No. 17 NC State’s Dalton Bargo delivered the go-ahead homer to beat Princeton, but his leadership was just as critical

Dalton Bargo was going to be patient. He wanted a pitch over the middle to help extend NC State’s lead with two runners on in the eighth. The veteran slugger wasn’t going to force anything. If he got it, great. If not, he was more than content in drawing a walk.

But after Princeton’ Elliot Eaton left an 88-mph off-speed pitch over the heart of the zone, Bargo turned on it with authority. The result? A three-run moonshot into the home bullpen in right field to give the 17th-ranked Wolfpack a four-run lead, which ended up being the difference in a 6-4 win over the Tigers on Friday afternoon at Doak Field.

Bargo’s blast marked his third in his first four games in an NC State uniform after transferring in from Tennessee this past offseason. He’s off to a red-hot start, hitting .389 with the three homers and six RBI, just what he envisioned of what he could do hitting in the heart of the Pack’s order. 

“A lot of it just has to do with the offseason and preseason work that I’ve put in,” said a confident Bargo after mashing his first blast inside the Wolfpack’s home stadium with his previous pair coming in Puerto Rico last weekend. “I let my abilities take over, trust the process and just go out there and play hard.”

While his bat has been what most see when they check the box score, Bargo’s presence on the infield is just as important for the Wolfpack’s success. He’s the most-veteran corner infielder on the roster after spending the past two seasons at Tennessee and his freshman campaign at Missouri, and Bargo unafraid to share his experience with NC State’s young pitching staff. 

Whether it was freshman reliever Aiden Kitchings or sophomore reliever Collins Black, Bargo was the most-vocal supporter just about 64 feet to their left in the opener of the first true weekend series of the season against Princeton. He shared encouraging words from his spot on the infield, looking to pump up the still-growing pitchers however he could. 

After all, it’s an innate part of Bargo’s game.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound slugger grew up catching, including as he soared through the recruiting rankings as a Perfect Game Preseason All-American in his final two seasons at Omaha (Neb.) Westside High. He is more than comfortable talking with pitchers from his time behind the plate, knowing what to say and when, which has appeared in his three games at first base in a Wolfpack uniform.

It showed up when Kitchings found himself in a jam with runners on second and third with no outs in the seventh and a level score. Bargo was his biggest cheerleader, especially when he induced a pop up for the second out of the frame. 

“Let’s go,” he yelled, pumping his fist on his chest.

Bargo’s calming demeanor is natural. So much so that it doesn’t take any thought in working to provide the needed support to whoever is toeing the rubber for the Wolfpack.

“That inside of me just takes over,” said Bargo, referencing his catching experience. “I’ve been around a lot of baseball, played a lot of baseball, so it’s really easy for me to settle down the young guys. … Just settling everybody down, letting the game slow down and helping everybody else out.”

Bargo’s encouragement for his pitchers, which also included helping settle an annoyed left-hander Ryan Marohn after being called for two balks in his five-inning start, has been a pleasant surprise for Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent. 

The 30th-year skipper was well aware of Bargo’s bat after he slugged 28 extra-base hits with 40 RBI a year ago, but his quality leadership has been an added bonus. 

“We knew what we were getting as a player, but he’s been around the game,” Avent said. “He understands the game. … He knows what it takes to win. His leadership on and off the field is what I admire most about him right now.”

Bargo’s impact on the Wolfpack has been all-encompassing. He’s been able to bring more than just his bat to the team, which has been crucial to NC State’s early-season success. No matter the situation, Bargo has leaned on his past experiences, including a trip to the 2024 College World Series, to help the squad get off to an undefeated start. 

And as he seamlessly fit into the Pack’s roster for his final season of eligibility, Bargo appears to enjoy helping his teammates as much as he does slugging homers. That combination is rare, but one NC State more than welcomes.

“It’s just going out there and playing baseball every day with the same mindset,” Bargo said. “[It’s] showing up to the park with the same attitude. Just being around this group of guys makes it really easy to have a lot of fun showing up to the yard every day.”