State sails past Pirates, 10-3

Q: What was the final score of the NC State vs East Carolina baseball game on March 15, 2026?

NC State won the game against East Carolina with a final score of 10-3.

Q: How did Luke Hemric perform in the game against East Carolina?

Luke Hemric pitched four innings, allowing 2 hits and no runs, while striking out 7 batters.

Q: What impact did the win have on NC State's RPI ranking?

The victory improved NC State's RPI ranking by nine spots, moving them to #52.

Q: What were the key plays that led to NC State's victory over East Carolina?

Key plays included a two-out error by ECU that allowed NC State to score, and a one-out home run by Ty Head that broke the game open.

RALEIGH, NC - MARCH 15: The NC State Wolfpack bench celebrates the double during the college baseball game between the Boston College Eagles and the NC State Wolfpack on March 15, 2026 at Doak Field at Dail Park in Raleigh, NC. (Photo by Nicholas Faulkner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Baseball games between NC State and East Carolina are typically highly contested affairs, but the Wolfpack saw to none of that on Tuesday in Greenville, scoring five runs across the 2nd and 3rd innings to take an early lead, while Luke Hemric and four other freshman arms kept the Pirates offense at bay. In the end, State cruised to a 10-3 win, improving their overall record to 25-12 and moving up nine spots in the RPI rankings to #52. The Pirates fall to 22-15-1 on the year and drop to #40 in the RPI rankings.

Freshman LHP Luke Hemric (4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K) was sensational in earning the second win of his career, allowing runners to reach scoring position in the 2nd and 4th innings, but not allowing either to reach third base. His seven strikeouts in four innings against the nation’s toughest team to strikeout was quite the statement.

Meanwhile, the Wolfpack lineup used a two-out ECU error in the 2nd to plate a run, and made the error hurt worse with Rett Johnson singling home another run in the frame, to make it a 2-0 game. Ty Head broke the game open an inning later on a one-out home run to right field. The Pack plated another run in the frame as Brandon Novy brought home Mike Ryan, who walked and advanced to third on a Sherman Johnson single.

Sherman Johnson doubled to lead off the 6th inning, advancing on a Novy sacrifice bunt, and scoring on a Brayden Fraasman groundout to extend State’s lead to 6-0.

ECU notched a run in the 6th off Wolfpack reliever Mikey Ragusa on a Davin Whitaker walk, Jack Herring single to move Whitaker to third base, and Brayden Bachman sacrifice fly. It was the collegiate debut for Ragusa (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K), who had no issues in his first inning on the bump, retiring the ECU side in the 5th on 13 pitches. RHP Sam Harris came on to to record the last two outs in the 6th with the Wolfpack up 6-1.

State pushed the lead back to six in the top of the 7th. Chris McHugh led off with a single and Mikey Ryan took his place on the bags with a fielder’s choice. Ryan then stole second with two outs and scored on another ECU error.

Harris retired ECU in order in the 7th, and the Wolfpack made it a 10-1 game in the top of the 8th. Fraasman walked to start the frame, then scored on a Drew Lanphere double into the left field corner. Luke Nixon busted out the home run trot with a 390-foot shot into the trees in right field.

Whitaker plated two for the Pirates on a home run of his own in the bottom of the inning, plating himself and Braden Burress, who reached on a single to lead off the inning a batter prior. That signaled the end of the scoring for the day, and two batters later was the end of the night for Harris (2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 0 K), whose only mistake really was the 2-2 offering to Whitaker. RHP Aiden Kitchings came on to end the 8th, striking out the only batter he faced in the game. RHP Truitt Manuel (1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K) finished off the game, throwing all fastballs and bumping 97 with the heater.

The Pack lineup pounded out 10 hits and worked 7 walks in the game, scoring double-digit runs for the third time in the last four games. That’s a positive sign for an offense that had reached that mark just once in the previous 17 games. Sherman Johnson (3-for-4, 2B, R, 1-1 SB) and Nixon (2-for-5, 2B, HR, R, 2 RBI, 0-1 SB) were the only Pack players with multiple hits as the attack was balanced from top to bottom with seven different players tallying a hit in the contest. Rett Johnson (1-for-4, RBI, BB), McHugh (1-for-2, R, 3 BB), and Ryan (0-for-3, 3 R, 2 BB, 1-1 SB) reached base safely multiple times in the game.

State heads to Winston-Salem to take on Wake Forest this weekend, with the series opener Friday at 8:00pm. The Demon Deacons topped top-10 Coastal Carolina at home on Tuesday.