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NC State's Most Reliable Bullpen Arms Down the Stretch

The Wolfpack is going to need to ride three of its top relievers throughout the rest of the season.
Tucker Sennett|
NC State Wolfpack's Anderson Nance (34) pitches against the Stetson Hatters during the NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Friday May 30, 2025.
NC State Wolfpack's Anderson Nance (34) pitches 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

RALEIGH — NC State baseball is entering the most important stretch of the 2026 season. With a 26-14 overall record and a 9-9 conference record, the Wolfpack needs to kick things into gear if it wants to be a good place by the time the postseason gets underway. There are some obstacles in the form of competition and injuries.

One of the key parts of long-time skipper Elliott Avent's hopes for success will be how his bullpen holds up down the stretch, especially with the injury problems NC State sustained earlier in the season. The program lost Saturday starter Jacob Dudan to Tommy John surgery, thinning out the starting rotation. Luckily, three bullpen arms seem to be emerging at the right time for the Pack.

RHP Ryder Garino

After transferring in from South Carolina, sophomore righty Ryder Garino just wanted more opportunities in high-leverage situations. He's earned them after the first few months of the season with NC State, although it wasn't an easy journey. The righty dealt with mononucleosis after the winter break, stalling his progress in the early part of the year.

However, he's found a new gear over the last month, thriving in conference play. Garino has 36 strikeouts in 24.1 innings pitched, quietly working his way to a 3.33 ERA on the season. If the lanky right-hander can keep up that pace, he figures to be a critical member of the Wolfpack in the rest of the season.

RHP Anderson Nance

Coming into his sophomore year, the expectations were high for right-handed reliever Anderson Nance. While his start to the season wasn't perfect, the Wolfpack's top arm in its bullpen is starting to hit his stride at the right time of year, especially in a stickier situation than expected with Dudan done for the season.

Nance has 14 appearances so far in 2026, but appears to be coming on strong over the last two weeks. The powerful righty has pitched to a 3.86 ERA, striking out 34 in his 28 innings of work. His ability to work for multiple innings will be especially valuable for a Wolfpack team in need of innings eaten.

RHP Sam Harris

NC State has a nice stable of freshman pitchers with Luke Hemric, Aiden Kitchings and Sam Harris. The latter has emerged as one of the more reliable bullpen arms for the Pack, with Avent and pitching coach Clint Chrysler going to Harris more and more lately.

Sometimes, the Wolfpack needs an arm to get in there and get a couple of outs. The youngster hasn't racked up a lot of innings, but he's been able to handle mop-up duties well, pitching to a 4.50 ERA on the year thus far. If he can continue to trend in the right direction, the bullpen could be in even better shape.

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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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