Midweek Action Sees NC State Baseball Take on Richmond and Akron

Tuesday, February 24

Raleigh, NC

3 p.m.

NC State

Richmond

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Midweek Action Sees NC State Baseball Take on Richmond and Akron

2/23/2026 3:20:00 PM | Baseball

Game Notes

RALEIGH, N.C. – Following a series win over Princeton, No. 14 NC State Baseball is set for a pair of midweek games at Doak Field this week. First, the Wolfpack will take on Richmond on Tuesday, Feb. 24^th, at 3 p.m. Wolfpack fans won't have to wait long to see the Pack again, as Akron comes to town on Wednesday, Feb. 25^th, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.

Both games can be seen on ACCNX and heard on WKNC 88.1 and the Varsity Network App.

Head Coach Elliott Avent will be going for win 1,301 after becoming the third active head coach to reach 1,300 career wins following the Wolfpack's 16-1 victory over Princeton. Avent is just the 24^th D1 baseball head coach to win at least 1,300 career games.

The Wolfpack will look to avenge last year's 5-1 midweek loss to Richmond. The Spiders scored four runs in the top of the seventh after the Pack scored in the first. Richmond was the first opponent the Wolfpack ever faced as a program in 1940 under coach Doc Newton. The Spiders won that contest 5-0. NC State is 30-10 all-time against the Spiders.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Tuesday: RHP Heath Andrews (NCSU) vs. Jackson Hinchliffe (RICH)
Wednesday: TBA vs. TBA

Akron and NC State have met only once before. In 2009, the Wolfpack defeated the Zips 5-4 in 18 innings in Miami Shores, Fla., tying for the longest game in program history, and NC State pitching struck out a program-record 31 batters.

Heath Andrews is slated to make his second midweek start of the season. In his first start against Winthrop last week, Andrews went 3.1 innings and recorded two strikeouts in a no-decision.

Center fielder Ty Head continues to see the ball well this season and is among the toughest players to strike out. Head is one of just 26 players in the country who have not been struck out. In 19 at-bats, Head is batting .263 with five hits, two home runs, and five RBIs. Head is once again leading the Pack in base on balls with six walks.

After leading the offense last season, Chris McHugh is off to a hot start at the plate again. McHugh is hitting a team-leading .435 with 10 hits, two home runs, eight RBIs, and five runs scored.

Wolfpack pitching has gotten off to a strong start in 2026. With a 1.73 ERA, the Wolfpack staff ranks fourth nationally and second in the conference. Jacob Dudan has not allowed a run in his two starts, and Ryan Marohn has a 0.93 ERA in his two starts.

The Wolfpack bullpen has also pitched well early on. The Wolfpack has already seen eight pitching debuts. Collins Black earned his first career win in game one against Princeton. Danny Heintz pitched a scoreless inning in his first appearance in nearly two years. Freshmen Aiden Kitchings and Luke Hemric have combined for seven innings and 10 strikeouts, and Truitt Manuel has pitched two scoreless innings after redshirting last year.

NC State has been active on the base paths so far this season, swiping 15 bags, which ranks 50^th in the nation and is already half their total from last year. As a team, they have been caught only twice, with Luke Nixon leading the team with six steals in 2026.

The long ball has been a key part of the Wolfpack offense thus far. NC State has hit at least one home run in every game this year, totaling 12. Dalton Bargo leads the team with three, while Rett Johnson and Devin Mitchell hit back-to-back home runs against Princeton for their first with the Wolfpack. Mitchell's home run came in his first plate appearance at NC State.