In front of a sold-out crowd at Doak Field, 10-seed NC State baseball took advantage of a regional atmosphere, something it had not tasted since 2018. Relishing the opportunity, the Pack pieced together an all-around performance of electric offense and consistent pitching that prevented any chance of an upset loss, resulting in a 9-2 victory over the Bryant Bulldogs.
“The environment tonight was incredible,” said graduate right-handed pitcher Sam Highfill. “The best I’ve seen in five years, and rightfully so, this team deserves every bit of it.”
From the start, NC State rode the efforts of Highfill. Coming off a poor start in the ACC Tournament, Highfill responded with a performance that limited any opposing offensive action. Though he allowed a home run in the second inning to Bulldogs catcher Jackson Phinney, the graduate pitcher kept Bryant hitless in the ensuing three innings.
Bryant put together some offense once again in the seventh inning as consecutive doubles scored a run and opened the potential for some offensive momentum. Spurring a pitching change, the Pack turned to reliable freshman righty Jacob Dudan. Quickly getting the needed three outs, Dudan picked up where Highfill left off. Pitching the remainder of the contest, Dudan prevented any counterpunch from the Bulldogs as he fanned a career-high six batters en route to earning the save.
“He looked as calm as ever in the biggest situation he’s probably ever pitched in,” Highfill said. “It’s just more of the same from him that we’ve seen all year.”
To complement the Pack’s presence on the mound, the super-slugging graduate transfer duo of third baseman Alec Makarewicz and first baseman Garrett Pennington put the offense on their backs, combining for six hits, five doubles and four runs. In addition, Makarewicz tacked on three RBIs. The ECU transfer extended his hit streak to 21 games, the season’s longest streak.
The two have pushed each other to be better all season long.
“But you know, we’re just rooting for each other, keep doing better and keep getting better together,” Makarewicz said. “It’s our last year, so we’re just trying to soak it in and enjoy it.”
While NC State developed an effective presence on the mound, it strung together multiple innings in which its offense found great success. The third inning provided a springboard for the Pack’s offense as three base hits scored a pair of runs, which included a knock from junior shortstop Brandon Butterworth to grab the lead. Capped off by a perfectly laid bunt by freshman left fielder Luke Nixon, the Pack enjoyed a 3-1 lead after three innings.
As the game progressed into the sixth inning, the score remained the same as both teams remained poised in the contest. This frame proved key as the Pack used it to burst onto the scene. Quickly placing a man on, senior right fielder Noah Soles drilled a two-run homer over the right wall. The home run was his first since returning from lower-leg surgery in early May. He made his presence known with an emphatic bat flip, one that caught the eye of his team, fans and even the umpires, who issued a warning for the celebration.
“He’s looking more and more like the old Noah Soles,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “He’s gone through so much and battled so much. He’s the heart and soul of our ball club.”
With the score at 5-1, the Pack continued to put runners on. Once again, Makarewicz proved adept at the plate as he collected another RBI. Before the inning concluded, Butterworth also collected his second RBI of the game as he connected on a base hit to widen the lead to 7-1. Batting behind junior catcher Jacob Cozart, who was intentionally walked twice, Butterworth used these opportunities to help collect a pair of RBIs.
Even though the Pack secured a commanding lead, it was far from satisfied as it continued to piece together offensive success in the eighth inning. With two men on and no outs, Makarewicz capped off a strong night with a season-high third double, which in turn secured his third RBI of the evening. Loading the bases afterward, the Pack scored its ninth run of the game as freshman designated hitter Alex Sosa was walked.
Feeding off a full-capacity crowd, NC State found multiple ways to ward off Bryant as both its batting and pitching gave it a well-balanced attack. Showcasing what it can do when both facets of its game are clicking, the Pack gave itself a huge momentum boost for the rest of the weekend.
“Winning the first game helped a little bit,” Avent said. “If we’d lost, I wouldn’t think we were out of it by any stretch of the imagination. But winning the first one was good.”
The Wolfpack is set to face the South Carolina Gamecocks on June 1 in the winner’s bracket. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.
