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What a Series Win Over Stanford Would Mean For NC State Baseball

The Wolfpack could secure a second series win in a row if it finds a way to take down the Cardinal on Sunday.
Tucker Sennett|
Jun 17, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; NC State Wolfpack shortstop Brandon Butterworth (3) walks through the dugout before the game against the Florida Gators at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
Jun 17, 2024; Omaha, NE, USA; NC State Wolfpack shortstop Brandon Butterworth (3) walks through the dugout before the game against the Florida Gators at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

As things stand, NC State is in position to earn a second series win in a row if it finds a way to take down the Stanford Cardinal in Sunday's game on the road at Sunken Diamond. That's a take easier said than done, especially with some of the issues the Wolfpack has experienced on the road so far in 2026, but there's still plenty of reason to believe the group can find a way to get it done.

There's also the fact that it would mean an enormous amount to a Wolfpack team trying to improve its NCAA Tournament standing as much as possible before the postseason begins with the ACC Tournament. The rankings are what they are for the Wolfpack, but a series win helps the résumé in both the RPI and the KPI, a new, highly important part of tournament selection.

What a Sunday victory does

After disappointingly dropping the first game in the series, in which the Wolfpack led late, the group needed to respond in a big way to even things up. A dominant offensive performance helped NC State recover from an early deficit to come back and take down the Cardinal on Saturday, regaining some of its momentum in the series to set up the rubber match on Sunday.

With a win in the final game, NC State would pick up an additional 18 points in the RPI, while also picking up a series win. The latter part is far more important for the KPI, which places a greater value on weekend wins because of its emphasis on strength of schedule and fixed scoring, while the RPI fluctuates based on the success of previous opponents over the course of the entire season. Any help the Wolfpack can get down the stretch is important in either metric.

NC State baseball
NC State Wolfpack players meet on the mound during an eventful first inning against the Stetson Hatters during the NCAA Baseball Regional Tournament at Plainsman Park in Auburn, Ala., on Friday May 30, 2025. | Mickey Welsh / Advertiser / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There's a confidence element to the final game of the series as well. The Wolfpack has a chance to get over the .500 mark in conference play with a win, setting up a pivotal final regular-season series against its bitter rivals, the UNC Tar Heels. Getting a shot to end conference play with a better than .500 record would mean a lot for a group that has been dealt a fairly brutal hand over the last two months.

Riding into what is essentially an extension of the postseason against the Tar Heels with back-to-back series wins, confident bats and a bullpen starting to find itself could mark the beginning of a deeper run through both the single-elimination ACC Tournament and a shot at winning a regional come NCAA Tournament time. Still, it all starts with beating Stanford on Sunday, which the Pack must find a way to do to set these other things in motion the right way.

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Tucker Sennett
TUCKER SENNETT

Tucker Sennett graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Sports Journalism from the esteemed Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University. A former basketball player, he has gained valuable experience working at Cronkite News and brings a deep passion for sports and reporting to his role as the NC State Wolfpack Beat Writer On SI.

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