Just three years removed from its incredible run to Omaha in the 2021 College World Series, NC State baseball finds itself on the cusp of what could be another major postseason run.
The Wolfpack prepares to host a Regional for the first time since 2018, a feat no player, true freshman nor graduate, has been a part of except for graduate third baseman Alec Makarewicz and senior right-handed pitcher Hollis Fanning, who hosted two regionals each during their time at ECU and Tennessee respecitively.
Graduate right-handed pitcher Sam Highfill, who is in the midst of his fifth and final season with the Wolfpack, said this opportunity means everything.
“I spent five years here, almost a quarter of my life at NC State,” Highfill said. “I grew up loving this place. It means everything; one last chance. Who knows when it’s your last time throwing a baseball? The mindset is playing for the team, but also to enjoy what could be the last moments of my baseball career.”
The ace from Apex, North Carolina has been the heart and soul of the team and the Pack’s most reliable pitcher over the past couple seasons. He’s played through it all — the Covid season in his freshman year, the College World Series run in his second season and a season-ending injury in his third year after just six starts. Now, with his eyes set on Omaha, he has nothing to lose and everything to gain, starting with hosting a regional at Doak Field.
“It means a lot,” Highfill said. “This is the one thing outside of winning a national championship that I haven’t done and wanted to be able to do. It’s awesome. I can’t wait to see what the Doak looks like tomorrow night.”
Longtime Wolfpack players like Highfill have been a key piece of the Wolfpack’s dominant season, but transfers have made a massive impact on the field, headlined by Makarewicz and graduate first baseman Garrett Pennington.
Pennington has been one of the biggest X-factors for the red-and-white, leading the team in runs and doubles while recording second in hits and RBIs, both behind Makarewicz. Though Makarewicz had an easy transfer from nearby ECU, Pennington’s decision wasn’t as simple. The Kansas native chose to transfer halfway across the country to Raleigh, a decision that now has him playing in his first Division I tournament in his final season.
“I knew [NC State] was home as soon as I stepped on campus,” Pennington said. “Talked to Avent, [Chris] Hart, Bo [Robinson], Clint [Chrysler] and everybody behind them. They treated me like an actual human being and not just a baseball player. I knew it was home and I’m proud to call it home for the rest of my life.”
In what some would call a surprising move, Avent announced that Highfill would start on the mound for the Wolfpack in game one of the Raleigh Regional. Some teams choose to hold their ace for one of the higher-ranked teams in the regional, but Avent decided to stick to his guns and keep the same rotation he’s been using throughout the regular season.
“Sam has got the ball tomorrow,” Avent said. “We think everyone here is equal. We don’t treat South Carolina different than James Madison, or James Madison different than Bryant. They are our next opponent. Everybody is here for a reason. Everybody here thinks they’re playing their best ball of the season. We feel the same way, but we’re going to do what we’ve done to this point.”
The Wolfpack is set to kick off its time in the Raleigh Regional with a matchup against Bryant on Friday, May 31. First pitch is set for 7 p.m.
