NC State cruises past VCU behind solid pitching from Sam Highfill, Shane Van Dam

The first inning was not as smooth as NC State starting pitcher Sam Highfill might have imagined, but the senior righty did enough to get through it. 

Highfill conceded a lead-off single and a pair of walks to allow VCU to open the scoring in the first inning. But he was able to rebound and cruised through the next four innings on the mound. 

The Apex, N.C., native’s bounce-back performance allowed NC State to cruise past VCU, 6-1, to open the 2024 season Friday afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park. 

“It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been here, there’s always nerves on Opening Day,” Highfill said. “I had to work through some of those early, but happy with the way we came out, played hard and got a W.”

Highfill was able to keep a clean sheet the rest of the way. He finished his first start of the season with just one hit and one run allowed to accompany five walks and six strikeouts in his five innings on the mound. 

Though Highfill had a rocky start, he was able to settle in on the mound. NC State coach Elliott Avent pointed to Highfill’s pitches not being there entirely.

“Sam, he didn’t have his good stuff today,” Avent said. “He couldn’t find his fastball, his breaking ball was non-existent at the beginning of the game. … And he got us to the sixth. That’s the value of a veteran and guys that have been in a lot of situations.”

While Highfill found his rhythm in the middle innings, so did NC State’s bats. The Wolfpack opened the scoring with an RBI single by freshman catcher Alex Sosa, who was the team’s designated hitter, in the third inning before the red and white had a four-run fourth inning. 

Sosa did not appear to be a first-year player on the field against the Rams. He was calm and collected in his five trips to the plate and he proved why he was the No. 24 freshman in the country, according to Perfect Game. 

The Viera, Fla., native finished the afternoon 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of walks in his collegiate debut. He earned praise from Avent, NC State’s 28th-year coach, postgame. 

“Sosa can really hit,” Avent said. “That guy turned down a lot of money to come here. … He can really hit and he can catch, too. But he’s a good hitter.”

Sosa will catch the Saturday contest against the Rams, Avent announced afterwards. 

In addition to Sosa’s timely offense, the Wolfpack bats went yard twice. First it was sophomore shortstop Matt Heavner, who launched a missile down the left field line in the fourth inning. That opened the four-run frame before junior catcher Jacob Cozart added an insurance run in the eighth with a solo shot to right field. 

That was all the lead NC State needed. After Highfill gave the Wolfpack a solid start, SUNY Cortland transfer Shane Van Dam came on in relief. He finished the game with just two hits allowed to go with two walks and five strikeouts in the final four innings of the contest. 

Van Dam, a hard-throwing righty, sat in the mid 90s for much of the contest and hit 96 mph on his second pitch of the game. A former Division-III quarterback has the talent as an ACC reliever, and Avent noted that.

“He’s got good stuff,” Avent said of Van Dam. “He’s really new and raw, but he’s got good stuff. Today it was good for him to get out there. But he usually commands the strike zone a little better, today he was all over the place.”

NC State’s pair of pitchers kept the Wolfpack out of trouble for most of the day, which allowed the red and white to keep its bullpen mostly unused heading into the final two days of the opening weekend. 

But for Highfill, who battled a back injury last season, being the opening day starter was the goal and he accomplished that on day one of the new campaign. 

“I felt like I’ve earned it, and the coaches tell me I earned it,” Highfill said. “Just the process of coming here every day this year, that’s what I was working towards. But ultimately it doesn’t matter. Whatever role I’m in, I’m going to pitch and just try to get outs.”

He got 15 outs in his first appearance of the season with the red and white, which culminated in his longest outing since he went six innings at Pittsburgh on May 20, 2023.

“It’s good to be healthy, good to be back,” Highfill said. “Any time I get to pitch on the baseball mound, I’m going to cherish these moments in this last year here. Excited to keep going.”