State steamrolls Fordham for series sweep

Three straight run-rule shortened games made for a rather uncompetitive weekend

NC State had little trouble with Fordham in the 2025 season opening series, dispatching the Rams in a trio of run-rule shortened games. The Wolfpack won 11-1, 12-2, and 19-6.

The Pack had a little trouble pulling away from the Rams in the opener, with the game being tied at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the 5th. State would plate two in that inning on the backs of three singles in a walk, with Justin DeCriscio and Drew Lanphere notching an RBI single each. State then used a pair of 4-run innings in the 7th and 8th innings to put the game away for good. An Alex Sosa opposite field 2-run homer highlighted the 7th inning.

Chris McHugh’s first home run in a Wolfpack uniform highlighted the 8th inning.

Pitching was solid for State in the opener with Dominic Fritton tossing 4.1 innings with just a single unearned run crossing the plate. He allowed just 3 hits while registering 5 strikeouts, but did struggle with location in this one, walking 2 and plunking a pair of batters. Andrew Shaffner tossed the final 3.2 innings in earning the win, allowing 3 hits and plunking a batter, while striking out 1.

Wolfpack newcomer Brayden Fraasman paced State with a 3-hit day (3-for-5, 2B, R, 2 RBI), while McHugh (2-for-2, HR, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB, HBP) and Lanphere (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, BB) also had multi-hit outings. Sosa (1-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB), DeCriscio (1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB), and Ty Head (0-for-3, RBI, 2 BB) each reached base safely multiple times.

Fordham jumped out to an early lead in Game 2, scoring an early run thanks to some erratic pitching. A leadoff walk and an infield single put a pair of runners on, with a run crossing the plate thanks to a wild pitch from Heath Andrews on a ball four.

State responded quickly quickly with a 3-spot in the bottom half of the inning, quickly erasing the only deficit the Pack would face all weekend. Luke Nixon singled to start off the inning and McHugh walked. Nixon took off for second on ball four to McHugh (he was credit with a stolen base somehow), and advanced to third as the throw from the catcher careened into centerfield (the catcher was also credited with a throwing error; it should have been either/or, but whatever). Fraasman plated Nixon with a sacrifice fly to left field before State newcomer Matt Ossenfort homered in his first plate appearance in the red and white, crushing the ball with a 107 mph exit velocity.

Fordham scratched another run in the top of the 3rd, again with the aid of a wild pitch pushing the runner across the plate. Despite zero hits in the inning, it was a 1-run game again.

State waited until the 4th to respond, but did so with a 4-run inning thanks to five hits. Head and Nixon highlighted the frame with a pair of back-to-back 2-RBI doubles, with McHugh pushing across the final run of the inning with a single.

Nothing happened in the 6th, thanks in part to some nice defensive skills displayed by new shortstop DeCriscio.

State plated three more runs in the 6th. Nixon notched his second double of the game in the frame, netting another RBI in the process, with McHugh also plating another run on a single. The final pair of runs came in the 7th on two walks, a hit-by-pitch, a balk, and a “walk-off” single by Head.

Andrews got the win in his second career start, tossing 5.0 innings (easily a career high) while allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on just 1 hit and recording 5 strikeouts. Control was a big issue for Andrews as he issued 3 walks, hit 3 batters, and unleashed 4 wild pitches. The potential is huge, but he’ll need to reign in the control if he’s going to remain in the starting rotation as the season unfolds.

Cooper Consiglio made his debut in relief, going the last 2.0 innings without allowing a run or a hit. He, too, faced some control issues (it is early in the year), walking 2 and uncorking a pair of wild pitches, but he did punch out 3 batters.

Nixon (3-for-4, 2 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, SB), McHugh (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB), and Head (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI) had multi-hit games while Sosa (1-for-3, BB) and DeCriscio (1-for-1, R, 2 HBP) reached base safely multiple times.

The series finale on Saturday saw a 0-0 game heading into the bottom of the 3rd inning when State unloaded for a 6-pack to put the game away early. It would be the first of three 6-run innings for State in the game.

McHugh drove in Nixon for the first run on a fielder’s choice after Nixon led off the inning with a single, stole a bag, and advanced to third on a groundout. Sosa then followed with a double to plate McHugh. After DeCriscio was hit by a pitch, Fraasman went deep for the first time as a member of the Pack, coming just a few feet shy of taking out the Fordham bus.

Ossenfort followed Fraasman’s bomb with a double, and then came around to score on Ryan Jaros’ first hit with the Pack – an RBI double – to make it a 6-0 Pack lead.

State scored one more in the 4th inning. Sosa walked with two outs and DeCriscio drove him in with a double to make it a 7-0 game.

The Pack plated six more in the 5th with the big hit being a 3-run Jake Bechtel pinch-hit home run. It was Bechtel’s first plate appearance of the year, and he made the most of it with a laser beam shot.

In the 6th inning, State again pushed across six runs, with Sosa having the loudest hit of the inning, and attempted murder job on some construction equipment out behind the right field wall.

Fordham would score five runs in the top of the 7th, but that was still four runs shy of being able to extend the game any longer (and thankfully so).

Four State hitters had multiple hits in the game: Josh Hogue (2-for-4, R, 2 RBI, SF), Sosa (2-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 R, 2 RBI, BB), Fraasman (2-for-4, HR, 2 R, 3 RBI, BB), Jaros (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R, RBI, BB). Four more State hitters reached safely multiple times: Nixon (1-for-3, 2 R, HBP, SB), Brandon Novy (0-for-1, R, 2 BB), Head (1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB), DeCriscio (1-for-2, 2B, R, RBI, HBP).

Ryan Marohn put together the best start of the weekend among State pitchers, tossing 5.0 innings of scoreless ball, allowing just 3 hits without a walk, and registering 7 strikeouts. He was dominant and clearly in control the entire outing.

Matt Willadsen made his long awaited return to the mound after missing all of 2024 with Tommy John Surgery. He surrendered a home run on the first pitch that left his hand (welcome back, buddy), but settled in quickly to strike out the next three hitters he faced. All told, it was an excellent effort for the senior.

Camden Wimbish opened the 7th inning on the mound for State and struggled with control while appearing to overthrow. He allowed a walk, a single, and then a 3-run home run. He finally recorded a strikeout, but only after going to a full count for the second time in four batters.

Jacob Dudan came on to make his season debut and struggled. Like Willadsen, the first pitch to leave his hand was deposited over the outfield wall. Unlike Willadsen, he didn’t settle in. He proceeded to issue a walk, a double, and a sacrifice fly before being lifted for Carson Kelly. The senior righty issued a walk before finally getting a fielder’s choice to end the game.

We didn’t see a ton of arms on the weekend, but that’s not a bad thing. Aside from the last inning of the series finale, there was no need to pull the guys on the mound. Even when the Pack’s pitchers found themselves in jams, they were able to work out of it. That’s a great sign.

Did we really learn much by playing a team like Fordham? Not really. But it’s a season opener and the team is 3-0. The offense put up a .379/.504/.663 line on the weekend with 21 walks to 8 strikeouts. In other words, they did exactly what you’d want them to do.

Up next is a much tougher test against a Liberty team that swept Saint John’s over the weekend. First pitch for that home game is 3:00pm Tuesday.