Griffin Bryant
Sophomore catcher Alex Sosa hits during the Wolfpack's game against the Clemson Tigers at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park for the quarterfinals of the ACC Baseball Tournament on Thursday, May 22, 2025. The Tigers defeated the Wolfpack 7-6 to advance to the semifinals.
With its back against the wall, NC State baseball dominated Central Connecticut for a 12-0 victory in an elimination game.
Snapping a four game losing streak, the Wolfpack (34-20) played its best game in weeks when it needed it the most. Sophomore pitcher Ryan Marohn delivered an incredible performance on the mound, while the bats came alive with a trio of home runs. Overwhelmed and outgunned, the Blue Devils (31-17) quickly folded and failed to threaten the red-and-white throughout the game.
After a miserable pitching performance against Stetson, NC State needed a strong day on the mound to have a shot at winning the regional. Marohn gave the Pack one of the best outings of his career. Making his first NCAA Tournament start, Marohn pitched an impressive eight innings, tossing 10 strikeouts and no walks. Additionally, Marohn kept the Blue Devils off the board all afternoon. As an added bonus, Marohn preserved the bullpen by going eight innings — a key for NC State to have a shot at running the table to win the regional.
At the plate, NC State battered Central Connecticut all afternoon. Head coach Elliott Avent shook up the lineup with multiple changes, most notably moving freshman center fielder Ty Head to the lead off spot and adding freshman third baseman Ryder Woodson to the starting lineup. The adjustments worked perfectly as NC State scored over 10 runs for the first time since May 6 when it hung 14 on UNC-Wilmington.
The Wolfpack found its rhythm at the plate early, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning. Sophomore catcher Alex Sosa knocked a two-run shot past center field for his first homer of the tournament. The home run ignited the Wolfpack offense, breathing new life into the lineup. The red-and-white finished the game with three homers, while swinging the bats with confidence all afternoon.
NC State broke the game open in the fourth inning, exploding for four runs and taking a commanding 6-0 lead. A wild pitch and an error allowed a pair of runners to score. Woodson then cleared the bases with his first career home run — a no doubt shot over the left field fence. Inserting Woodson into the lineup proved especially beneficial for NC State as Woodson later tacked on a double in the sixth inning.
NC State entered the ninth with a commanding 9-0 lead when sophomore second baseman Luke Nixon joined the home run party and hammered a three-run dinger to push the lead to 12 runs. After suffering a late season slump, the home run could prove to be a confidence boost to push Nixon back in the right direction.
With the win, the Wolfpack’s season remains alive. NC State will need to win two games Sunday and a game on Monday to advance to the Super Regionals. While the Pack’s path remains narrow, it took an important first step with the win over Central Connecticut.
NC State will face Stetson in another elimination game on Sunday at 3 p.m.