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Stats, Observations From Another Ugly NC State Baseball Loss to Wake Forest

The Wolfpack continued to struggle on the road against the Demon Deacons, once again suffering a double-digit loss.
Tucker Sennett|
NC State Wolfpack players meet on the mound during an eventful first inning against the Stetson Hatters during the NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Friday May 30, 2025.
NC State Wolfpack players meet on the mound during an eventful first inning 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

After a dismal performance in Friday's series opener against Wake Forest, NC State baseball hoped to return to form with a win on Saturday against the Demon Deacons. Instead, it was more of the same, as the home team jumped all over the Wolfpack in the fourth and fifth innings, ultimately securing a series victory with an 18-7 drubbing in game two.

Junior lefty Cooper Consiglio tried to stop the bleeding for NC State on shortened rest, but the Demon Deacons took advantage of the veteran arm being slightly off target in the early innings. The Pack kept things close until Wake Forest exploded for 10 runs between the fourth and fifth. Head coach Elliott Avent hoped his offense would keep State in the fight, but it wasn't enough.

Wolfpack lineup and stats

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

LHP Cooper Consiglio: 3.1 IP, 10 H, 11 R, 11 ER, 3 BB, K, L (2-3)
RHP Aiden Kitchings: 2 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
RHP Truitt Manuel: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, K

What went wrong for the Pack 9?

NC State appeared to have things turned around at the plate early on Saturday. After falling behind by a run in the first inning, the Pack tagged Wake Forest for three runs in the top of the second. It was the small ball approach Avent had been hoping for during the team's seven-game losing streak earlier in the season, with Fraasman's double being the big hit State needed.

The run support the offense provided Consiglio was fleeting, as the Demon Deacons struck back right away in the second inning, taking a two-run lead. Wake never looked back from there, throttling NC State as Consiglio's pitch count started to balloon in the hitter friendly ballpark. Avent and pitching coach Clint Chrysler were able to salvage the bullpen, using just Kitchings and Manuel in relief.

The Wolfpack needs even more from its offense to somehow salvage one win in the series on Sunday. Whether Avent and his staff can squeeze more from the group remains to be seen, but the trends being set without Ryan Marohn and Jacob Dudan in the rotation are fairly concerning for the potential of the rest of the season.

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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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