Skip to main content
All Wolfpack

Observations From a Dramatic Saturday Win For NC State

It wasn't easy, but the Wolfpack found a way to secure the sweep over the Fighting Irish.
Tucker Sennett|
NC State CF Ty Head celebrates a solo home run in an 18-3 win over Akron.
NC State CF Ty Head celebrates a solo home run in an 18-3 win over Akron. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

RALEIGH — Before Saturday, NC State hadn't been in a situation where it could walk away with anything better than a series win since the start of ACC play and only had one sweep on the season. The Wolfpack led by four runs heading into the top half of the ninth, but allowed five. Then, center fielder Ty Head walked it off with a two-run single, giving State a 7-6 win.

Because of Easter, the Pack had a different pitching schedule than usual and stole a win on Friday against Notre Dame's ace, Jack Radel. That set up a big sweep opportunity for the Pack with Jacob Dudan on the bump. The bullpen ultimately crumbled, but not enough to stop the heroics from ocurring.

Wolfpack lineup and stats

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

RHP Jacob Dudan: 7.2 IP, 5 H, R, ER, BB, 6 K,
RHP Danny Heintz: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, BB, K
LHP Luke Hemric: H, R, ER
RHP Anderson Nance: 0.1 IP, H, R
RHP Collins Black: 0.2 IP, 2 K, W (3-1)

Observations

Dudan took control of the game early and coasted through the first three innings without too much trouble. The most impressive part of Dudan's 2026 season has been his ability to work deep into games. The powerful righty wanted to stay in and get one more out in the eighth inning, but the staff opted to bring in Heintz for Dudan, who finished with 117 pitches.

The first two wins of the series included timely hitting for the Wolfpack, which continued on Saturday. Getting Dudan some early run support allowed the junior to settle in, and the run support came from some different places. Wiggins, who replaced a struggling Dalton Bargo in the lineup, came up clutch with a two-run single in the bottom of the first, which set up the talented pitcher for a strong day.

Notre Dame was able to put one run on the board against Dudan, but that was it. NC State's defense experienced some problems during the last few starts for the righty, but battened down the hatches and played a clean game on Saturday. Ryan and Sherman Johnson made a few quality throws to avoid allowing traffic for Dudan to deal with, making it a stress-free outing for the most part.

The ninth-inning meltdown was rather ugly for the NC State bullpen, but the Pack still managed to keep it within one run. The blown lead made Ryan's eighth-inning solo home run even more important, setting up the epic moment from Nixon, McHugh and Head in the bottom of the ninth. The Pack is officially back to its winning ways.

Loading recommendations... Please wait while we load personalized content recommendations

Published
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.

Share on XFollow SennettTucker