Power Carries NC State Win in Series Finale Against Lafayette

RALEIGH — After the surprising loss to Lafayette opened the series on Friday, the NC State offense answered back over the rest of the weekend. The series culminated with the first run-rule win of the three-game set, as the Wolfpack mashed three home runs en route to a 14-4 win over the Leopards on Sunday, pushing the overall record to 14-2.

Redshirt freshman catcher Preston Bonn acted as the star of the show on Sunday. In his first at-bat of the season, Bonn mashed a solo home run, but that wasn't all. The backstop finished the game with three hits, two of which were home runs, five RBI and a walk, adding another face to an already talented group of catchers.

Wolfpack lineup and stats

Brandon Novy sends us home early!

That's a Wolfpack walkoff win! pic.twitter.com/v1tOtNRR5i
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 8, 2026

CF Ty Head: 0-4, 2 RBI, BB
1B Chris McHugh: 2-4, RBI, BB
DH Dalton Bargo: 0-4 -- PH Brandon Novy: 1-1, HR (2), R, RBI
3B Sherman Johnson: 1-3, 2 R -- 3B Wyatt Peifer
2B Luke Nixon: 1-2, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB
RF Brayden Fraasman: 1-2, R, BB
SS Mikey Ryan: 1-3, 2 R, RBI, BB
C Preston Bonn: 3-3, 4 R, 5 RBI, 2 HR (1 and 2), BB
LF Rett Johnson: 2-3, R, RBI, BB

LHP Cooper Consiglio: 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R, ER, 2 BB, 8 K, W (2-1)
LHP Tristan Potts: 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER
RHP Danny Heintz: IP, 2 K

What happened with the Wolfpack?

Save that baseball! pic.twitter.com/ManNPS0g0P
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 8, 2026

Lafayette took an early one-run lead, but Bonn got things going as quickly as he could. His first home run of the season was ripped to left-center field, giving him the first hit of his collegiate career. That hit relieved some of the nerves from getting his first start of the season, allowing Bonn to just play baseball the rest of the way.

He helped Consiglio navigate through the Leopard lineup that clicked throughout the series after dealing with significant problems in the first few weeks of the season. The eight strikeouts marked a new season and career-high for Consiglio, a savvy lefty who appears to have locked up the Sunday starter role for the Wolfpack moving forward.

It's Preston Bonn's world, and we are just living in it. pic.twitter.com/IOJ8QQC8It
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 8, 2026

The Wolfpack manufactured more runs with patient at-bats and timely hitting between Bonn's two home runs, as the second one blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth, giving NC State an 11-run lead. Lafayette cut the deficit back under 10 runs with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, but the Wolfpack ensured there wouldn't be more than seven innings played.

Novy pinch hit for Bargo, who returned from his lower leg injury in Saturday's victory. The sophomore had one mission: end the game. Novy proceeded to blast a home run over the center field batter's eye, with the ball traveling 440 feet when all was said and done. It was Novy's second homer of the season and ended the game for the Wolfpack.

Want to see a Brandon Novy no-doubter?

We know you do. pic.twitter.com/MwA9aRhkpg
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 8, 2026

The Wolfpack gets back into midweek action on Tuesday, taking on another in-state neighbor school. The Elon Phoenix (7-7) comes to Raleigh for the lone midweek game, before ACC play gets started against Boston College on Friday.

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