Wolfpack Celebrates Inaugural Victory Over Cancer Game, Completes Series Sweep Over Ball State

Sunday, April 28

Raleigh, N.C.

1 p.m.

NC State

25-16

Ball State

25-18-1

Ball State

NC State

Wolfpack Celebrates Inaugural Victory Over Cancer Game, Completes Series Sweep Over Ball State

4/28/2024 5:23:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Postgame Donation Number Over $50,860 Toward Pediatric Cancer Research

RALEIGH, N.C. – The No. 21 NC State baseball team completed a three-game series sweep over Ball State with an 11-3 win on Sunday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park. The Wolfpack also celebrated its inaugural Victory Over Cancer Game, inviting local families affected by pediatric cancer to Sunday's game while raising over $50,860 to support pediatric cancer research. Fans can still donate to Sunday's cause at v.org/turner.

NC State players and its coaching staff honored Sunday's inaugural event with gold uniforms, which is the awareness ribbon color for pediatric cancer. The Wolfpack also welcomed local families onto the field pregame to interact with Pack9 players and staff. The family of Pack Pro Trea Turner, who was integral to Sunday's event, was also in attendance for Sunday's victory at Doak Field.

NC State (25-16) never trailed in Sunday's series finale as the Wolfpack plated three runs in the opening frame to take a 3-0 lead. Jacob Cozart ripped an RBI triple off the wall in left-center to drive home the Pack's first run before Brandon Butterworth roped a two-out, two-run homer to extend the Wolfpack's advantage to 3-0.

Ball State (25-18-1) scored one in the second and third innings to trim its deficit to 3-2. Cozart helped re-establish the Wolfpack's multi-run lead with a solo home run, driving a 1-2 pitch the opposite way for his sixth homer in the past seven games.

NC State recorded its second three-spot of the afternoon in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-2 lead. Matt Heavner and Garrett Pennington each logged RBI efforts before Alec Makarewicz ripped a two-out RBI double down the left-field line for the Pack's final run of the inning.

The Cardinals cut the Wolfpack's lead to 7-3 in the sixth when Nick Gregory smacked an RBI single to center field. Gregory's single kept the bases loaded for Ball State with just one out. Left-handed reliever John Miralia retired the second out before freshman Jacob Dudan struck out Hunter Dobbins to strand the bases loaded.

The Wolfpack scored four in the eighth to push the score to its final tally at 11-3. Makarewicz lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to make it 8-3 before Cozart ripped his third hit of the day, scoring a pair of Wolfpack baserunners on a single to right field. Butterworth then smacked an RBI double to the gap in left-center for an 11-3 Wolfpack lead.

Carson Kelly (1-0) earned the win after entering the game for the Wolfpack in the fifth. Kelly struck out three batters and allowed just one run. Wolfpack starting pitcher Cooper Consiglio tossed 4.1 innings and limited the Cardinals to just two runs and two hits, striking out three opposing batters.

The Wolfpack bullpen efforts of Kelly, Miralia, Dudan and Andrew Shaffner allowed just one run over 4.2 innings pitched, striking out eight batters while allowing only four hits.

Ball State starting pitcher Nate Blain (0-4) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs over 3.2 innings.

Cozart finished just a double shy of the cycle in Sunday's standout performance, going 3-for-5 with a homer, a triple, a single and three RBI. Butterworth tied Cozart with a team-high three RBI. Leadoff batter Eli Serrano III also tallied a multi-hit performance, going 2-for-5 with two runs scored.

UP NEXT
NC State closes out its four-game homestand against UNCW on Tuesday night. First pitch at Doak Field is set for 5 p.m. and will stream live on ACC Network Extra.