
With 1,297 career wins, he is the third-most winning active Division I head coach. His 1,300 victories would make him just the 24th head coach ever to reach the mark. He is only 27 wins away from winning 1,100 wins at NC State.
NC State was 22-9 at home last season. NC State was just 10-6 on the road. Doak Field at Dail Park has been a dominant home-field advantage for the Wolfpack since 196. Since head coach Elliott Avent came to Raleigh to take over the #Pack9 program in 1997, NC State has posted a 650-239 (.732) record in games played at Doak Field at Dail Park. NC State has now won 20 or more games at The Doak 25 times since Avent's first year as head coach in 1997.
