No. 10 NC State Wins Thriller Over No. 11 Florida State

Friday, March 20

Tallahassee, FL

6 p.m.

NC State

18-4, 3-1

Florida State

17-4, 3-1

NC State

Florida State

No. 10 NC State Wins Thriller Over No. 11 Florida State

3/20/2026 10:59:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – In a matchup between two ranked teams, No. 10 NC State secured the victory behind freshman Rett Johnson's two-RBI double in the top of the sixth inning. Ryan Marohn and Anderson Nance also played crucial roles, holding the Seminoles at bay in a 6-4 win at Mike Martin Field at Dick Howser Stadium on Friday night.

With NC State (18-4, 3-1) trailing and having just surrendered the lead after a Florida State three-run inning, the Pack responded with a three-run inning of its own and managed to maintain the lead.

The Wolfpack had four hits in the sixth inning. Ty Head had a two-RBI night, with his second coming on a single that cut the deficit to one. The Pack's lead was regained with two outs after Johnson's at-bat following a Seminole pitching change. Johnson took the second pitch and drove it to center field for a double, clearing the bases and giving NC State a 5-4 advantage.

Johnson is 17 for his last 28 (.607) with seven walks and two strikeouts. The bottom of the Wolfpack lineup went 10-for-21 today, while Florida State went 1-for-16.

Insurance was added in the ninth when Johnson again manufactured a run, doubling and scoring on a dropped third strike and a Seminole error.

Anderson Nance (1) came in and earned his first save of the season, tossing three scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, two walks, and a season-high five strikeouts. Florida State threatened in the eighth after a leadoff walk and a single placed runners on first and second with no outs. Nance responded with two consecutive strikeouts and a groundout to escape the jam without allowing a run.

Starter Ryan Marohn (4-0) struck out a career-high 10 batters in an ACC game, pitching six innings while allowing four runs on four hits with three walks to earn his fourth win of the season.

One of the best pitchers in the country and the ERA leader in the ACC, Wes Mendes (5-1), suffered his first loss of the season as the Wolfpack tagged him for five runs on eight hits, one walk, and five strikeouts.

Florida State's first error of the game benefited the Pack as Dalton Bargo doubled with two outs on an 0-2 pitch to score Brayden Frassman from first base, marking his second double of the season and his 16th RBI.

The Seminoles scored their first run after a leadoff walk in the bottom of the third, wild pitch, sacrifice bunt, and groundout, tying the game without a hit.

The Wolfpack responded by loading the bases with no outs in the top of the fourth but only managed one run on a sacrifice fly from Head.

In the bottom of the fifth, Marohn was one strike away from ending the inning unscathed, but Myles Bailey hit a three-run homer, giving the home team their only lead of the game.

NC State will try to clinch the series tomorrow, Saturday, March 21st, at 2 p.m., with Jacob Dudan on the mound for the Pack. The game can be watched on ACCNX.