Heading into the start of last season, NC State baseball had lofty goals after a trip to the College World Series in 2021. The season, however, did go as planned. Despite a 36-21 record, and a trip to the ACC Championship, the Pack missed out on a trip to the NCAA Tournament. With a fresh schedule at hand, it looks to rebound within the always stacked conference.
Last season, nine teams from the ACC made the postseason, which was tied for most of any conference. This season, the No. 21 Wolfpack will face seven of these teams, all of which will certainly prove to be a challenge. However, it will give the Pack plenty of chances to collect quality wins — something it was not able to find much success with last season.
Nonconference Opponents
NC State hopes to have a strong start to the season as it welcomes the Wagner Seahawks to the newly renovated Doak Field. Despite the Pack expecting to take the series, the Seahawks should not be overlooked as they look to bounce back after a disappointing 2022 season.
NC State will then travel to Coastal Carolina for the first of two matchups throughout the season. The Chanticleers are always a formidable foe as they finished last season with multiple wins against ACC teams.
Afterward, the Pack will return to Raleigh for an eight-game homestand that includes a series against Belmont and two midweek matchups with Longwood and Radford. The stretch will wrap up with a series against NJIT, which is the first time both teams will meet. In its last nonconference game before ACC play, the Pack will travel to UNC-Greensboro to take on the Spartans in the first of two games.
Even after NC State moves into ACC play, it will still have several nonconference opportunities. These opponents include Elon, UNC-Wilmington, East Carolina, Davidson, a late series with The Citadel and matchup with North Carolina A&T. A midweek matchup with No. 11 East Carolina headlines this lineup as the Pirates look to build off a strong showing in 2022. Despite being swept by the Pack, ECU got hot at the end of the season and made it all the way to the NCAA Superregional.
Early Conference Play
From March 10-12, NC State travels to No. 22 Miami to begin its ACC schedule. This is certainly an immediate test for the Pack as the Hurricanes were among the ACC’s best last season, however, NC State defeated Miami last season en route to the ACC championship. The following weekend will certainly provide another test with the Pack welcoming No. 19 Virginia. The Cavaliers were a juggernaut last year and an early 14-0 start helped them establish themselves among the conference’s best. Both Miami and Virginia made appearances in the NCAA regional last year and serve as an early trial for NC State.
Following these two series, the Pack travels to Boston College, but the following weekend, the No. 16 Louisville Cardinals come to town. Last season, Louisville took the series and truly posed a problem for NC State’s pitching as the Cardinals scored double-digit runs in each game. The Pack continues its early gauntlet of ACC games when it travels to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to take on No. 6 Wake Forest. The Demon Deacons return a large amount of talent and are picked to be the best team in the conference in 2023.
Late Conference Play
As NC State begins to head into the back half of its schedule, things will certainly not get any easier. The Florida State Seminoles come to Raleigh with new head coach Link Jarrett, the father of former NC State standout J.T. Jarrett. The Pack lost its series against the Seminoles last year, one that included a hairy 17-inning loss.
The next two ACC series involve matchups with Clemson and Notre Dame. Last season, the Pack took its series against the Tigers but lost its series with the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame went the furthest of any team in the conference, making a trip to Omaha, Nebraska for the College World Series. Both series should help gauge the Pack before heading into the home stretch of the regular season.
In perhaps the most anticipated matchup of the season, NC State travels to No. 12 UNC. Last season, the Pack lost its series to the Tar Heels who finished as one of the hottest teams in the country. Both teams met in the ACC Championship, where the Pack suffered a painstaking loss to its rival. Afterward, the Heels rode their hot streak all the way to the super regional round of the NCAA Tournament.
Postseason Potential
The Pack will certainly have lots of great opportunities this season. Despite losing several key players, the team has the potential to use these matchups in its favor. With several of its matchups being ranked, NC State certainly can build an impressive resume for the postseason.
With the ACC Tournament being held in Durham, the Pack looks to make a strong push for its third-straight appearance in the championship. However, with so many talented teams in the conference, that door is wide open. If NC State is able to find success in the regular season and the ACC tournament, it should not be surprised to find itself back in the NCAA tournament.
The Wolfpack will open its 2023 baseball season on Friday, Feb. 17 at home against Wagner. First pitch is set for 3 p.m. at Doak Field.
