NC State Wins Baseball Series Against Princeton

Wolfpack take two-of-three games in hard-fought matchup

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The NC State Wolfpack baseball team won a weekend series against the Princeton Tigers, taking two of the three games played. Despite some offensive struggles, the Wolfpack pitching staff was strong, allowing just six runs over the three-game set.

Why it matters

This series win against Princeton, who is looking to bounce back from a tough 2025 campaign, is an encouraging sign for the Wolfpack as they aim to build on their 5-1 start to the 2026 season. The performance of the pitching staff in particular will be crucial as NC State navigates its schedule.

The details

In the series opener, NC State rallied from an early 2-0 deficit to win 6-4, with a four-run 8th inning proving to be the difference. Game 2 was a blowout, as the Wolfpack cruised to a 16-1 victory behind a dominant pitching performance from Jacob Dudan. However, NC State was shut out 1-0 in the series finale, with Princeton freshman Brady Kaufman and Ryan Penney holding the Wolfpack offense in check.

  • The series was played over the weekend of February 21-23, 2026.
  • NC State now stands at 5-1 on the young 2026 season, while Princeton is 1-2.

The players

NC State Wolfpack

The baseball team from North Carolina State University, competing in the ACC.

Princeton Tigers

The baseball team from Princeton University, looking to bounce back from a tough 2025 campaign.

Jacob Dudan

The NC State junior pitcher who delivered a dominant 7-inning, 11-strikeout performance in the Wolfpack's 16-1 win.

Cooper Consiglio

The NC State junior left-handed pitcher who took the loss in the series finale despite a strong 5-inning outing.

Brady Kaufman

The Princeton freshman pitcher who earned the win in the series finale, holding the Wolfpack offense in check.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Two hard-fought games sandwiched a blowout win as NC State took two-of-three from Princeton this weekend.”

— Pirate Wolf, Author (backingthepack.com)

What’s next

NC State will host Richmond on Tuesday and Akron on Wednesday before welcoming Sacred Heart for a three-game series.

The takeaway

This series showcased the strength of NC State's pitching staff, which was able to limit Princeton's offense for the most part. However, the Wolfpack offense will need to find more consistency as they continue their non-conference schedule before diving into ACC play.