Wolfpack represented in MLB playoffs

Former State baseball stars Trae Turner and Andrew Knizner are helping the Nationals and Cardinals in their World Series bids

Geoff Burke/USAToday sports

Trae Turner did his part to help the Washington Nationals advance in the Major League Baseball playoffs earlier this week by hitting a solo home run that kick started his team to a 3-1 win against the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League wild card game.

Afterward, he did his part to rep his alma mater by wearing an NC State football helmet during the locker room celebration. He then donned another kind of Wolfpack headgear for his postgame press conference with teammate Juan Soto ...

Washington's victory against the Brewers advanced it into a NL Division Series matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Nats split the first two games of the best-of-five series in Los Angleles.

Turner, a member of State's 2013 College World Series team, is off to a hot start in the series, which returns to Washington for Games 3 and 4, with three hits (including two doubles) in his first nine at bats. 

This is the third time in four years that Turner and the Nats have played in the postseason. In 13 career games, he's hitting .250 (14 for 56) with eight doubles, a homer and two RBI. 

While Turner is the only Wolfpack alumnus currently on an active postseason roster, one other former State player still has a chance to make an appearance.

Catcher Andrew Knizner played in 18 games for the St. Louis Cardinals this season, hitting .226 with two homers and seven RBI. He could be potentially be activated if something were to happen to starting catcher Yadier Molina or backup Matt Wieters.

Turner and Knizner are trying to become only the sixth former Wolfpack player to win a World Series ring as a player, joining pitcher Roger Craig (Dodgers, 1954, '59; Cardinals 1964), Jimmy Brown (Cardinals, 1942), pitcher Tim Stoddard (Orioles, 1984), third baseman Tracy Woodson (Dodgers, 1984) and pitcher Kemp Wicker (Yankees, 1937).