BURLINGTON — NC State sophomore lefty pitcher commit Drake Purvis had numerous motivating factors when he took the mound Friday in the NCHSAA 2A best-of-three state championships.
The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Purvis wanted to help Randleman (N.C.) High defend its state title and he knew it was the last chance he’d be pitching this prep season. More importantly, he knew his uncle Ronnie Purvis, who is battling cancer, would be watching him pitch.
Add it all up and the motivation was high, which was reflected in his dominating performance. He tossed a five-inning no-hitter with 12 strikeouts, one walk and one hit batsmen in a 10-0 win over Whiteville (N.C.) High. Randleman won 12-5 on Saturday to finish the season 33-1 and repeat as NCHSAA 2A state champs.
“This was an emotional night,” said Purvis, 16. “I had to throw with my best friends behind me [in the field]. I’ll probably get to the hotel and cry later. I know I have two more years with Randleman. I’ll just celebrate with the family.”
Purvis has an easy to repeat delivery, works fast and has good control. His curveball in particular baffled the Whiteville hitters.
“I throw my splitter as my changeup and I do a 12-6 [curveball] and the slider,” Purvis said. “I usually do 93 [miles per hour], so I bet I did 93 [tonight].”
Purvis’ cousin is UNC-Greensboro righty sophomore pitcher Sam Murchison, who went 2-2 this season. He has served as a mentor for Purvis, but their pitching mechanics are very different.
“He’s a tall righty and I’m a short lefty,” Purvis said.
Purvis had a unique recruitment that actually started and almost ended while in the eighth grade. He verbally committed to Miami (Fla.), but flipped to NC State on Feb. 18, 2022. Pitching coach Clint Chrysler is his main contact on NC State staff.
“NC State is just like family,” Purvis said. “It’s like talking to my uncles. We talk about hunting a lot and about our hobbies, like fishing [catfish]. It’s my North Carolina blood.”
Everything about attending NC State made sense. He has grown up being a big Wolfpack fan, attending games at Carter-Finley Stadium for years. He is a big Dave Doeren fan, the coach for NCSU football, and has enjoyed former quarterbacks Ryan Finley and Jacoby Brissett.
“I don’t miss NC State football games,” Purvis said. “I love Doeren. I am a huge Finley guy and I liked Brissett.”
Purvis admittedly would rather play baseball than watch games, especially on television, but he did attend the famous 18-inning contest between NC State and North Carolina in Durham, N.C. Another famous lefty, NC State’s Carlos Rodon, went 10 innings — striking out 14 and allowing one hit and run that night — in the 2-1 Tar Heels victory on May 25, 2013. Purvis was around 7 years old at the time, but he remembers it.
“I was always watching Trae Turner, his teammate, and Carlos was special to watch,” Purvis said. “I got to watch him that one time in the ACC Tournament. That was special.”
Purvis enjoys working against batters, but don’t ask him to hit at the plate. He is a pure pitcher.
“I hate hitting a lot,” Purvis said. “I just despise hitting. I just like to throw the ball and not be up there to hit the ball.”
Purvis will take the week off and then join his South Charlotte Panthers club team this summer. He helped close out the first game last year out of the bullpen for Randleman High as a freshman. He has a state championship ring that he wears on his chain that he wears. Now he might wear two next year.
“The ring lets everybody know,” Purvis said. “Two rings would be nice and then go for a third ring next year.”
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