Friday, May 30
Auburn, Ala.
2 p.m.
NC State
vs
Stetson
NC State Takes on Stetson to Begin Auburn Regional
5/29/2025 2:39:00 PM | Baseball
AUBURN, Ala. – NC State will open its 2025 NCAA Tournament campaign on Friday, May 30th, at 2 p.m. ET against Stetson to kick off the Auburn Regional. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and heard on WKNC 88.1 FM and the Varsity Network App. Fans looking to make the trip to the plains can purchase tickets HERE.
The Wolfpack has a long postseason history with Stetson, having faced the Hatters in three NCAA Regionals before 2025. Their first matchup occurred in the 1988 East Regional, followed by a meeting in the 1990 Atlantic Regional, and most recently in the 2011 Columbia Regional, where they met twice. Across NCAA regional contests and regular season matchups in 1950 and 2014, the Wolfpack and Stetson have battled to an even record of 3-3.
This will be the second time in program history that the Wolfpack has played a regional in Auburn. 1999, they played the Tigers and Tulane, falling in both contests.
This is the first time in program history the Wolfpack will be heading to the postseason following a year in which they made the trip to Omaha. It is the 13th appearance since 2010, and under head coach Elliott Avent, the Wolfpack has made an NCAA Regional appearance in 19 of the past 22 tournaments dating back to 2003. Avent has now led his Wolfpack squads to an NCAA Regional 22 times during his coaching career in Raleigh.
Avent needs three wins to tie Jim Morris for the fourth-most wins as an ACC member.
The Wolfpack has faced Auburn three times in NCAA Regional play, compiling a 1-2 record. Their first encounter came in the 1993 Midwest Regional, followed by the 1999 Auburn Regional, and most recently in the 2018 Raleigh Regional.
NC State and Central Connecticut State have never met on the diamond. The Blue Devils and Wolfpack were in the same Columbia regional in 2023 but did not face one another.
NC State holds a 68-71 record in 34 prior NCAA postseason appearances. The Wolfpack has advanced to the Super Regionals six times and the College World Series four times.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday – LHP Dominic Fritton (NCSU) vs. LHP Jonathan Gonzalez (Stetson)
In the Wolfpack's ACC Tournament game against Clemson, Fritton picked up his 100th strikeout of the season, becoming the first Wolfpack to reach the century mark since Carlos Rodon in 2014.
Fritton has led a Wolfpack pitching staff that leads the ACC in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 2.80, also 12th in the nation. NC State is the only school in the ACC with two pitchers in the top 10 in both innings pitched and batters struck out. Ryan Marohn joins Fritton with 81 strikeouts in 77.1 innings pitched.
The Wolfpack are 16-8 when scoring first and have outscored their opponents 394-282 in 52 games.
17-11 when the opponent scores first. NC State trailed first in all three games in its sweep against Clemson. In the second game against Cal, the Pack trailed 6-0 but came back to win 7-6. It was the third time this season that the Pack had come back and won after trailing by 5+ runs.
NC State is 12-6 when scoring in the first inning and 14-10 when the opponent does so. The Wolfpack scored 31 runs in the first inning and allowed 37 runs to their opponents in the first frame.
NC State plays its best baseball when it plays clean baseball. The Wolfpack is 20-5 when it makes no errors, compared to a 13-14 record when it makes at least one error.
The Wolfpack is 28-7 in games when they hit at least one home run in a game compared to 5-12 when they hit zero. NC State has 63 home runs on the season, with Brayden Fraasman and Josh Hogue leading the way with 10.
Freshman Brandon Novy heads into the Auburn Regional on a 10-game reach base streak, currently the longest by a Wolfpack Player. Novy is the eighth Wolfpack player with a streak of reaching base in double-digit games.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 - #2 NC State (33-19) vs. #3 Stetson (40-20), 2 p.m. ESPN+
Game 2 - #1 Auburn (38-18) vs. #4 Central Connecticut St. (31-15), 7 p.m. ESPN+
SATURDAY, MAY 31
Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 2 p.m. CT
Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 8 p.m. CT
SUNDAY, JUNE 1
Loser Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3 – 2 p.m. CT
Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 – 6 p.m. CT
MONDAY, JUNE 2
If Necessary Game – TBA
The Wolfpack has a long postseason history with Stetson, having faced the Hatters in three NCAA Regionals before 2025. Their first matchup occurred in the 1988 East Regional, followed by a meeting in the 1990 Atlantic Regional, and most recently in the 2011 Columbia Regional, where they met twice. Across NCAA regional contests and regular season matchups in 1950 and 2014, the Wolfpack and Stetson have battled to an even record of 3-3.
