Wolfpack Finds Saturday Solution in Heath Andrews

RALEIGH — NC State suffered a major blow to its pitching depth before the start of a three-game series against Duke, learning that regular Saturday starter Jacob Dudan would miss the remainder of the 2026 season with a UCL injury. Knowing the powerful righty was done for the year, head coach Elliott Avent and pitching coach Clint Chrysler had a decision to make: Who starts on Saturday?

The Pack landed on Heath Andrews, another one of the junior pitchers that included Ryan Marohn, Dudan and Cooper Consiglio. Andrews had been working as the Sunday starter and even got some midweek work earlier in the season after being the Saturday choice for much of his sophomore year. Now, he's back in his old role and he handled it well, even with a little adversity against the Blue Devils.

How Andrews got it done

The righty took the mound on a warm Saturday afternoon with one goal: to get his team a series win. Andrews worked for 6.2 innings, nearly going the seven-inning distance after the Wolfpack scored 18 runs to secure a run-rule victory over Duke, which scored just five. However, it didn't look like Andrews was going to make it very long after a shaky first two innings.

Andrews gave up a solo home run to right fielder RJ Hamilton in the first inning. Then, his defense let him down a bit in the second inning and it ultimately led to three Blue Devils runs coming home. After that shakiness, Andrews totally settled in and retired 14 straight batters. It was a workmanlike performance for the Wolfpack's stopper, who struck out six Blue Devils while walking just two. His solution to the second-inning woes was simple.

Heath had it today.

Retired 14 straight and got the W. pic.twitter.com/l0ySIKCwgB
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) April 12, 2026

"I just sat down on the bench and thought that I can't change the past," Andrews said. "I just went from there and started grinding it out... Throwing more out of the zone got me a lot more success than in the previous innings."

Several members of the offense, including veteran second baseman Luke Nixon, contributed to the onslaught against the Duke pitching staff while Andrews buckled down in the top halves of each inning. Having known Andrews for three seasons, Nixon has become accustomed to what starts from the righty look like.

.@lukenix0n is doing it with his bat and glove, we had to make it one post! pic.twitter.com/E10eIdmqVu
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) April 11, 2026

"It's really easy because I feel like Heath's either striking out someone, getting a pop-out, or getting a ground ball to third base," Nixon said. "It's really easy for our infielders and our defense to make plays when we're getting those plays from him."

Andrews couldn't quite make it all seven innings, as he gave up one run with two outs in the top of the seventh that forced Avent and Chrysler to call upon Sam Harris to ensure the game ended right there. Still, it was a quality performance that NC State needed, which also gave Andrews his third win of the season.

Striking out the side, one way to get the #Pack9 bats back up quickly.

Heath works a 1-2-3 third inning! pic.twitter.com/NO54oHWgjN
— NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) April 11, 2026

For Avent, nothing Andrews did on Saturday was different than the usual. The longtime skipper of the Wolfpack was proud of the way his starter shook off the defensive issues during the second inning, still finding a way to spell a limited bullpen from a lot of work before the Sunday game.

"That's who Heath Andrews has been since he's been here," Avent said. "But his command of the fastball was as good as I remember seeing it, and the command of the slider from the third on I thought was outstanding."

May 23, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; NC State Wolfpack pitcher Jacob Dudan (41) throws in the fifth inning against the Duke Blue Devils during the ACC Baseball Tournament at Truist Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images | Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

It's been as difficult a week as Dudan has ever had in his career getting the news of his injury. Still, the junior put on a smile and spent the last two days in the dugout watching Marohn and Andrews go to work against the Blue Devils. For the latter, it was rewarding to fill Dudan's shoes for an outing, and likely for the rest of the season, and get the job done with his friend cheering from the dugout.

"I love seeing Dudan happy," Andrews said. "It makes me happy, it makes the whole team happy, but I was Saturday role last year, so it was just another day."