Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Winthrop
Mascot: South Carolina Bird Gang | School Location: Rock Hill, SC | Conference: Big South
2026 Record: 2-1 (0-0, T-1st) | 2026 RPI Rank: 133
2025 Record: 31-29 (13-11, T-4th) | 2025 RPI Rank: 180
2024 Record: 19-29-1 (8-15, 8th) | 2024 RPI Rank: 240
When? Where? How do I watch?
Location: Doak Field at Dail Park (Raleigh, NC)
Game Time(s): Wed, Feb 18 @ 3:00pm
TV: Wednesday (ACCNX)
Live Stats: Stat Broadcast (Wednesday)
Tell me about this team
This is an Eagles team that returns a big chunk of their offensive production, plus a Big South Player-of-the-Year
type in rJR 2B Gabe Natividad. The offense was expected to be formidable, and it definitely showed that in their season opening series win over Georgetown, putting up 29 runs over three games, including 26 over the first two games of the series.
More notable than that was the starting pitching performances put forth in the Friday and Saturday victories. JR RHP Brayden Gilley (5.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K) and JR LHP Luke Earnhardt (5.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K) each put together fantastic outings. Winthrop shouldn’t expect those two to not give up any earned runs every time they step on the mound, but anything in the vicinity of their efforts this past weekend will vault this team into contention for a Big South title.
It’s way too early to start that type of thinking, though, as one series does not make a season, especially against a Georgetown team that – while they should be much improved this year – is still coming off a 4o-loss season in 2025.
Back to the offense, the 29 runs were impressive in the first three games, but it was built largely on the back – “literally” might be an appropriate word to use here – due to a whopping 22 HBPs absorbed by Eagles hitters. That’s an absurd total and not a sustainable one moving forward. The other numbers (.227/.431/.330, 4 2B, 2 HR, 10.9 BB%, 16.1 K%, 11-11 SB) are a mixed bag that says things could either improve despite HBP regression (10.9 BB%, 16.1 K%, 11-11 SB) or go horribly bad (.227 BA, .330 SLG). Time will tell.
Pitching Matchups
Wednesday: RHP Heath Andrews (JR) vs RHP Mason Tompkins (SO)
Key Players:
Offense
2B Gabe Natividad (rJR) – .417/.533/.417, 0 2B, 0 HR, 6.7 BB%, 26.7 K%, 1-1 SB. Former JUCO transfer and Nevada native put together a huge year last year (.347/.486/.518, 14 2B, 6 HR, 9.8 BB%, 8.8 K%, 10-14 SB) and could have easily transferred up in the offseason. 2025 All-Big South 1st Team selection.
RF Josh Skowronski (rSO) – .111/.500/.111, 0 2B, 0 HR, 31.3 BB%, 6.3 K%, 1-1 SB. Lefty hitter transferred in after redshirting his first year at Kentucky, then earned Big South All-Freshman Team and 2nd Team All-Big South honors last year (.305/.436/.588, 9 2B, 13 HR, 13.3 BB%, 19.3 K%, 10-14 SB).
CF Ethan Wilson (SR) – .250/.357/.583, 1 2B, 1 HR, 0.0 BB%, 14.3 K%, 0-0 SB. Former JUCO transfer didn’t earn any conference honors last year, but put up a solid campaign (.294/.391/.491, 11 2B, 10 HR, 11.2 BB%, 21.7 K%, 12-16 SB). A little surprised the 6’0, 180 lbs Rock Hill native didn’t get a look in the draft as he has really good foot speed and a solid arm in the outfield, plus a bit of pop in the bat.
Pitching
RHP Mason Tompkins (SO) – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.1 IP, 0.0 BB%, 100.0 K%. The 5’11, 190 lbs made 8 starts as a freshman in 2025, moving into the starting rotation in April and performing decently well. Posted a line last year of 2-2, 6.60 ERA, 43.2 IP, 8.8 BB%, 17.2 K%. Has a standard three-pitch mix of a high-80’s/low-90’s fastball, a changeup and a breaking ball.
RHP Harrison Wilson (SR) – 0-0, 1 SV, 2.25 ERA, 4.0 IP, 0.0 BB%, 33.3 K%. Top returning pitcher (5-1, 5.09 ERA, 58.1 IP, 11.6 BB%, 20.2 K%) who finished the last four innings of the Eagles season-opening win on Friday. They won’t use him unless Winthrop has a shot at a victory. Former two-way player has a five-pitch mix including a low-to-mid-90’s fastball and a slider that can be filthy at times.
RHP Ben Rehkow (SR) – 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.0 IP, 0.0 BB%, 33.3 K%. Former JUCO transfer and Rock Hill native, he led the team in saves last year as part of a solid season (1-3, 3 SV, 4.82 ERA, 28.0 IP, 6.4 BB%, 18.4 K%). Was roughed up a couple times over his last five outings, otherwise those numbers would have been more impressive than they were.
Quick! Fun Facts!
Winthrop used 13 different pitchers in their season opening series win against Georgetown. No pitcher made more than a single appearance, and SR RHP Harrison Wilson (SV, 4.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K) was the only reliever to hit two or more innings.
NC State and Winthrop have not played since 2003, which is a little wild considering how close the two schools are.
The Eagles have not been to an NCAA Regional since 2006, which marked the 5th Regional appearance for the program over the prior 12 years. All five of those Regionals came under former coach Joe Hudak, who was fired after the 2010 season.
Winthrop Saturday starting pitcher Luke Earnhardt is the son of Dale Earnhardt, but isn’t related to those Earnhardts.
Only five Winthrop alumni have played at the MLB level, but oddly enough, four of those played in The Show at the same time. RHP Kevin Slowey, RHP Chris Leroux, OF Darin Mastroianni, and RHP Alex Wilson. Three of them (Slowey, Leroux, Mastroianni) all played on that 2005 Winthrop team that went 44-22 and made the Knoxville Regional as the 2-seed.
The Key To A Win For State
Much like the key in the opener, this one is simply about being the team with the fewer mistakes, both in terms of issuing free passes and miscues in the field. The Wolfpack are the stronger team and should roll as long as they don’t allow Winthrop to stay in it without earning it.
Prediction
It’ll be interesting to see what State does with Andrews on the mound in this one. He’s starting in this one because his scheduled start in Sunday’s finale in Puerto Rico got cancelled due to rain, but then again this weekend is projected for a pretty decent amount of rain in the Raleigh area, so there’s a high likelihood the Pack won’t get in all three versus Princeton anyways. Do the coaches pull Andrews early so he’ll be ready for another start Sunday? Do they let him ride for 70-ish pitches and/or 5.0 IP like they did with Ryan Marohn and Jacob Dudan last weekend? Time will tell.
Either way, State should roll in this one. They’re the stronger team.
Outcome: State wins 9-3.
