Winners of 12 of its last 13 games, NC State baseball flexed its muscles in a 13-0 victory over Davidson in Kannapolis at Atrium Health Ballpark Tuesday night.
The Wolfpack (15-6) run-ruled the Wildcats (6-13) in just seven innings. After jumping ahead early, the red-and-white left no doubt about the final result. The win marked an all-around impressive performance in all phases of the game. With 12 hits in seven innings, the batters put up a strong day at the plate. Meanwhile, on the bump, NC State’s pitchers combined for 13 strikeouts and just one walk.
The Pack9 scored six runs in just the first inning, swarming the Wildcats early. Sophomore first baseman Chris McHugh kicked off the scoring with a three-run homer, barreling the ball past left field. The Pack then gradually added run after run to build a 6-0 lead in the first.
The fireworks continued into the second inning when NC State tacked on three more runs. With doubles from junior right fielder Brayden Fraasman and sophomore second baseman Luke Nixon, the Wolfpack added to its total and led 9-0 after just two innings.
The rest of the Wolfpack’s scoring came from home runs. Junior left fielder Josh Hogue blasted a two-run shot past left field, pushing the lead to 11 runs in the third. Then Nixon went the yard in the fourth, giving NC State another pair of runs and a commanding 13-0 lead. The scoring slowed in the fifth and beyond as the red-and-white worked in some depth pieces to get some game experience.
Among the Pack’s hitters, nobody stood out more than Fraasman. The JUCO transfer went 3-4 at the plate, including back-to-back doubles in the first two innings. Fraasman scored again in the fourth thanks to Nixon’s home run. Fraasman’s continued improvement will be key for the Wolfpack during ACC play.
On the mound, freshman right-handed pitcher Anderson Nance enjoyed one of the best performances of his collegiate career. With a personal best of eight strikeouts across 14 at-bats, Nance showcased his upside. The freshman maintained excellent control, only giving up one walk during his 3.2 innings of action. Nance ultimately collected the win, improving to 2-1 on the season.
It was a bullpen-by-committee approach after Nance’s day was done, with three pitchers making appearances. Sophomore righty Jacob Dudan notably threw one of his best innings of the season with two strikeouts and no hits allowed. Meanwhile, junior right-handed pitcher Derrick Smith, who recently returned from injury, also had a standout inning. Smith tossed one inning and struck three batters out.
With the win, the Wolfpack continues to reverse its trend of dropping midweeks like it did last season. One of the few blemishes during the Pack’s 2024 campaign was a head-scratching 3-6 record in midweek performances. Already 4-2 in the midweeks, the Wolfpack is making sure to take advantage of every opportunity to pick up wins this season, both in weekend series and midweek matchups.
Next up, NC State will travel north for an ACC series at Pittsburgh. Game 1 is set for Friday with the first pitch at 3 p.m.
