The NC State baseball team beat the No. 1 Arkansas Razorbacks 3-2 on Sunday, June 13 in the tiebreaker game of the Fayetteville Super Regional to advance to the College World Series for the first time since 2013.

The Wolfpack (35-18) and the Razorbacks (50-13) were tied 2-2 heading into the ninth inning when freshman shortstop Jose Torres (1-4, RBI, HR) hit a solo home run in the top of the inning to make it 3-2, and junior pitcher Evan Justice (2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K) closed it out in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the win.

“I’m so happy for these players,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “It’s all about these players, who have worked so hard and committed to one another, and understand how you can overcome adversity, which will help them the rest of their life.”

After a scoreless first inning by both teams, the Razorbacks got on the board first in the bottom of the second on an RBI double to make the score 1-0. However, freshman starting pitcher Matt Willadsen (4 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 4 K) was able to prevent any further damage in the inning despite the Razorbacks loading the bases.

The Pack then got on the board in the top of the third as junior left fielder Jonny Butler (1-3, 2 RBI, HR) hit a two-run home run that scored junior first baseman Austin Murr (0-2 BB) to make the score 2-1. The home run was especially impressive considering it came against the Razorbacks’ starting pitcher Kevin Kopps, who won 2021 SEC Pitcher of the Year and is known as one of the best pitchers in the country.

“[Kopps] is just an incredible pitcher, an incredible competitor,” Butler said. “We had a good scouting report… I was able to piece a couple of balls together and get one out of there, and it felt really good.”

The next three innings were scoreless before the Razorbacks hit a solo home run off freshman pitcher Chris Villaman (3 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 3 K) in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score 2-2. Villaman finished the inning and was replaced by Justice in the bottom of the eighth after the Pack didn’t score in the top of the inning.

In the first at-bat of the top of the ninth, Torres put the Pack ahead 3-2 with a solo home run, his third home run of the Super Regional and fourth of the postseason.

“It was a feeling you’ll never forget,” Torres said. “It was awesome to experience that.”

Justice then retired all three batters in the bottom of the ninth, clinching the win and sending the Pack to the College World Series.

“In between innings, I just asked those guys to give me one run,” Justice said. “I was gonna go out there and give them my best, give them everything I have to try and put this team to Omaha. I knew our offense could do it. [Torres] came in clutch.”

With the win, NC State advances to its third College World Series in program history and first since 2013.

The College World Series begins on Saturday, June 19 in Omaha, Nebraska.