NC State's Andrews steps up in Dudan's absence, leads Wolfpack to series-clinching win over Duke

Junior right-hander Heath Andrews delivers impressive outing after teammate Jacob Dudan ruled out for season with elbow injury

Apr. 11, 2026 at 11:08pm

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in a cubist style, breaking down a college baseball game into sharp, overlapping geometric planes of color and form, abstracting the players and field into dynamic, angular shapes.An abstract, cubist-inspired illustration captures the energy and drama of a college baseball game, with the players and field deconstructed into dynamic geometric shapes.Fincastle Today

NC State junior right-hander Heath Andrews stepped up in the absence of injured teammate Jacob Dudan, delivering an impressive start to lead the Wolfpack to an 18-5 run-rule victory over Duke and clinch the series. Andrews settled in after a shaky start, retiring 15 straight batters and finishing with 6 strikeouts. Despite the loss of Dudan, a likely early-round MLB draft pick, the Wolfpack offense erupted for 15 hits and 3 home runs to support Andrews' strong outing on the mound.

Why it matters

The win over Duke keeps NC State in the hunt for the ACC title, as the Wolfpack look to build on their strong start to the season. Andrews' performance in Dudan's absence shows the team's depth and resilience, as they adapt to the loss of one of their top pitchers. The tight-knit bond between the Wolfpack pitchers, including Dudan's supportive role from the dugout, highlights the program's strong team chemistry.

The details

After Dudan was ruled out for the season with an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery, junior righty Heath Andrews moved up from his Sunday starting role to fill Dudan's spot in the rotation. Andrews struggled early, giving up 4 runs in the first 2 innings, but then settled in and retired 15 straight batters from the 3rd inning on. He finished with 6 strikeouts, though the final line of 5 runs (4 earned) on 5 hits didn't fully capture his dominant stretch. The NC State offense erupted for 15 hits and 3 home runs, including a 4-hit, 4-run game from freshman outfielder Rett Johnson.

  • On Thursday evening, NC State announced that Jacob Dudan would miss the remainder of the season after imaging revealed a need for Tommy John surgery.
  • Andrews made the start on Saturday, filling Dudan's usual Saturday role.

The players

Heath Andrews

A 6-foot-3, 210-pound junior right-handed starting pitcher for NC State who stepped up with an impressive outing after teammate Jacob Dudan was ruled out for the season.

Jacob Dudan

NC State's flame-throwing right-handed starting pitcher who was ruled out for the season with an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery.

Rett Johnson

A freshman outfielder for NC State who went 4-for-4 with 4 runs scored and 2 RBIs in the win over Duke.

Elliott Avent

The head coach of the NC State baseball team.

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What they’re saying

“It says everything about him, and it's who he's always been. His command of the fastball was as good as I remember seeing it, and the command of the slider from the third [inning] on, was outstanding.”

— Elliott Avent, NC State Head Coach

“[I] thought, 'I can't change the past,' I went from there and started grinding out.”

— Heath Andrews, NC State Starting Pitcher

“I love seeing Dudan happy. It makes me happy, it makes the whole team happy.”

— Heath Andrews, NC State Starting Pitcher

What’s next

NC State will look to complete the series sweep over Duke on Sunday, with Cooper Consiglio scheduled to start the series finale.

The takeaway

Despite the loss of star pitcher Jacob Dudan, NC State showed its depth and resilience on the mound, with junior Heath Andrews delivering a dominant performance to lead the Wolfpack to a crucial series-clinching win over Duke. The tight-knit bond between the NC State pitchers, including Dudan's supportive role from the dugout, highlights the program's strong team chemistry as they continue their push for an ACC title.