NC State pulls away from Winthrop for 7-3 win

CORAL GABLES, FL - MAY 02: NC State catcher Drew Lanphere (15) bats in the sixth inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the NC State Wolfpack on May 2, 2025, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida.

(Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images A back-and-forth early game Wednesday afternoon in Raleigh ultimately resulted in a 7-3 Wolfpack win over Winthrop, moving NC State to 3-0 on the season. Both teams went down in order in their respective halves of the 1st inning before Winthrop drew first blood in the top of the 2nd.

Ethan Wilson walked with one out and used a delayed steal to move into scoring position. A groundout moved him up another bag before he scored on a Grant McGuire single into left-center. The Wolfpack were quick with the reply, plating a pair in the bottom half of the inning. Brayden Fraasman reached on an error, Luke Nixon followed with a double, and Mikey Ryan brought home Fraasman with a soft single.

Drew Lanphere then plated Nixon with a sacrifice fly that ultimately ended in a double play as Ryan was doubled off first base. The Eagles were quick with an answer of their own, retaking the lead in the 3rd inning. Gabe Natividad was hit by a 1-0 pitch which was followed by a Josh Skowronski double on a 2-0 pitch.

Cade Norton plated Natividad on a sacrifice fly while Skowronski scored on an Ethan Wilson single to put Winthrop back out in front 3-2. Fraasman made a heck of a catch on the sac fly. Brayden Frassman goes full extension to make the catch. pic.twitter.com/goYukZN6wG — NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) February 18, 2026 Thankfully, that would be it for Winthrop’s scoring on the day.

Wolfpack starter Heath Andrews would record one out in the 4th before giving way to Luke Hemric. Andrews looked great in the 1st, but ultimately the same issues that plagued him over the last two years showed up again in this one: falling behind in the count and putting himself in disadvantaged situations. Andrews final line in his first start of the year: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HBP.

Hemric made his collegiate debut and looked generally fantastic in doing so aside from issuing a trio of walks. After throwing five straight balls to start his college career, he settled in nicely, sitting 90-91 with a fastball that played higher than that in velo, and showing a breaking ball with some serious bite. That arsenal helped him work out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam.

Hemric’s final line was 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 3 K. Anderson Nance took over for him and was in typical Nance fashion to earn the win: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K. Cooper Consiglio (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K) came on with one on and no outs in the 9th to finish things off; a solid season debut for the junior lefty.

After Winthrop took the lead in the top of the 3rd inning, Ty Head quickly evened things out with a one-out solo shot out to right field, his first hit of the season. Knew it was gone off the bat. First home run of the season for Ty Head!

pic.twitter.com/DYEH2V0der — NC State Baseball (@NCStateBaseball) February 18, 2026 The Wolfpack loaded the bases with one out in the 4th but were unable to plate a run in the frame while going down in order in the 5th. State finally pulled back ahead in the 6th. Nixon singled with one out, stole second base, then advanced to third on a balk.