Another Catcher Shines For NC State In 14-4 Victory
RALEIGH — Depth hasn't been an issue over the first few weeks of the season for NC State baseball. Getting different players into games proved to be more challenging for the Wolfpack staff, led by coach Elliott Avent, but Sunday's 14-4 victory over Lafayette saw one of those depth pieces break out in a major way.
Redshirt freshman catcher Preston Bonn didn't have a hit in his collegiate career entering the final game of the Lafayette series. He walked away with three, including a pair of home runs and five RBI. The emergence of Bonn offers NC State another option behind the plate to go along with veteran backstop Drew Lanphere and freshman Vincent DeCarlo.
A big day for Bonn
It's Preston Bonn's world, and we are just living in it. pic.twitter.com/IOJ8QQC8It
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 8, 2026
Like many different members of the NC State roster in 2026, Bonn waited patiently for his opportunity to arrive. There were obvious nerves when he got the starting assignment on Sunday, but mashing a home run in his first at-bat of the game certainly settled the redshirt freshman's stomach as the rest of the game wore on.
"It felt good, obviously, once you get your first hit, the nerves go away," Bonn said. "I was just kind of going up there and being myself. It felt pretty good. ... It all just came together."
Absolute scenes from 11. https://t.co/Pgbyi2kgVI pic.twitter.com/Mfkyku1tay
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 8, 2026
A two-home run day obviously created a lot of confidence for the young catcher, something Avent desires in all of his players. While the opportunities might not be consistent for Bonn, given the overall trust in Lanphere and his veteran leadership, the immediate gratification of Bonn's bat in the lineup can't be overlooked as the season moves along.
"Every chance I get, I'm going to take advantage of it," Bonn said. "Stay level-headed and just focusing on catching my ass off and being good behind the plate and that other stuff will come. ... I feel like I've always had the confidence. It's always been there."
He just did it again!
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 8, 2026
Preston Bonn goes deep for his second home run of the game! He has a five-RBI day and has scored four runs!
Wolfpack 13, Lafayette 2 pic.twitter.com/iRXnsUApI0
As for the overall strength of the catcher room, Avent remained adamant over the strength his team holds across the board from a depth standpoint. While Lanphere's defensive value and familiarity with the staff likely ensure a starting spot more often than not, the options are plentiful on a game-to-game basis, especially if Bonn continues hitting the way he did on Sunday.
"You've got to have good catchers. You don't win in baseball without a good catcher," Avent said. "It's hard to win in football without a quarterback, extremely hard. It's hard to win in baseball without a catcher and we've got four good ones. It's extremely important."
The balancing act of working with all the catching options might just be beginning for the Wolfpack. NC State is already juggling different situations at third base and in the outfield, with several starting-quality players forced to sit out because of the success of the guys in front of them on the depth chart. Catcher might be the next spot to join the fold.
"It's just keeping them happy," Avent said. "You can't get everybody playing time and everybody wants to play. Everybody does the same amount of work. Everybody deserves to play. We've got all good players here and it's just about keeping them happy."
Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.
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