NC State baseball’s season is just around the corner and there’s reason to be excited for another season of Pack 9 baseball as the Wolfpack is coming off its second College World Series appearance in the last four years. Although the Wolfpack lost six starting position players from last year’s team, this season still has the potential to bring much excitement.
Once again, the ACC is projected to be one of the best conferences in the country as it has seven teams in the preseason Top 25, including NC State which is ranked No. 13. Let’s take a look at the marquee games on the Wolfpack’s 2025 schedule.
Non-conference slate
In non-conference play, the Pack will get its first test of the season in the Jax Baseball Classic from Feb. 21-23. Held in Jacksonville, Florida, this round-robin-style tournament will feature games against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Although not world-beaters, these teams will be good measuring sticks to gauge the Pack’s potential.
Later in the season, NC State will face in-state rival ECU in a pair of midweek games, a tradition that was started in 2004 and has continued for much of the past two decades. There is no doubt that there is bad blood between the Pirates and the Pack, considering the post-game scuffle after their most recent football matchup. The first game will take place on April 8 in Greenville. Then, they will face off again on April 22 in Raleigh.
Conference slate
NC State’s first ranked conference series of the season comes against No. 11 Duke from March 28-30 in Durham. Last season, Duke knocked the Wolfpack out of the ACC tournament and later went on to win the conference championship. This three-game series will be a good chance for the Pack to get back at its rival and see how it stacks up against a solid team.
The next weekend, the Pack will get another huge test as No. 2 Virginia comes to town April 4-6. Virginia is a team with serious national championship aspirations, having made it to the College World Series three of the last four years. The Pack’s series win last year in Charlottesville helped galvanize the squad and build confidence for the postseason. A series win against the Cavaliers could be huge for the Pack.
A series that could turn the tide of the season is a matchup against No. 15 Clemson at Doak Field from April 24-26. If the season does not start out so hot and the Pack drops the ball in its first few tests, this series will be an opportunity to get back on track against a competitive opponent.
As always, keep an eye out for the annual series against No. 6 UNC-Chapel Hill, which takes place from May 9-11. It seems like sparks fly every time these two teams face off. Last season, the Pack got the better of the Heels, winning two of three games, including a Thursday night thriller that ended in a walk-off homerun. Both teams are looking to build off of College World Series appearances and go all the way this year.
Luckily for local Wolfpack fans, NC State will play 33 of 56 games at home, plus an additional six games in the Triangle at Duke and Carolina — giving fans a great chance to grab a hot dog, a soda and catch some Pack 9 baseball.
