With the pressure of being one of four undefeated teams left in the nation, the NC State baseball team will play a series against Pittsburgh at Doak Field to kick off ACC play this weekend.
After coming off a three-game series takedown against Minnesota last weekend and a comeback, extra-inning win against North Carolina Central, the Pack (12-0) remains undefeated going into its series against the Panthers (6-4). Pittsburgh is coming off a 4-3 loss to Central Michigan last Sunday and a postponed game against Youngstown State.
As for Pitt’s 2019 season so far, the Panthers had a five-game winning streak up until their loss to Central Michigan, so they will be prepared to bounce back against the Wolfpack this weekend.
Senior Connor Perry is the team’s leading scorer with 10 runs, two of the team’s five homers and a batting average of .406. Close behind is junior Nico Popa, who has scored nine runs and has a batting average of .368.
Junior pitcher Dan Hammer was recently named Collegiate Baseball Newspaper National Player of the Week after allowing only four hits and one walk in six innings against Butler. Hammer is one of only six starting pitchers in the conference with at least 15 innings of work, and he ranks 13th in the league with a 1.76 ERA.
The Wolfpack will look to senior infielder Evan Edwards, who has scored 16 runs, four of which are homers for the Pack, and has a batting average of .373. Freshman infielder Tyler McDonough has shown potential with a stellar start to his freshman season, totaling 17 hits and a batting average of .354.
With a win against North Carolina Central on Wednesday, the Wolfpack’s 12-0 start this season matches the best start in program history, dating back to 1992.
Friday’s game is set for a 3 p.m. first pitch, Saturday for 2 p.m., and the series will end Sunday at 1 p.m. at Doak Field.
Freshman infielder Tyler McDonough makes contact with a pitch against Minnesota on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at Doak Field. McDonough went 2-5 in the Wolfpack’s 5-4 walk-off win.
