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Wolfpack Can't Secure Series Win Over Virginia Tech: Critical Observations, Stats

NC State baseball failed to get a second win in Blacksburg, crumbling in the final innings against the Hokies.
Tucker Sennett|
Freshman left-handed pitcher Luke Hemric (far left) high-fives his teammates during NC State's 10-3 victory over East Carolina in Greenville, N.C., on April 14, 2026.
Freshman left-handed pitcher Luke Hemric (far left) high-fives his teammates during NC State's 10-3 victory over East Carolina in Greenville, N.C., on April 14, 2026. | Courtesy of NC State Athletics

NC State hit the road for another weekend set in dire need of a series win over Virginia Tech. However, the Hokies played the role of spoiler and snatched a pair of victories from the Wolfpack, including Sunday's 5-4 battle that saw the Pack crumble in the eighth inning when it needed to hang on.

Veteran head coach Elliott Avent and the NC State staff did all they could to put the team in a prime position to get a win, but left freshman starter Luke Hemric in one batter too long. Virginia Tech's Ethan Ball hammered a three-run home run to give the Hokies the lead after NC State finally pushed ahead. Even after tying the game up later on, the Wolfpack still couldn't steal a win.

Wolfpack lineup and stats from the 5-4 loss

  1. LF Rett Johnson: 1-3, R, BB
  2. SS Luke Nixon: 1-4, R, K
  3. 1B Chris McHugh: 0-4, R
  4. CF Ty Head: 2-2, R, RBI, 2 BB
  5. 3B Sherman Johnson: 1-4, 3 RBI, K
  6. DH Dalton Bargo: 0-3 -- PH Vincent DeCarlo: 0-1
  7. 2B Wyatt Peifer: 0-3 -- PH Brandon Novy: 0-1, K
  8. C Drew Lanphere: 0-3
  9. RF Brayden Fraasman: 1-3, K

LHP Luke Hemric: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, BB, 2 K
RHP Anderson Nance: 1.2 IP, H, K
RHP Sam Harris: L (1-1), 2 H, R, ER
RHP Mikey Ragusa: IP, BB, 2 K

Observations from the loss

Even though he won't be happy with the final result, sophomore center field Ty Head made one of the most spectacular plays of the season for NC State. Trailing by a run, Head took off for a ball hammered to the left-center field gap off the bat of Virginia Tech's Owen Petrich. He covered an enormous amount of ground before leaping through the air to make the catch, slamming into the warning track dirt. Head got up and even came up with the game-tying RBI later in the game.

After trailing through most of the game, the Wolfpack finally got the clutch hit it needed in the sixth inning. Third baseman Sherman Johnson lined a ball into the right-center field gap, clearing the bases with two outs to give his team the lead. It seemed like NC State had enough confidence to secure the win with Hemric cruising on the mound, but Ball's homer shook things up, forcing the Pack to play from behind again.

Sam Harris couldn't record an out in the eighth inning, forcing Avent and pitching coach Clint Chrysler to go deeper into an exhausted bullpen, instead turning to freshman Mikey Ragusa for another appearance. Of course, it was Ball who delivered the game-winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, a lead the Wolfpack couldn't match.

NC State is finally set to return home for a midweek matchup against East Carolina and three games against the Miami Hurricanes next weekend. With postseason hopes becoming slimmer, the Pack 9 needs to find its quality once again before the final stretch of the 2026 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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