Pack downs Tar Heels
When confronting a situation that it had not faced in 45 years, it was helpful to at least have someone familiar to compete against.
The Wolfpack fired an opening salvo at its neighbors as N.C. State trounced UNC-Chapel Hill 8-1 in its first game at the 2013 College World Series in Omaha, Neb., on Sunday.
With the win, State improved to 50-14 on the campaign, the first time in school history the Pack has won 50 games in a season.
“We played very, very well today—with a lot of confidence” N.C. State head coach Elliott Avent said. “We’ve had several battles with them, but it’s a good ballclub.”
“That shows how well we played today.”
Sophomore Carlos Rodon once again excelled against the Tar Heels in postseason play. The lefthander from Holly Springs pitched a complete game, giving up only a ninth-inning run with the game out of reach to improve to 10-2 on the season.
Unlike the other postseason tilts against the Heels, the Pack struck early and often on Sunday.
North Carolina junior Kent Emanuel, the ACC Pitcher of the Year, was rocked for five earned runs in only 2.2 innings, falling to 11-4 with the loss.
“I was glad to play those guys,” senior third baseman Grant Clyde said. “We’ve played them quite a few times this year. We are familiar with them.”
“Having seen Emanuel earlier in the year, we had a really good idea what to do at the plate,” senior centerfielder Brett Williams said. “Just that rivalry [with the Tar Heels] and having seen them play three times already this year, it definitely helped tone us back.”
In three postseason games versus North Carolina, Rodon has pitched 28 innings and has allowed 10 hits and only one earned run, with 34 strikeouts and six walks.
“This is the College World Series,” Rodon said. “It doesn’t get any bigger than this, so why not bring your A-game?”
“When I come out, I am going to compete.”
For Avent the ramifications of what N.C. State is doing are not something that is lost on him.
“Winning your first game in the College World Series is important,” Avent said. “It [coaching at N.C. State] is my dream job. I’ve loved N.C. State since I was old enough to know a basketball from a baseball. And my dad loves N.C. State.”
Bruins sneak by State
But N.C. State couldn’t muster the same kind of offensive production on Tuesday evening versus UCLA.
The Pack managed only five hits against the Bruins, who were led by starter Nick Vander Tuig. Vander Tuig went seven innings and yielded one run while striking out six. Reliever David Berg, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers’ Association’s Closer the Year, pitched two innings of one-hit ball to earn the save.
N.C. State fell to 50-15 on the season with the loss.
The losing pitcher for the Pack was starter Logan Jernigan (1-1), who went 4.1 innings and allowed two runs. Relievers Grant Sasser and Josh Easley went the final 4.2 innings without allowing a run to keep the game close.
The Wolfpack saw its best chance to overtake the Bruins fall short when sophomore Trea Turner sent a blast to left field in the bottom of the eighth inning, only to watch it fall short on the warning track in the cavernous T.D. Ameritrade Park. State could not threaten in the ninth.
The Pack will return to action on Thursday evening in an elimination game against the rival Tar Heels. The tilt will start at 8 p.m., and the winner will face UCLA on Friday.
