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Key Observations From NC State Baseball's Friday Loss at Virginia Tech

The struggles continued for the Pack 9 away from Doak Field, falling to the Hokies 4-0 on Friday.
Tucker Sennett|
NC State Wolfpack players meet on the mound during an eventful first inning against the Stetson Hatters during the NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Friday May 30, 2025.
NC State Wolfpack players meet on the mound during an eventful first inning against the Stetson Hatters during the NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Friday May 30, 2025. | Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After losing two of three games to Wake Forest, NC State baseball needed to come out with some more urgency in its three-game set on the road against Virginia Tech. Instead, the Wolfpack offense completely sputtered in another ugly Friday matchup as the team fell to the Hokies 4-0, tallying just three hits in the team's 15th overall loss and 10th defeat since the start of ACC play.

Other than freshman outfielder Rett Johnson, who tallied two of the Pack's three hits, the NC State lineup was completely stifled by Virginia Tech starter Brett Renfrow, who worked for eight innings, striking out nine members of the Wolfpack. After combining for 17 runs in the first games of the series against Notre Dame and Duke, State has scored just one time in the openers against Wake and the Hokies.

Wolfpack lineup and stats

  1. LF Rett Johnson: 2-3, BB
  2. 2B Luke Nixon: 0-4, K
  3. 1B Chris McHugh: 0-3, 3 K
  4. CF Ty Head: 0-4, 2 K
  5. SS Mikey Ryan: 0-4
  6. 3B Sherman Johnson: 1-3
  7. DH Brandon Novy: 0-2, K -- PH/DH Dalton Bargo: 0-1, K
  8. C Drew Lanphere: 0-2, K -- C Vincent DeCarlo: 0-1
  9. RF Brayden Fraasman: 0-3, 2 K

RHP Heath Andrews: 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 6 K, L (3-3)
RHP Aiden Kitchings: 2 BB
RHP Sam Harris: 3 IP, 3 K

What went wrong for the Wolfpack?

With star lefty Ryan Marohn still sidelined for NC State, Andrews once again moved up to the Friday role after a dismal outing in Winston-Salem last week. The veteran righty improved things against the Hokies, but the home run continued to haunt Andrews and the Wolfpack in his second-straight start. A sudden downpour ensued during the third inning, but the NC State starter continued to work.

Eventually, Virginia Tech second baseman Ethan Ball mashed his ninth home run of the season to put the Hokies up 3-0. It marked the seventh home run allowed by Andrews in the 2026 season, the most of any pitcher on the Wolfpack. That cushion was all the Hokies needed with Renfrow carving through the visiting lineup.

All year long, NC State has struggled to make adjustments against top-tier starting pitching. The Friday loss to Virginia Tech saw the Wolfpack fall back into that habit, something that's been incredibly frustrating for veteran skipper Elliott Avent as he tries to get his program back in the NCAA Tournament. At times, it feels like this version of the Pack takes one step forward and two steps back.

The loss sank Avent's squad to 9-10 in league play, making the second and third matchups even bigger than they already were. The Wolfpack can't afford to take more Quadrant 2, 3, or 4 losses the rest of the 2026 season, already facing difficult NCAA Tournament odds. Finding a way to bounce back on Saturday with junior lefty Cooper Consiglio on the mound is critical for NC State, but it might be a difficult task on the road.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

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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