North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
18-5, 3-2
Florida State
18-4, 4-1
No. 11 Florida State Evens Series with No. 10 NC State
3/21/2026 6:54:00 PM | Baseball
The first four innings were a back-and-forth battle, with the game tied at four going into the fifth. Seminole first baseman Myles Bailey hit two home runs, with his second putting the Seminoles ahead 5-4, a lead they maintained.
The Wolfpack (18-5, 3-2) took the lead in the fourth with three runs after one of four Seminole errors allowed a run to score with the bases loaded, followed by Luke Nixon singling in two runs to make it 4-3. Nixon finished with four hits in five at-bats and a run scored.
Ty Head hit his eighth home run of the season to give the Pack a run in the top of the eighth.
Jacob Dudan (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season after pitching five innings, allowing eight runs on eight hits with four walks and six strikeouts. Collins Black relieved him, striking out two but allowing three runs on four hits. Danny Heintz calmed the game with 2.1 scoreless innings, walking two and striking out two.
FSU starter Trey Beard pitched only 3.2 innings as the Pack scored four runs on six hits, walking four and striking out seven. Chris Knier (1-0) entered after Beard and earned the win.
NC State had opportunities, going 2-14 with runners in scoring position and 0-6 with runners on third and less than two outs.
After the Seminoles scored two in the first, NC State's Rett Johnson continued to produce, knocking an infield single to bring in Nixon. Johnson is now hitting .439 to lead the Pack and has 19 RBIs.
Florida State added another run in the second after back-to-back doubles; however, as they have throughout the series, the Wolfpack responded with a three-run fourth.
The big hit came from Florida State's Brayden Dowd, who hit a grand slam in the bottom of the sixth off Black.
The series wraps up tomorrow, Sunday, March 22nd, at 1 p.m., as the Wolfpack aims for its second ACC series win of the season.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Knier, Chris (1-0)
L: Dudan, Jacob (4-1)
S: Purcell, Brodie (2)
Batting:
HR: Head, Ty 1
RBI: Nixon, Luke 2 ; Head, Ty 1 ; Johnson, Rett 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Nixon, Luke 1 ; McHugh, Chris 1 ; Head, Ty 2 ; Johnson, Rett 1
SB: Johnson, Rett 1
HBP: Ryan, Mikey 1
Batting:
2B: Williams, Chase 1 ; Paulino Jr., Kelvyn 1 ; Stuetzer, John 1 ; Bailey, Myles 1
HR: Dowd, Brayden 1 ; Bailey, Myles 2
RBI: Williams, Chase 1 ; Fisher, Cal 1 ; Dowd, Brayden 4 ; Paulino Jr., Kelvyn 1 ; Stuetzer, John 1 ; Bailey, Myles 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Bavaro, Will 1 ; Williams, Chase 1 ; Fisher, Cal 1 ; Dowd, Brayden 1 ; Paulino Jr., Kelvyn 1 ; Stuetzer, John 2 ; Bailey, Myles 3 ; Putnam, Eli 1
SB: Williams, Chase 1 ; Stuetzer, John 1
