The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1543694
44 ■ THE WOLFPACKER BY NOAH FLEISCHMAN T y Head wanted to be more aggres- sive at the plate this season. A year removed from drawing 48 walks, the sixth-highest single-season total in NC State history, the star outfielder was looking to use his bat as more of a weapon in his sophomore campaign. At first, the new mindset didn't lead to the success he was looking for. In two games at the Puerto Rico Baseball Challenge to open the season, Head went 0 for 7 with a run scored, an RBI and 2 walks. Although he didn't strike out, which is one of his better traits as a hitter with an 11.5 percent K-rate as a freshman, Head felt like he "swung at everything." The result was the longest streak of hitless at-bats in his brief col- legiate career. But then NC State returned home, and everything changed. He became more patient at the plate, waiting for pitches he could do damage with. Be- fore too long, the Puerto Rico trip was a distant memory. Through the Wolfpack's first 11 games, Head was batting .310, with a team-leading 5 home runs and 12 RBIs. He also led NC State over that span with 15 walks while striking out just once. Looking back on his performance to start the season, Head sees it as an ab- erration. "That wasn't me," he said. "It feels good to be back at the Doak and get back to who I really am. I feel like that's helped the most." Head was one of the catalysts behind the Pack's 10-1 start, during which it compiled a .370 team batting average to rank second in the ACC. The key to his turnaround, he said, was to "just believe in myself and my teammates. My team- mates always hype me up." Head was one of the team's most- consistent hitters throughout the fall and preseason, and it's finally coming together as a key part of the Wolfpack's red-hot offensive outburst. "It's been great," junior third baseman Sherman Johnson said. "I know he was frustrated in Puerto Rico, but he came back and is doing what Ty's been doing all fall and all pre-spring. He's a great player. He's probably going to be a first- rounder." Head looked to add power to his rep- ertoire this past offseason by refining the smaller details of his swing with Wolfpack assistants Bo Robinson, Chris Hart and JT Jarrett. Now he's seeing the progress pay off. He's become more disciplined with his swing, not looking to hammer pitches out of the park, but letting his effortless stroke do the work. Coach Elliott Avent watched Head push himself this past offseason. He knew the outfielder, a draft-eligible sophomore, was capable of taking his hitting to an- other level — and it has shown in the early stages of the campaign. "I'm so impressed with him," Avent said. "I've been around here a long time and seen a lot of great players. He's one of them. He plays the game hard, he loves to play, he's got a lot of confidence in himself and he works hard to get bet- ter. It's fun for me to watch him play." ■ ❱ BASEBALL PREVIEW Date Opponent Time/Result Feb. 13 Washington* W, 13-0 (7 innings) Feb. 14 Indiana State* W, 10-4 Feb. 15 Seton Hall Cancelled Feb. 18 WINTHROP W, 7-3 Feb. 20 PRINCETON W, 6-4 Feb. 21 PRINCETON W, 16-1 Feb. 22 PRINCETON L, 1-0 Feb. 24 RICHMOND W, 27-0 Feb. 25 AKRON W, 18-3 (7 innings) Feb. 27 SACRED HEART W, 17-4 (7 innings) Feb. 28 SACRED HEART W, 15-5 (7 innings) Mar. 1 SACRED HEART W, 13-0 (7 innings) Mar. 3 COASTAL CAROLINA 3 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 4 QUEENS 3 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 6 LAFAYETTE 3 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 7 LAFAYETTE 2 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 8 LAFAYETTE 1 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 10 ELON 3 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 13 BOSTON COLLEGE 3 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 14 BOSTON COLLEGE 2 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 15 BOSTON COLLEGE 1 p.m./ACCNX Mar. 17 at UNC Wilmington 6 p.m. Mar. 20 at Florida State 6 p.m. Mar. 21 at Florida State 2 p.m. Mar. 22 at Florida State 1 p.m. Mar. 24 CAMPBELL 6 p.m. Mar. 27 at Georgia Tech 7 p.m. Mar. 28 at Georgia Tech 3 p.m. Mar. 29 at Georgia Tech 3 p.m./ACCN Date Opponent Time/Result Mar. 31 LIBERTY 6 p.m. Apr. 2 NOTRE DAME 6 p.m. Apr. 3 NOTRE DAME 6 p.m. Apr. 4 NOTRE DAME 2 p.m. Apr. 7 UNC WILMINGTON 6 p.m. Apr. 10 DUKE 6 p.m. Apr. 11 DUKE 3 p.m. Apr. 12 DUKE 1 p.m. Apr. 14 at East Carolina 6 p.m. Apr. 17 at Wake Forest 8 p.m./ACCN Apr. 18 at Wake Forest 4 p.m. Apr. 19 at Wake Forest 1 p.m. Apr. 24 at Virginia Tech 6 p.m. Apr. 25 at Virginia Tech 3 p.m. Apr. 26 at Virginia Tech 1 p.m. Apr. 28 EAST CAROLINA 6 p.m. May 1 MIAMI 6 p.m. May 2 MIAMI 7:30 p.m./ESPNU May 3 MIAMI 1 p.m. May 5 NORTH CAROLINA A&T 6 p.m. May 8 at Stanford 9:05 p.m. May 9 at Stanford 5:05 p.m. May 10 at Stanford 4:05 p.m. May 14 NORTH CAROLINA 7 p.m./ACCN May 15 NORTH CAROLINA 6 p.m. May 16 NORTH CAROLINA 2 p.m. May 19-24 ACC Tournament** * at Puerto Rico Baseball Challenge ** at Truist Field, Charlotte 2026 Baseball Schedule (Record: 10-1) Ty Head Sparks Early-Season Offensive Surge Head was leading NC State with 5 home runs through the team's first 11 games. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE BASEBALL