Avent Offers Thoughts on NC State's Win in Home Opener

RALEIGH — Following his team's 7-3 victory over Winthrop to get things started at Doak Field in 2026, NC State coach Elliott Avent felt good about the Wolfpack getting the job done. The main reason why is the fact that the Pack, like many teams around the country, simply hasn't had a lot of time on the field over the last few months because of weather and other factors.

Games like Tuesday's win over the Eagles can offer a sort of trial by fire, while also allowing teams to knock off the rust and get back into the swing of things. Avent's group started slow and didn't play perfectly, but the Wolfpack rounded into form when it mattered and secured the win.

Avent's postgame thoughts

Diving into Avent's thoughts

Took the W out of Winthrop and put it in WOLFPACK. pic.twitter.com/3L0gQI2ZLT
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) February 18, 2026

While the Wolfpack is off to a perfect 3-0 to start the 2026 season after a pair of wins in the Puerto Rico Challenge and the win over Winthrop back at the Doak, the team is far from prepared to the level that Avent hopes it will be by the time the ACC portion of the schedule gets underway come March. Still, there's no reason to complain about a 3-0 start to the year.

"I don't think anybody in the country is ready to play, even if you grow up in Hawaii," Avent joked. "We just don't have long enough in the beginning and obviously here we were hamstrung... There were a lot of positives. I thought we made a lot of good plays."

What a spot for the freshman!

Luke Hemric, in his first appearance for the Wolfpack, gets his first two collegiate strikeouts, including this one with the bases loaded. pic.twitter.com/DvNd9H3zod
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) February 18, 2026

Avent gave freshman left-handed pitcher Luke Hemric his first opportunity against the Eagles and the young southpaw answered the call about as well as he could have. Hemric worked his way out of a bases-loaded jam with a pair of strikeouts, celebrating one of the punchouts rather demonstratively on the mound.

"I think when you go out in a baseball game, no matter what the situation, the bigger the game, the more emotion can come from you," Avent said. "Carlos Rodón was one of the more emotional players that I've had here and people handle things differently. I haven't seen that kind of emotion out of Luke, so that told me... I put him in a tough situation and he was proud he was able to get out of it."

Drew Lanphere stays hot with an RBI double.

Wolfpack extends the lead 7-3. pic.twitter.com/UywO5rnQ78
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) February 18, 2026

Avent and the Wolfpack get back into action on Friday, welcoming Princeton of the Ivy League to Raleigh for a three-game set over the weekend.

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