Why NC State Didn't Drop in Most Rankings After Lafayette Loss

RALEIGH — After NC State dropped the series opener against a previously winless Lafayette team, many fans took to social media to express their dismay over the loss and how it could affect the team moving forward from a national outlook point of view. The Wolfpack responded with two emphatic victories in a row on Saturday and Sunday, finishing the week with one loss and four wins.

One of those victories came earlier in the week over Coastal Carolina, one of the stronger programs in the country. That win, coupled with the recovery of the Wolfpack against Lafayette later in the week, helped NC State not just stay put in the D1Baseball weekly Top 25 but actually move up three spots to No. 10 in the country.

Moving on up

Keep on working. 📈 pic.twitter.com/jr8ZTISVlz
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 9, 2026

The primary reason for the upward trajectory of the Wolfpack was the 6-4 victory over the Chanticleers, who stayed put in the top 25 at No. 16 in the country. The midweek win marked NC State's first matchup against a quality opponent, as the 90-run week before came entirely against programs rated far lower by the various college baseball metric systems.

D1Baseball wasn't the only place the Wolfpack improved, as the team jumped one spot to No. 15 in the country according to Baseball America. Wins and losses ultimately decided where the Pack landed on the various polls, but the team passed the eye test throughout the early-season slate before the start of conference play. Then, the stats come into play on top of that.

Letting the good times roll. pic.twitter.com/VtxrOukbmi
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 9, 2026

The Wolfpack roster includes the fourth and fifth-top pitchers for ERA in the ACC, as lefty Cooper Consiglio pitched to a 1.06 ERA and righty Jacob Dudan followed him with a 1.11 ERA in his first three starts of the season. Lefty Ryan Marohn, the de facto ace of the Wolfpack, missed his Friday start against Lafayette for precautionary reasons after experiencing some bicep soreness. Had he pitched, that game likely would have been different.

The lineup lacked Tennessee transfer Dalton Bargo for several games in a row, including the win over Coastal Carolina. He returned in the second game against Lafayette and instantly smacked a two-run home run. The various voters recognized the depth of the Wolfpack in the early part of the year, helping them get into the Top 10 and Top 15 in the two major polls. Now, conference play gets going and the Pack still has more to prove.

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