'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
NC State faces a win-or-go-home situation in its College World Series 2024 game against Florida on Monday.
The No. 10-seed Wolfpack lost to Kentucky, 5-4, in 10 innings to be relegated to the losers' bracket. NC State must win its match against Florida at 2 p.m. ET at Charles Schwab Field Omaha in Nebraska to advance to the next round and meet the loser of the Kentucky-Texas A&M college baseball game.
NC State Wolfpack starting lineup for June 17
Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent has yet to name his starting pitcher for the elimination game against Florida. On Sunday, Avent told reporters that he might start Dominic Fritton or Logan Whitaker for this crucial encounter. Fritton is 3-6 with an ERA of 7.35 while Whitaker is 3-1 with a 6.06 ERA.
Trending
Both have contrasting performances in their previous starts with Whitaker gaining the win in Game 3 of the Athens Super Regional against Georgia after surrendering two runs in 4 1/3 innings on the mound. Fritton had a bad game on his last stint as a starter. He allowed seven runs in three innings in the Wolfpack's 11-2 loss to the Bulldogs.
Unless Avent changes his lineup for Monday's game, center-fielder Eli Serrano III will start as the leadoff batter for the Wolfpack. Serrano is hitting .290 with nine home runs and 39 RBIs in 60 games this season.
First baseman Garrett Pennington will bat second for NC State as he is hitting .350 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs. Alec Makarewicz will hit third for the Wolfpack as the third baseman is hitting .380 with 23 home runs and 82 RBIs.
Catcher Jacob Cozart is expected to be the cleanup hitter for NC State as he is a .308 hitter with 19 HRs and 54 RBIs. In his last game, he was 3-of-4 with one RBI. Brandon Butterworth will bat fifth in the order as the shortstop is hitting .245 this season with seven homers and 31 RBIs. He has 13 stolen bases in 14 attempts this season.
Alex Sosa is expected to start as the team's designated hitter. In 34 games, Sosa is batting .220 with six HRs and 24 RBIs. Left fielder Luke Nixon is set to bat seventh for NC State as he is batting .241 with four home runs and 34 RBIs. He leads the team in stolen bases with 14.
Second baseman Matt Heavner and right fielder Noah Soles will possibly bat eighth and ninth for NC State, respectively, unless Avent tweaks his lineup. Heavner is batting .261 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Soles, on the other hand, is a .230 hitter with five HRs and 22 RBIs.
The loser of the Wolfpack-Gators game will bid goodbye to their national baseball title aspirations as they are eliminated from College World Series contention.
North Carolina State Wolfpack stars to watch
Alec Makarewicz
Makarewicz is the team's best hitter with a .380 batting average. In 60 games, the third baseman scored 65 runs and had a slugging percentage of .749 and an on-base percentage of .439.
Garrett Pennington
Pennington is the second-best hitter for NC State, hitting .350 with 18 homers and 65 RBIs. In 60 starts, Pennington has an on-base percentage of .432 and a slugging percentage of .665.
Jacob Cozart
Cozart has a slugging percentage of .606 this season and a .436 OBP. He has 19 home runs and 54 RBIs in 60 games.
Will the Pack bounce back and win its do-or-die game against Florida? Let us know your views in the comments section.
Highest-paid college baseball coach, who? More on the top 10 highest-paid head coaches in 2024
