Key Observations, Stats From the Wolfpack's Narrow Loss to Duke

RALEIGH — NC State had a chance to secure two sweeps in a row in ACC play on Sunday, totally flipping the script following the seven-game losing streak that saw series losses to Florida State and Georgia Tech. However, the Wolfpack came up just short, falling to Duke in a 3-2 battle, but still picked up a key series win.

Following the disappointing news about Jacob Dudan, who will miss the remainder of the season, the Wolfpack got tremendous starts from the two pitchers who will pick up the slack in Dudan's stead the rest of the way. Sunday's starter was Cooper Consiglio, a crafty lefty who navigated through traffic through his six innings of work, only allowing two of the three runs.

Wolfpack lineup and stats

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LF Rett Johnson: 1-3, 2 R, 2 BB, K
2B Luke Nixon: 0-4, 2 K
1B Chris McHugh: 2-4, 2 RBI
CF Ty Head: 0-3, BB
3B Sherman Johnson: 0-3 K
SS Mikey Ryan: 2-4
DH Andrew Wiggins: 0-4, K
RF Brayden Fraasman: 0-4, K
C Drew Lanphere: 0-2 -- PH Wyatt Peifer: 0-1, K -- C Preston Bonn -- PH Dalton Bargo: BB -- PR Vincent DeCarlo

LHP Cooper Consiglio: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 7 K
RHP Ryder Garino: H, R, ER, BB, 2 K, L (2-2)
RHP Collins Black: 0.2 IP, 2K

Additional Observations

Consiglio was the star of the show for the Wolfpack on Sunday. Only one of the runs the lefty allowed was earned, while the other came courtesy of an early solo shot that put the Blue Devils up two runs. He proceeded to settle in, just as Heath Andrews did in the Saturday start, and struck out seven Duke batters the rest of his outing.

Unfortunately for NC State and Consiglio, Duke worked his pitch count in the first couple of innings, so he was taxed fairly early and only able to make it six innings. It all came down to one mistake pitch from Garino, but other than that, the South Carolina transfer put in a solid performance out of the bullpen once again.

Chris McHugh gets us on the board!

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As for NC State's offense, it mostly disappeared after scoring 28 runs in the first two games of the series. Rett Johnson and McHugh were the only members of the team to really get things going, as McHugh drove in the speedy outfielder with two doubles to the same spot in the left field corner. That duo played the brand of small-ball head coach Elliott Avent hopes the Pack can replicate the rest of the season.

There was also a negative aspect of NC State's offensive onslaught in the first two games. It helped Duke keep some of its top arms well-rested for the Sunday matchup, as there was no reason to use them in the seven-inning rout on Saturday or the meltdown on Friday. Roman DiGiacomo and Ben Dean finished the game for the Blue Devils, combining for five strikeouts in three innings of work.

Sherman Johnson (far left) celebrates with his team after hitting a home run in NC State's 7-4 win over UNC-Wilmington on Tuesday, April 7, 2026. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

The Wolfpack regained some of its fire and swagger in the series win over the Blue Devils, but must now leave the friendly confines of the Doak for quite a while. First, NC State travels to face one of its most bitter in-state rivals in the road portion of a midweek home-and-away, taking on East Carolina on Tuesday.

After the matchup against the Pirates, Avent and the Pack head just down the road to face a solid Wake Forest squad in Winston-Salem, N.C., for a three-game set in conference play.