Raleigh, N.C. - The Elon Phoenix (9-7, 2-1 CAA) will head to Raleigh for a midweek contest with the No. 13/17 North Carolina State Wolfpack (14-2, 1-2 ACC). Elon is coming off of an opening CAA series win against Northeastern following a double-header sweep Saturday. Tuesday's matchup will begin a five-game road stretch for the Phoenix as the team travels to Monmouth to take on the Hawks this weekend.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW

• Tuesday's game will be aired on ACCNX/ESPN+ which can be reached by CLICKING HERE.
• Livestats will be available for all three games of the series and can be reached by CLICKING HERE.
• Follow live updates on the Elon Baseball Twitter account @ElonBaseball.

 
THE ALL-TIME SERIES

• Elon trails in the all-time series with the Wolfpack 45-13.
• NC State has won 10 of the last 12 games against the Phoenix, including five in a row.
• The Phoenix and Wolfpack met last season at Latham Park and Elon fell by a score of 2-1.
• Charlie Granatell finished the game 2-for-4 with a double, while Ben Simon, Kyle Greenler, and Shea Sprague starred in the bullpen, limiting the Wolfpack to two hits and striking out four.
• Elon has not defeated NC State since the Phoenix bested the Wolfpack in 2015 by a score of 7-5 at Latham Park.
• In the most recent Phoenix victory, Nick Zammarelli used an 8^th inning single to cap Elon's 7-5 victory against NC State.
• The Phoenix bullpen slammed the door against the Wolfpack, combining for five innings pitched with just one hit allowed.
• The last Phoenix win in Raleigh came in 2011, when Elon defeated the Wolfpack 4-2 in a series rubber match between the two programs.

 
SCOUTING NC STATE

• The Wolfpack are coming off their first series loss of the season, falling to the Miami Hurricanes in a three-game set in Coral Gables, Fla.
• NC State fell in the first two games of the series but bounced back on Sunday to avoid the sweep with a 14-4 victory over the Hurricanes.
• The Wolfpack offense shined in game three, where they scored multiple runs in five of the nine innings. NC State jumped on the Hurricanes early and led 10-0 after six innings of play.
• Six Wolfpack players had multiple hits, punctuated by their 3-4-5 hitters. Kalae Harrison, LuJames Groover III, and Trevor Candelaria combine for seven hits in 16 at bats. The trio also combined for three extra base hits, with Harrison doubling twice and Candelaria homering.
• NC State got a great performance from outfielder Parker Nolan against Miami. The Davidson transfer finished 4-for-4 with three doubles and a home run in the series finale.
• Head coach Elliot Avent picked up his 1,200^th career win as a head coach with the win over Miami Sunday. Both Avent and Phoenix head coach Mike Kennedy are in their 27^th year as a head coach at their current school this season.
• The Wolfpack were picked to finish third in the ACC Atlantic Division behind Louisville and Wake Forest.
• As of March 8, NC State was second in the ACC in home runs with 31, and first in the ACC in total bases. NC State is second in batting average as well as third in on-base percentage.
• Cannon Peebles leads the Pack in batting average at .455, good for fifth in the ACC. Payton Green and his seven home runs are the most on the team and good for sixth in the ACC.

 
ABOUT THE PHOENIX

• Elon is coming off a series win against the Northeastern Huskies. Elon has started CAA play with a series win in four out of the last five seasons.
• Following a 6-2 defeat, the Phoenix bounced back with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday to take the series.
• In game one, Ryan Sprock threw his best game on the mound. The freshman finished with 12 strikeouts and allowed just three hits, earning CAA Co-Rookie of the Week honors.
• Tanner Holliman now leads the Phoenix in home runs with four on the season. Three of them came on Saturday with two in game one and the third in game two.
• Cole Reynolds ended the first ballgame in the bottom of the tenth with a walk-off home run to center field setting up a rubber match in game two of the double header.
• In game two, Phoenix pitching took control again, tossing a shutout going into the ninth inning. Elon used two solo home runs to take a 2-0 advantage over Northeastern and Ben Simon closed out the Huskies with two strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth to seal the series win.
• The three weekend starters for the Pheonix -- Shea Sprague, Justin Mitrovich and Ryan Sprock -- all have an ERA under three. The Phoenix are second in the CAA in team ERA, second in walks, and second in earned runs allowed. Elon is also second in the conference in strikeouts.
• Spencer Bauer is leading the Phoenix out of the bullpen with a 0.00 ERA and Ben Simon has recorded three saves to lead the team.
• At the plate, Justin Cassella leads the Phoenix with a .314 batting average and leads the team in stolen bases with four.
• Connor Coolahan continues to find his way on base. Coolahan is tied for fifth in the CAA with an even .500 OBP.

 
CAA HONORS

• Freshman Ryan Sprock has been named the CAA Rookie of the Week award for the second time this season.
• Sprock went 3-for-4 against East Carolina last Wednesday finishing with two singles and a double to lead the Phoenix offensively. He then took the mound against Northeastern on Saturday and had one of the best pitching performances by a Phoenix freshman. The Morristown, N.J. native finished the outing by allowing just three hits and striking out 12 Huskies.
• The 12 strikeouts are the most by a Phoenix freshman since Kyle Brnovich struck out 15 William & Mary batters in 2017.
• Shea Sprague has picked up two CAA Pitcher of the Week awards following his performances against Kentucky and Akron.
• Sprock was named CAA Rookie of the Week after homering against Gardner-Webb and earning his first win on the mound against Akron.

 
PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE

• Elon pitcher Shea Sprague and outfielder/catcher Luke Stephenson were named to the preseason All-CAA team.
• Sprague was one of five pitchers named to the team, while Stephenson earned the designated hitter nod on the team.
• Sprague ranked in the top 76 nationally in ERA, WHIP, walks allowed per nine innings and hits allowed per nine innings a year ago. He was the CAA Co-Rookie of the Year in 2022.
• Stephenson led the CAA with 15 home runs a year ago and ranked in the top seven in the CAA in total bases, slugging percentage and RBI.

 
UP NEXT

• The Phoenix will continue its road trip against the Monmouth Hawks for its first road CAA weekend series of the season. All three games in West Long Branch, N.J. will have a 1 p.m. first pitch. The final game of the five-game trip will be next Tuesday as the Phoenix travel to Winston-Salem to take on Wake Forest.