Entering the season as a consensus top-25 team, NC State baseball has largely lived up to its lofty preseason expectations. From strong play in the infield and backstop to a roller coaster on the mound, here are the biggest takeaways from the Wolfpack’s first 11 games of the season.
New faces making infield impact
The Wolfpack infield boasts a slew of new names, and one name in particular is standing out — graduate third baseman Alec Makarewicz. After starting all 11 games so far, the ECU transfer has perhaps the biggest bat on the team. He currently boasts a .404 batting average, five homers and an ACC-leading 24 RBIs. He enjoyed success in the Pack’s series win over Hawaii in particular — he accumulated six hits and eight RBIs. In the series opener, he hacked a pair of homers, which included a grand slam.
Another key addition to the Pack’s lineup is graduate first baseman Garrett Pennington. In the revamped infield, the Pack has reaped the rewards of his consistent defense at first base. At the plate, he has put up quality numbers as his .429 batting average currently leads the team and has 18 hits.
The Pack also has a rising star in sophomore infielder Josh Hogue. After succeeding at the JUCO level last season, he has thrived with his new squad. With seven starts, Hogue has a .414 batting average, 12 hits and 12 RBIs. It should not be a surprise to see him more involved as the season progresses.
The backstop is well protected
Heading into the season, junior catcher Jacob Cozart was a major source of optimism for the red-and-white, reeling in wide praise. So far he has lived up to the attention he received. Cozart has played in all 11 games either behind the dish or as designated hitter.
The catching position beyond Cozart also offers lots of promise as head coach Elliott Avent has put together key depth. This includes redshirt freshman Drew Lanphere, who has split time behind the plate with Cozart and at other times in the field. Lanphere has pieced together a .414 batting average, 12 hits and 12 RBIs, one of which came in a ninth-inning walk-off win over Towson.
Ups and downs on the mound
At the beginning of this season, NC State was projected to have one of the better pitching staffs in the ACC, with a strong mix of returning veterans and fresh additions. However, the pitching staff has not started the way it anticipated as a season-ending injury to senior right-handed pitcher Matt Willadsen has shuffled the rotation. The Pack is finding mixed success as it collectively has put together a 4.25 ERA which ranks seventh-best in the ACC.
The Pack’s Friday night starter so far has been graduate right-handed pitcher Sam Highfill. Despite bringing plenty of experience, he has not had sustained success so far this season. In 14 innings of play, he has posted a 4.50 ERA while collecting 14 strikeouts. As the season has progressed, he has returned back more to his old self.
Perhaps the most highly vaunted pitcher for the Pack this offseason was sophomore left-handed pitcher Dominic Fritton. However, the 2023 D1 Baseball Freshman All-American has not been able to find much success so far. Through three starts, he holds a 6.39 ERA and has not pitched for more than 4.2 innings in a game. Despite leading the team with 17 strikeouts, Fritton has left much to be desired because of his high potential. In his most recent start against Towson, he punched out eight batters but also allowed four runs.
Despite some struggles in its order, the Pack might have a hidden gem in freshman lefty Ryan Marohn. Given the Sunday matinee starts, he has largely adjusted well to the college level. In his debut against VCU he pitched five innings of scoreless baseball along with eight strikeouts. Despite seeing a decline in his production since then, Marohn has still been able to shine as he certainly has the potential to make a large impact.
In the bullpen, NC State has established a list of names who it can turn to to help finish out games. Shifting from a starting role to largely becoming a reliever, redshirt senior Logan Whitaker has found mixed results. Apart from starting in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader, in which he tossed six innings of scoreless ball, he has been used to step in and pitch three innings in each of his two other appearances.
Lastly, two other members of the Pack’s bullpen have been key facets to its game. Sophomore righty Shane Van Dam has proven to be a reliable force in late game situations as he currently holds a team-best 3.12 ERA. Despite getting roughed up in the series finale against Hawaii, he has been lights out in his other appearances. Freshman righty Jacob Dudan has been a consistent closer for the Pack in six appearances, yielding only one run while tabbing two saves.
