Early Thoughts on the Undefeated Start For NC State Baseball

NC State baseball is avoiding early-season slippage, taking care of business in the first five games of the 2026 campaign. The Wolfpack opened with a pair of wins in the Puerto Rico Challenge before turning to Doak Field at Dail Park for four games over the last week, winning the first five matchups of the year.

Despite limited practice time and a host of new faces, the Pack 9 is finding ways to get wins and build a strong early season resumé. On this episode of the NC State Insider Podcast, host and lead beat writer Tucker Sennett offers early-season thoughts on the Wolfpack's new acquisitions, the strengths of the pitching staff and other parts of the team contributing to the program's immediate success.

Watch the new episode here

Dalton Bargo making an impact right away

One of the Wolfpack's newest acquisitions, Tennessee transfer Dalton Bargo, is making a massive impact in his first few games with the program. After five games with the Pack, the talented utility man is hitting .389 with a team-high three home runs. However, for head coach Elliott Avent, it's been other parts of Bargo's presence that have helped the Wolfpack the most in the start of his career in Raleigh.

"He's been around the game. He understands the game," Avent said of Bargo after NC State's 6-4 win over Princeton on Friday. "He was with Tennessee when they went to play for a national championship. He's been around. He knows what it takes to win and his leadership on the field and off the field has been what I admire most about him right now."

The first #BargoBomb at the Doak!💣 pic.twitter.com/hSs71WAgS6
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) February 20, 2026

His leadership influence is already showing up in key spots. With freshman right-handed reliever Aiden Kitchings in a bit of a jam on Friday, Bargo, playing first base, was one of the first players to join the young arm on the mound for a quick discussion. Kitchings escaped unscathed, helping the Pack limit Princeton to just two runs in the early part of the game.

"I think a lot of it has to do with me catching growing up and coming out of high school as a catcher," Bargo said. "That side of me just takes over. I've been around a lot of baseball, played a lot of baseball. It's really easy for me to settle down the young guys, especially Kitchings... Just kind of settling everybody down and letting the game slow down and helping everybody else out."

Looking for extensive coverage of Wolfpack baseball? Follow @WolfpackOnSI and @SennettTucker on X (Twitter) and never miss stories, podcasts and more.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE