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NC State baseball ready to ‘bounce back’ at ACC Tournament this weekend

image_6483441 (3)by: Noah Fleischman05/21/25fleischman_noah
Josh Hogue
(Photo courtesy of NC State Athletics)

Josh Hogue has a new perspective on baseball. A year ago, he was sitting at home recovering from a broken leg as NC State began its postseason run that culminated in the program’s fourth-ever trip to the Men’s College World Series in Omaha. 

Now, he gets to be a part of the best time of the year in college baseball as NC State is set to open its postseason in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on Thursday night at 7 p.m. inside the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. 

“I’m obviously grateful to be out here again and play outside of school to play in the postseason,” Hogue said. “It’s really exciting for me, especially all the stuff that I’ve been through working back from the recovery this year.”

Hogue has been key for the Wolfpack as the team’s everyday left fielder. He was on a torrid pace a year ago before his injury, and it’s as if that never happened. Hogue leads the Wolfpack with 16 doubles and 10 homers to add pop to the NC State lineup. 

The Pack will likely need Hogue’s bat to win its first ACC Tournament title since 1992, but unlike in year’s past, the league adjusted the format to a single-elimination bracket. NC State, the four-seed in the tournament, has to win just three games in four days for the crown.

And for the Wolfpack’s players, they’re more than excited to treat this weekend like any other ACC series.

“It’s all about staying consistent and staying on the same schedule,” sophomore catcher Alex Sosa said. “We’re ready to go on Thursday. I know we’ve got a lot of energy and we’re excited to play.”

The Pack is eager to put its regular season finale in the rearview mirror. NC State had a chance to earn the top seed in the tournament with a sweep over Stanford, but the Cardinal was able to win two of three instead. 

Although it wasn’t what the Wolfpack wanted, the team’s mindset is in the present. They know they are more than capable of playing well in Durham for a three-game stretch. 

“We’ve had our ups and downs, but you don’t change everything you do based off one bad game,” junior reliever Andrew Shaffner said. “We’ve practiced like we always do, worked our butts off, and hopefully there’s a good result at the end.”

NC State awaits the winner of No. 5 Clemson and No. 12 Virginia Tech — a pair of teams it owns a 5-1 record over this spring — to open its stay at the ACC Tournament. Whichever team it sees, the Pack knows it’s going to be a battle.

“Obviously, it’s not going to be easy, but we’re going to go out there and play like we do,” Hogue said. “We’re on the routine that we’re used to, so it’ll help a lot and give us an advantage that some teams don’t have.”

But it wouldn’t want it any other way.

“We’re here to win every single game we play,” Sosa said. “Losing sucks, we know that. We definitely want to bounce back this weekend.”

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