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Key Stats and Takeaways From a Bounce-Back for the Pack 9

NC State baseball returned to form with a win the series rubber match against Boston College.
Tucker Sennett|
Catcher Drew Lanphere looks at the dugout during No. 10 NC State's 5-1 victory over Boston College on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Catcher Drew Lanphere looks at the dugout during No. 10 NC State's 5-1 victory over Boston College on Sunday, March 15, 2026. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

RALEIGH — No. 10 NC State suffered a late collapse in the Saturday matchup against Boston College, setting up a crucial rubber match for the season's first conference series on Sunday. The Wolfpack rose to the occasion in the Sunday affair, beating the Eagles 5-1 and winning the series. While the loss was disappointing, finding a way to salvage things was key.

Right-handed pitcher Heath Andrews returned to his starting role and proved crucial in the win, becoming the third starter of the weekend to go seven innings. Head coach Elliott Avent said he still needs to get the bullpen figured out, which made Andrews' outing even more important.

Lineup and stats for the Wolfpack

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

RHP Heath Andrews: 7 IP, 7 H, R, BB, 4 K, W (2-0)
LHP Cooper Consiglio: 2 IP, H, 3 K, S (1)

Key takeaways

Avent opted for a major flip in the lineup, moving Rett Johnson into the leadoff spot after the freshman excelled in the first two games of the series against the Eagles. Head and McHugh dropped down the middle of the order, allowing some of the youngsters to test themselves in the heat of a conference rubber match.

The Eagles continued to take advantage of mishaps from the Wolfpack defense. A throwing error from Sherman Johnson on what should've been a routine double-play ended up bringing the first Boston College run of the day home. While the Eagles struck first, NC State returned to its form of timely hitting from the first game in the series.

With the game tied in the bottom of the fifth, Avent's switch-up to the lineup paid dividends. The Wolfpack worked two walks before Rett Johnson put down a bunt single to load the bases for Ryan. The sophomore shortstop continued to swing a hot bat, doubling down the left-field line and bringing two runs home, giving the Pack a 3-1 lead over the Eagles. It was the kind of patience NC State needed in the moment.

The Pack added two more runs with RBI singles and cleaned up the defense throughout the rest of the game. Consiglio, who took over the Sunday starter role for the last two weeks, came out of the bullpen to slam the door shut on the Eagles. His versatility is key for the NC State staff, which is fairly devoid of left-handed arms.

The competition is set to ramp up over the next few weeks for the Wolfpack. The team hits the road for two-straight weekends, facing some of the more powerful programs in the ACC between Florida State and Georgia Tech.

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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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