Here is the full viewing info and game notes to get Wolfpack fans ready for another critical ACC matchup in the ACC Tournament.
R. Cory Smith
RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State didn't need a win on Wednesday night, but boy did it get one. The No. 3 Wolfpack came out slugging against No. 10 Virginia Tech en route to a 19-9 win to set a program record for runs scored with 20 hits and five different players reaching base at least four times.
The Pack9 will need to take that same approach on Thursday night against a hungry Duke team that comes in as the No. 6 seed. The Blue Devils lost the series earlier in the year against the Pack, but has Regional hosting dreams of its own -- and an appearance in the ACC Tournament semifinals might just push them over the top.
Duke denied State of an ACC Tournament Championship back in 2021, so there will be a little extra fuel for the Pack9 with Sam Highfill after he experienced that loss as a second-year freshman. Capping off his career against ACC competition with a strong start and locking in a win for State would be monumental.
Before the first pitch in the ACC Tournament between NC State and Duke, here's a look at the full game information along with the game notes from NC State Athletics.
No.6Duke vs. No. 3 NC State Game Information
Tipoff:Thursday,May 23, 2024 at 7 p.m. ET
Location:Truist Field, Charlotte, N.C.
TV:ACC Network
Live Stream:fubo(Try for free) | WatchESPN
Radio:Wolfpack Sports Network
Social Media:Twitter//Instagram//Facebook
Pack Notes
NC State is 166-129-1 all-time in the series against Duke. More notes from the series against the Blue Devils are listed below:
• NC State secured back-to-back one-run wins to earn a series victory over No. 9 Duke earlier this season. The Wolfpack rallied from early deficits in both games to clinch the series, winning 4-3 on Friday and 9-8 on Saturday. On Saturday,Eli Serrano IIIlaunched a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth for a walk-off victory. The Wolfpack erased an 8-2 deficit between the eighth and ninth innings.
• NC State and Duke's most recent ACC Tournament matchup came in Durham in 2023. The Wolfpack registered an 8-7 win in 11 innings at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Duke erased NC State's 7-1 lead to send the game to extra innings.Logan Whitakerpitched two scoreless innings of relief with four strikeouts to help the Pack secure a key postseason victory over the Blue Devils.
• NC State has won eight of the past 11 weekend series against the Blue Devils.
• The Wolfpack has won its past four weekend series against Duke, winning the first two games of each of those respective sets. Duke's last series victory over the Wolfpack came in 2014, taking games one and three in Durham.
NC STATE IN THE ACC TOURNAMENT
The 2024 season marks the 14th consecutive year the Wolfpack has earned a spot in the conference tournament. Since 1980, it has only missed the tournament once.
The Wolfpack has advanced to the ACC Baseball Championship Game in two of the past three seasons, advancing out of pool play before notching victories in the semifinals to advance to the title game in 2021 and 2022. NC State fell in back-to-back championship games in 2021 (1-0, Duke) and 2022 (9-5, UNC).
NC State has won five ACC Championships in program history with its last coming in 1992. All four ACC Tournament titles for the Wolfpack have come in wins over Clemson (1973-75, 1992).
TOUGH SLATE
NC State excelled during its gauntlet of a finish to ACC play with all of its final five ACC series coming against top 15 teams in the D1Baseball Top 25 at the time of the games being played. The Wolfpack went 10-4 in its final five ACC series, winning four of those series and splitting a two-game set at No. 7 Florida State. The Wolfpack posted series wins at No. 2 Clemson and No. 10 Virginia and recorded series wins at home against No. 8 Wake Forest and No. 11 North Carolina
NC State's strength of schedule checks in at No. 4 nationally, according to warrennolan.com. The Pack's strength of schedule ranks first in the ACC. The Wolfpack has 12 wins over Quadrant I opponents. The Wolfpack is also a perfect 9-0 against Quadrant IV opponents.
SOSA SURGING
NC State freshman catcher/designated hitterAlex Sosais hitting his stride at the perfect time, posting three multi-hit outings over his past six games played. Sosa snapped an 0-for-37 streak with a 2-for-3 outing with three runs scored, three RBI and a home run against Norfolk State on May 7.
