No. 9 N.C. State (44-14) entered last weekend’s Atlantic Coast Conference tournament as the No. 4 seed and posted victories against the Clemson Tigers and Miami Hurricanes but fell short in the title game, falling to UNC-Chapel Hill on Saturday at Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
Pack claws past Tigers
After sweeping Duke to wrap up the regular season, State used its momentum to bat its way past the Tigers last Wednesday. The final score was 6-3.
“We played well a long time now, but through that you do not always bring your A game,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “We played well during that stretch, but we played really well against the Tigers.”
Freshman pitcher Brad Stone started for the Pack and allowed two runs, one earned, on six hits and one walk while striking out three in five innings.
Senior pitcher Josh Easley took over on the mound for Stone and surrendered one run on two hits and struck out three in four innings.
After Clemson took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, senior third baseman Grant Clyde tied the score with a solo home run over the “Blue Monster” in left field.
State took the lead in the next inning when sophomore designated hitter Jake Armstrong scored on a fielding error, but the Tigers would rally back in the sixth inning to tie the score once more.
Sophomore right fielder Jake Fincher broke the tie in the bottom of the seventh with a bases-loaded single into left field that plated Armstrong and sophomore second baseman Logan Ratledge. Sophomore catcher Brett Austin followed with a two-RBI double as Fincher and sophomore shortstop Trea Turner crossed the plate to conclude the team’s scoring.
“I think the biggest part of that inning was the leadoff guys getting on base,” Fincher said. v
Pack storms past ‘Canes
After a day of rest, the Pack picked up where it left off, defeating the Hurricanes 7-1 in the second of three games.
Sophomore pitcher Logan Jernigan got the call to start and gave up one run on four hits and six walks while fanning two in four innings.
“It’s just about getting ahead in the count,” Jernigan said. “When I do, good things happen. When I don’t, bad things happen. It was pretty cut and dried.”
Junior pitcher Andrew Woeck took over on the hill and shut out Miami in three innings, striking out two and walking one.
Senior pitchers Ryan Wilkins and Chris Overman pitched an inning each to contain the ‘Canes as the game came to a close. Wilkins struck out one, and Overman allowed one hit and also struck out another Miami batter.
State jumped ahead in the top of the second inning with an RBI single by Armstrong that scored Clyde. Senior left fielder Bryan Adametz crossed the plate one play later on a ‘Canes throwing error. Turner batted two more runs in on a single that plated Ratledge and Armstrong.
The Pack would not score again until the top of the fifth when Adametz plated Clyde with a two-out single into right field. State struck again one inning later as Austin hit a sacrifice fly that scored Ratledge.
State concluded its scoring in the top of the ninth when Adametz doubled to score senior center fielder Brett Williams.
Rodon fans 14 as Pack falls to Heels in extras
In what was the longest and most-attended game in ACC Tournament history, the Pack fell 2-1 to the Tar Heels in 18 innings.
“It’s disappointing to lose,” Avent said. “I’m mostly proud of our guys. We had so many opportunities to win a baseball game in a game like this. To go out there emotionally and still be able to make plays, I just want to tip my cap to them.”
Sophomore pitcher Carlos Rodon pitched a career-high 10 innings and struck out 14 batters, surpassing Matt Donohue’s single-season school record of 147 strikeouts set in 1992. The sophomore southpaw also gave up an unearned run on one hit and two walks.
“He’s pitched so many great games,” Avent said. “He always pitches on the biggest stage the best, and this game might have been the best I’ve ever seen him pitch.”
Redshirt senior pitcher Grant Sasser, Wilkins and junior pitcher D.J. Thomas shut down UNC-CH for six and one-thirds innings, combining for seven strikeouts while giving up four hits and two walks.
Senior pitcher Chris Overman surrendered his only earned run in 22 innings this season on one hit and one walk in two thirds of an inning, taking the loss.
Freshman pitcher Will Gilbert took over on the mound after Overman put runners on first and second. He gave up the game-winning hit in the lone inning he pitched.
The game’s first run came in the bottom of the sixth when Clyde slapped a double into left-center field that scored senior first baseman Tarran Senay.
The Heels tied the score in the top of the eighth when Rodon missed the toss from Senay.
“I definitely learned something from that play,” Rodon said. “I’ll never take my eye off the ball again.”
State and UNC-CH were both held in check for the next nine innings. The teams combined for 19 strikeouts between the ninth and 17th innings and left a combined total of eight runners in scoring position during that stretch, including when the Pack failed to capitalize with the bases loaded in the 13th and 17th innings.
The Heels broke the tie in the top of the 18th when a bloop single by UNC-CH senior first baseman Cody Stubbs dropped between Adametz, Williams and Turner as Tar Heel freshman designated hitter Landon Lassiter scored from third base.
After Williams doubled to lead off the bottom of the 18th, the Pack was retired in order to end the game – and State’s chance to play for the ACC Championship.
