Youth Movement on the Mound Pushes Wolfpack to Victory Over ECU

Tuesday, April 14

Greenville, NC

6 p.m.

NC State

25-12

East Carolina

22-1-51

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
NC State	0	2	3	0	0	1	1	3	0	10	10	0
East Carolina	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	3	5	2

Youth Movement on the Mound Pushes Wolfpack to Victory Over ECU

4/15/2026 12:12:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Luke Hemric, Mikey Ragusa, Sam Harris, Aiden Kitchings, and Truitt Manuel, all freshmen who had not appeared for the Wolfpack before this season, combined to allow just three runs on five hits, with 10 strikeouts and only three walks, helping lead NC State to a 10-3 victory on Tuesday night in Greenville.

It is the largest win in the series for NC State (25-12) over ECU since 2022. The Wolfpack moves to 6-3 this season against in-state opponents.

Hemric (2-1) earned the win after tossing four strong innings, allowing no runs on two hits, with two walks and seven strikeouts. Ragusa made his college debut against the Pirates and, in his first action in a Wolfpack uniform, went 1.1 innings, allowing just one run on one hit with a walk. His first career strikeout came against the first batter he faced.

Harris, Kitchings, and Manuel closed things out, allowing just two base runners between the three of them.

Offensively, Sherman Johnson was 3-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Luke Nixon hit his fifth home run of the season and doubled, finishing with two RBIs. Five of the Wolfpack's 10 hits went for extra bases.

The Wolfpack jumped out in front early with two runs in the second inning following a Pirate error. ECU shortstop, while throwing to first, hit Brayden Fraasman in the helmet as he came into second base, allowing Mikey Ryan to score from third base. On the first pitch to Rett Johnson, he singled to make it 2-0. It was Johnson's 49th hit of the season and 24th RBI.

The scoring continued for NC State at the top of the third as Ty Head connected for his team-leading 11th home run of the season, giving the Pack a 4-0 lead. Brandon Novy added another after a sacrifice fly.

In the sixth, the Pack made it 6-0 following a Fraasman ground ball to third base, scoring Sherman from third.

East Carolina got on the board in the sixth, but the Pack responded in the seventh, capitalizing on a Pirate error again, and catcher Drew Lanphere doubled after showing a bunt to score Fraasman.

Lanphere would come around to score on the Nixon home run for the ninth and 10th Wolfpack runs of the game. The Pack has now hit 57 home runs as a team this season.

NC State will remain on the road and travel to the other side of North Carolina as they prepare for a three-game series in Winston-Salem against Wake Forest, beginning on Friday, April 17th, at 8 p.m., with the game broadcast on ACC Network.