Wolfpack Ace Regains Top Form After Missed Start

RALEIGH — Despite starting the season with two wins in two starts and looking relatively comfortable outside of two earned runs in his second victory, NC State left-handed pitcher Ryan Marohn didn't feel like his dominant self. A missed start allowed Marohn to get back to the drawing board with some of his mechanics, paving the way for a heroic return Friday against Boston College.

The southpaw carved through the Eagles with ease, working for seven innings against the Eagles. Six strikeouts and seven innings later, Marohn had his third win of the 2026 season and got his team back on track after an ugly midweek loss to the Elon Phoenix that left a sour taste in the mouth of head coach Elliott Avent.

Getting his team back on track

Didn't miss a beat. pic.twitter.com/DzoAFA0jl5
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 14, 2026

A confident Marohn is a major perk for the Wolfpack. His ability to work deep into games typically allows the lineup to settle into games. There were some obvious jitters heading into the first conference action of the season, but Marohn settled those nerves by navigating out of some major jams in the first few innings, coming away unscathed and keeping his team in the fight.

"I wouldn't say I was more motivated," Marohn said. "I try to keep the same headspace every time I go out there. It was really just go out there, attack the zone and trust the guys behind me. (Preston Bonn and Drew Lanphere) both caught really well. All the guys behind me, they made some great plays. It was a good team win."

Ryan Marohn, 2025 season - Courtesy of NC State Athletics | NC State Athletics

Avent knew his team needed a strong start from Marohn to outlast the Eagles, who had just taken two of three from the red-hot Miami Hurricanes in Miami in their conference-opening series. While there's always tremendous trust in the lefty from Avent, he still wanted to see his ace come out and get the job done after dealing with bicep soreness last week.

"I thought he looked totally different today than he'd been all season," Avent said. "I thought he was totally different."

If it ain't broke...

Four Ks through four!

Ryan Marohn with another scoreless inning. pic.twitter.com/AY6xoTzuGJ
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 13, 2026

In the 2025 season, Marohn was a true workhorse for NC State, quietly establishing himself as one of the strongest arms in the ACC while eating innings up. However, like any pitcher, Marohn wanted to find ways to improve on his sophomore year and got to work during the offseason. His idea centered on changing his pitch mix, but he didn't feel the change was working early in 2026.

"I had made some mechanical changes in the fall and I went back to how I pitched last year," Marohn said. "I felt like my command was a little bit off in the first couple starts and I felt like I had to get back and throw more strikes, command the offspeed pitches better. I just went back to how I was pitching last year and just felt loose ... And I think it led to good results."

That's how you field your position!

Ryan Marohn starts a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning. pic.twitter.com/1U5oOxc8qB
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 13, 2026

Marohn explained that he tried to add a sweeper to his arsenal during the offseason, but it ended up looking like more of a slider than anything else. He added that the slider caused him to lose his control and feel over his changeup, a pitch he relied on consistently throughout the 2025 season. He scrapped the plan after his second start and went back to his old identity.

While the sweeper might not have turned out to be the weapon Marohn hoped for, he still possesses a quality pitch mix that separates him from an average ACC starter. That mix was on full display during pivotal moment in the game. With a runner on third and two outs in the top of the sixth, Marohn worked his way to a two-strike count. He struck out BC's Jack Toomey looking with a hard-breaking curveball, celebrating on his way to the dugout.

Starting ACC play on the right foot! pic.twitter.com/i8WobckPKF
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) March 13, 2026

"I was actually on the same page because I think we went two or three changeups before and maybe a fastball," Marohn said. "He hadn't seen the curveball yet in that at-bat, so I felt like if I was able to land it or get it below the zone, I could get either a take or a swing and miss ... And it led to a strikeout."

The Pack needs Marohn at his very best if it wants sustained success in the ACC slate. Friday marked the beginning of that process, as the pitcher returned to elite form after already playing well before the start of league play. Building on this start will be key moving forward, and Marohn seems up to the task.