This will be the second time in program history that the Wolfpack has played a regional in Auburn. 1999, they played the Tigers and Tulane, falling in both contests.
This is the first time in program history the Wolfpack will be heading to the postseason following a year in which they made the trip to Omaha. It is the 13th appearance since 2010, and under head coach Elliott Avent, the Wolfpack has made an NCAA Regional appearance in 19 of the past 22 tournaments dating back to 2003. Avent has now led his Wolfpack squads to an NCAA Regional 22 times during his coaching career in Raleigh.
Avent needs three wins to tie Jim Morris for the fourth-most wins as an ACC member.
The Wolfpack has faced Auburn three times in NCAA Regional play, compiling a 1-2 record. Their first encounter came in the 1993 Midwest Regional, followed by the 1999 Auburn Regional, and most recently in the 2018 Raleigh Regional.
NC State and Central Connecticut State have never met on the diamond. The Blue Devils and Wolfpack were in the same Columbia regional in 2023 but did not face one another.
NC State holds a 68-71 record in 34 prior NCAA postseason appearances. The Wolfpack has advanced to the Super Regionals six times and the College World Series four times.
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
Friday – LHP Dominic Fritton (NCSU) vs. LHP Jonathan Gonzalez (Stetson)
In the Wolfpack's ACC Tournament game against Clemson, Fritton picked up his 100th strikeout of the season, becoming the first Wolfpack to reach the century mark since Carlos Rodon in 2014.
Fritton has led a Wolfpack pitching staff that leads the ACC in strikeout-to-walk ratio at 2.80, also 12th in the nation. NC State is the only school in the ACC with two pitchers in the top 10 in both innings pitched and batters struck out. Ryan Marohn joins Fritton with 81 strikeouts in 77.1 innings pitched.
The Wolfpack are 16-8 when scoring first and have outscored their opponents 394-282 in 52 games.
17-11 when the opponent scores first. NC State trailed first in all three games in its sweep against Clemson. In the second game against Cal, the Pack trailed 6-0 but came back to win 7-6. It was the third time this season that the Pack had come back and won after trailing by 5+ runs.
NC State is 12-6 when scoring in the first inning and 14-10 when the opponent does so. The Wolfpack scored 31 runs in the first inning and allowed 37 runs to their opponents in the first frame.
NC State plays its best baseball when it plays clean baseball. The Wolfpack is 20-5 when it makes no errors, compared to a 13-14 record when it makes at least one error.
The Wolfpack is 28-7 in games when they hit at least one home run in a game compared to 5-12 when they hit zero. NC State has 63 home runs on the season, with Brayden Fraasman and Josh Hogue leading the way with 10.
Freshman Brandon Novy heads into the Auburn Regional on a 10-game reach base streak, currently the longest by a Wolfpack Player. Novy is the eighth Wolfpack player with a streak of reaching base in double-digit games.
Friday, May 30
Game 1 - #2 NC State (33-19) vs. #3 Stetson (40-20), 2 p.m. ESPN+
Game 2 - #1 Auburn (38-18) vs. #4 Central Connecticut St. (31-15), 7 p.m. ESPN+
SATURDAY, MAY 31
Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2 – 2 p.m. CT
Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2 – 8 p.m. CT
SUNDAY, JUNE 1
Loser Game 4 vs. Winner Game 3 – 2 p.m. CT
Winner Game 4 vs. Winner Game 5 – 6 p.m. CT
MONDAY, JUNE 2
If Necessary Game – TBA
Players Mentioned
OF
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LHP
/ Baseball
OF
/ Baseball
LHP
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INF
/ BaseballAuburn Regional Preview: Elliott Avent on ACC PM
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