He then provided a pair of multi-hit performances in the series sweep over Wake Forest, smacking homers in victories on Thursday and Saturday. Thursday's grand slam clinched a run-rule victory for the Pack. Sosa missed almost a combined month of time earlier this season due to mono and the flu.
On Wednesday night, Sosa smacked another laser home run to break the game against Virginia Tech as part of a two-hit, two-walk, two-run and 5 RBI night for the freshman. He'll look to keep that scorching hot streak going on Thursday against the Blue Devils to propel the Pack9 to the ACC Semifinals.
CAN'T STOP COOP
NC State southpawCooper Consigliohas dominated opposing batters over his past three outings, posting a 3-0 record with pitching victories at No. 7 Florida State, at No. 10 Virginia and at home against No. 8 Wake Forest. Over his past three relief appearances, Consiglio has tossed 12.1 innings while allowing only two runs (one earned). The left-hander has struck out 15 batters while allowing only four hits and four walks over his past three appearances, tossing a career-high seven strikeouts in the win over Wake Forest on Thursday.
STAYINGALIVE
Statistically, NC State's lineup is the toughest to strike out in the ACC, averaging a league low 6.55 strikeouts per game. The Wolfpack has only struck out 334 times in 51 games this season.
KINGS OF THE ACC NETWORK
NC State enters the ACC Tournament 7-0 in games broadcasted on ACC Network this season, highlighted by four walk-off victories against Duke, Notre Dame, North Carolina and Wake Forest. NC State looks to keep its unbeaten streak alive on ACC Network in pool play.
March 23 vs. Duke | ACCN (W, 9-8)
March 29 vs. Notre Dame | ACCN (W, 7-6)
April 13 at Clemson | ACCN (W, 4-0)
April 18 vs. North Carolina | ACCN (W, 9-8)
May 10 at Virginia | ACCN (W, 7-5)
May 17 vs. Wake Forest | ACCN (W, 2-1)
May 22 vs. Virginia Tech | ACCN (W, 19-9)
May 23 vs. Duke | ACCN (7 p.m.)
CARDIAC PACK
NC State has had a flair for the dramatic so far this season, recording its seventh walk-off win of the year against Wake Forest on Friday. Seven of NC State's 25 home wins have come via the walk-off. A list of NC State's seven walk-off wins are below:
• March 1 (W, 6-5 vs. Towson):Drew Lanpheredelivers a walk-off RBI single to scoreNoah Solesin the bottom of the ninth.
• March 8 (W, 5-4 vs. Boston College):Garrett Penningtondrops in a walk-off single with two outs in the 11th inning for the Wolfpack's first ACC win of the year. Again,Noah Solesscores the game-winning run.
• March 23 (W, 9-8 vs. No. 9 Duke):Eli Serrano III'stwo-out, two-run homer completes a dramatic ninth-inning comeback as NC State erases a five-run deficit to clinch the series over the Blue Devils.
• March 29 (W, 7-6 vs. Notre Dame):Luke Nixon'scareer night ends with a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth, clinching a series victory for NC State.
• March 30 (W, 7-6 vs. Notre Dame):Garrett Penningtoncrushes NC State's second walk-off homer in as many weeks with a two-out, three-run blast to complete the sweep over the Fighting Irish.
• April 18 (W, 9-8 vs. No. 11 North Carolina): After UNC plated three runs between the seventh and eighth innings to tie the score at 8-8, NC State entered the bottom of the ninth with a chance to record its sixth walk-off win of the season.Brandon Butterworthdid exactly that, crushing a 2-1 offering over the left-field wall for NC State's third walk-off homer of the season. Butterworth was mobbed at home plate for what he later said in postgame media availability was the first walk-off hit in his life.
• May 17 (W, 2-1 vs. No. 8 Wake Forest): NC State clinched yet another series victory over a top-10 ACC opponent in literal walk-off fashion whenNoah Solesdrew a game-winning, bases-loaded walk to bring homeBrandon Butterworth. Soles' RBI walk helped the Pack defeat Wake Forest ace and ACC Pitcher of the Year Chase Burns, handing the Demon Deacons just their second loss in the 14 games Burns has pitched in this season.
