Take me out to the ballgame: Why you should watch NC State baseball and softball

Once basketball and football are over for the year, what’s an NC State fan to do? Instead of anxiously awaiting the fall semester return to Carter-Finley Stadium, give America’s favorite pastime a chance this spring.

In the next few months, there will be over 100 NC State softball and baseball games compared to less than 15 football games and a little over 60 for men’s and women’s basketball in a usual season. With that many games, being an in-person fan is opportune, and games are easier to attend as an oncampus student.

Plus, Doak Field has received some major upgrades after the 2022 season, including new seats, new lighting and a new video board. Baseball also features Ripken the Bat Dog, a black labrador retriever who fetches stray bats from the field. Ripken can also be found at Durham Bulls games, a not-too-far drive for some minor league baseball.

While Dail Field isn’t getting the same treatment as the Doak, it might be the easiest place to see a game for an on-campus student. Located adjacent to both Talley Student Union and Reynolds Coliseum, there’s no excuse not to attend an after-class softball game.

Here are some reasons to get excited about baseball and softball this season.

Baseball

The NC State baseball team is in the top 25 of several preseason polls, and this year’s squad is already promising. With a strong record of 36-21 last year and 17 new players, there’s a lot of anticipation brewing around the fresh faces.

Of the 10 incoming freshmen, outfielder Michael Gupton is the most encouraging addition. Having committed to NC State in 2018, Gupton is the nation’s No. 36 overall player in the class of 2022 and No. 1 in North Carolina according to Perfect Game. At the 2021 Perfect Game National Showcase, Gupton also set an unofficial world record in the 60-yard dash at 5.96 seconds. With his .380 batting average from high school, Gupton is sure to be a great addition to the 2023 Pack squad.

As for transfers, be on the lookout for junior outfielder Carter Trice. Coming from Old Dominion, Trice boasts a .288 batting average with 17 home runs and 49 RBIs in his sophomore year. Trice was also named to the Second-Team All-Conference USA.

In addition to the new players, plenty of returning names have a lot of promise. Junior infielder LuJames Groover had both the team-best batting average at .364 and the best OBP at .440 in 2022, and he actually had one more at-bat than Tommy White last season. While “Tommy Tanks” has transferred, Groover is running it back with the Pack in 2023.

Also returning from 2022, junior outfielder Noah Soles had a .321 batting average and a .396 OBP last year, both of which are good for second amongst this year’s veterans. On April 4, 2022, Soles was named ACC Player of the Week for his performance in the series against Clemson.

Although the Pack has had unfortunate endings each of the last two seasons, head coach Elliott Avent has assembled a strong crew for his 27th with NC State. This year’s squad may have some development to do with 17 new players, but based on the aforementioned players alone, it could be another promising year for Pack9.

Softball

After 2022’s rough time in ACC play with a 7-17 record, Wolfpack softball is looking for a comeback season. Last year’s team wasn’t awful with a .589 overall win percentage, but stepping it up in ACC play will be crucial this season, and head coach Jennifer Patrick-Swift has assembled a worthy team of recruits; according to Extra Inning Softball, this incoming class is the fourthbest in the nation.

Among these top recruits is freshman catcher Amanda Hasler. Hasler was the No. 10 recruit in the country, and although the Pack’s first five games of this season didn’t go great, she should be a force to be reckoned with this season. Although there have only been five games in the season so far, freshman utility player MaKayla Marbury has already garnered a .364 batting average with 11 at bats, the best average for those who have played all five games. You can’t make predictions this early in the season, but Marbury may be one to keep an eye on.

Of the returners, redshirt pitcher Aisha Weixlmann should continue to be an exciting player. With a 3.78 ERA from 2022 and 138 strikeouts collected from 127.2 innings pitched, Weixlmann should be on track to fulfill former pitcher Maddie McPherson’s spot this year.

Redshirt junior infielder Libby Whittaker has been slowly growing throughout her NC State career. After doubling her at-bats between 2021 and 2022, Whittaker’s batting average went from a .225 to .247. Whittaker also went from three to six home runs, and based on these trends, Whittaker should only be going up from here.

There is a lot to be excited about for both baseball and softball this year. Catch an after-class or quick weekend game and you’ll be seeing some world-class performances from either Pack squad.