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Observations From NC State's Dominant Run-Rule Victory Over Duke

The Wolfpack secured a sixth-straight victory on Saturday, beating Duke in seven innings and setting up a shot at another sweep.
Tucker Sennett|
Right-handed pitcher Heath Andrews throws a pitch in No. 10 NC State's 5-1 victory over Boston College on Sunday, March 15, 2026.
Right-handed pitcher Heath Andrews throws a pitch in No. 10 NC State's 5-1 victory over Boston College on Sunday, March 15, 2026. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

RALEIGH — The changing momentum of the 2026 season continued for NC State baseball on Saturday, as the Wolfpack throttled the visiting Duke Blue Devils for a second-straight day. The 18-5 run-rule victory marked the sixth win in a row for a red-hot Pack, completely shifting the tone after seven straight losses just a couple of weeks ago.

It was NC State's first Saturday without powerful right-handed pitcher Jacob Dudan, who will miss the rest of the season after suffering a UCL injury that requires Tommy John surgery. The Pack got a solid start from Heath Andrews in his stead, who nearly went the seven-inning distance after some rocky defense early in the game.

Wolfpack lineup and stats

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

RHP Heath Andrews: 6.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, W (3-1)
RHP Sam Harris: 0.1 IP

Additional observations

Head coach Elliott Avent explained after Friday's win that he wanted his offense to combine small ball with home runs and power offense to make things more complementary. That all came together in the win on Saturday, with leadoff hitter Rett Johnson playing a massive role in the small side of things. He finished with four base hits and a stolen base, while also scoring four times and driving in a pair of runs on his own.

NC State showed more patience at the plate once again, something Avent and the rest of the staff hoped would come along after the team slumped in its first few series of the ACC season. Duke starter Peter Lemke earned the loss after being pulled in the second inning, having allowed six runs to the Pack. He threw 49 pitches without getting through two innings.

The Pack even got production off the bench, as Wiggins checked in and hit yet another pinch-hit homer, pushing his season home run total to five. The ball traveled nearly 437 feet as Wiggins continues to push for a more regular role in the lineup, potentially at the designated hitter spot in place of a slumping Bargo.

As for Andrews, he buckled down after some shaky defense behind him and hard-hit balls in the second inning and retired 14-straight Blue Devils. Having been the Wolfpack's Saturday starter in 2025, it was a routine he knew well and quickly settled into once again, spelling the bullpen from a lot of work, just as Ryan Marohn and Anderson Nance were able to do on Friday.

Saturday's victory helped the Wolfpack secure a third ACC series win. Now, the mission becomes going for yet another sweep in conference play, which would almost certainly vault the Pack back into a ranking and potentially improve the RPI enough to get back into the hosting conversation, although there's more to be done in making that jump. Lefty Cooper Consiglio is the probable pitcher for the Sunday matchup against the Blue Devils.

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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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