Winning Cures All For NC State Baseball

RALEIGH — While a losing streak can eat at a team in more ways than one, NC State baseball tried to stay the course during its seven-game skid. The clubhouse never lost hope for the season, believing in the talent of the collective rising up over time. The Wolfpack finally got over the hump with a 7-3 victory over Notre Dame on Thursday. To say it felt good for everyone would be an understatement.

"It feels really good. You know, it's been a little bit, but I miss this feeling. It's a feeling that never gets old and we've missed it. But we're back," first baseman Chris McHugh said after the victory.

Continuing to fight

WOLFPACK back in the WIN column! pic.twitter.com/8jAzMBLz1x
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) April 3, 2026

While head coach Elliott Avent expressed some concern over his team's commitment to attention to detail following a midweek loss to Liberty earlier in the week, McHugh and other members of the group indicated that there was never a true fall-off in morale during the rough stretch. Instead, the team focused on what each member of the group could improve.

"I think this team knows that we're talented," second baseman Luke Nixon said, not long after blasting a three-run home run in the win. "There's no question about it... It's just about trusting and believing it. A lot of it is mentality. Our guys had a different mentality going into today's game and it showed."

Luke Nixon for the lead!

Its a five run inning for the Wolfpack!

B2| Wolfpack 5, Notre Dame 2 pic.twitter.com/AOuYiz0cpr
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) April 2, 2026

Nixon and freshman outfielder Rett Johnson carried an enormous load offensively during the team's woes. That created more urgency for the rest of the team, which at times led to pressing. Some members of the group are still struggling to get through their individual slumps, but getting back in the win column should provide some confidence moving forward. For McHugh, there was never a doubt about the ground finding its way.

"It's obviously not fun when we're losing, but I think we've done a pretty good job of just showing up every day," he said. "Practice has actually been pretty good. Nobody's sad, it's been good. Finally getting a win like this against a really good team is big going forward. Now we have momentum. We've got some confidence."

Trusting the ace

Avent revealed after the game that left-handed ace Ryan Marohn dealt with a hamstring injury earlier in the week. It was the second issue the workhorse starter came up with during the 2026 season. He missed a start earlier in the campaign, but there would be no such decision made for Thursday's game against the Fighting Irish. He battled for 6.2 innings, striking out nine batters while allowing three runs.

"Ryan Marohn, this guy has got brass like you can't believe," Avent said. "... I actually tried to talk him into pitching tomorrow and he's just a bulldog... He wouldn't hear of it and he goes out there and delivers a gem against a great team... That's the mindset he has. He's just such a competitor."

Striking out the side! 😤

Ryan Marohn is through six and has eight strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/n7UBOIl5yh
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) April 2, 2026

Nixon spoke about players finding a way to control what they could control as individuals, rather than worrying about the rest of the team. He believed that if the group did that, the collective would follow over time. Marohn handled his business and got the support he needed in his outing. Avent said he knew his ace would cling to the lead given to him after the Wolfpack scored five runs in the second inning. It was the first time it scored more than five in an inning since the Sacred Heart series.

Stopping a slump takes a toll

Jun 15, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; NC State Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent talks with an official during the seventh inning against the Kentucky Wildcats at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

While the players were thrilled to see the skid come to an end, Avent might've been the happiest person in the building. The coach had never lost more than seven games in his previous 29 seasons as the skipper of the Wolfpack, so avoiding such a stretch was critical for him. But it also helped his team find the confidence he knew it always had.

"It's tough when you lose. It eats at you," Avent said. " I don't care who you are, this game will eat it every fiber in your soul. It eats at me a little bit... I'm just so proud of the guys the way they came out and played against a great Notre Dame team."