The Gatekeeper.
Homer Dumbarse.
StateFan2001 will probably respond to this because he doesn't understand how ignore works.
This NC State baseball team has battled adversity all year. It turned a 4-9 start to the regular season into a 24-6 finish. So, it was only natural that the Wolfpack’s victory that sent it to a Super Regional for the first time since 2013 wouldn’t come easy.
NC State roared back from an early 4-0 deficit and topped Louisiana Tech 14-7 Sunday night, going 3-0 in the Ruston Regional to advance to the next round. NC State will now face either Arkansas or Nebraska in the Super Regional Round next weekend.
Here’s a few key takeaways from the Wolfpack’s regional-clinching victory:
Offensive explosion
All season, NC State’s deep, talented lineup carried the way, ultimately sparking the team’s turnaround from its 4-9 start. It was on another level in this regional. The Wolfpack fought back from an early 4-0 deficit Sunday, ultimately piling up 14 runs on 19 hits.
Every batter in the lineup had at least one hit, which was fitting for a team that’s been so productive one through nine all season. Devonte Brown had the game’s biggest hit, a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth that gave NC State its first lead- one the Wolfpack would not relinquish. He finished the game 2 for 4 with five RBIs.
As it has done all weekend, the Wolfpack’s top four of the lineup led the charge, with Austin Murr going 3 for with 6 with a run scored and an RBI, Tyler McDonough 3 for 5 with two runs, Jonny Butler 2 for 4 with two runs two RBIs and Terrell Tatum 3 for 5 with two runs and two RBIs. It wasn’t just that trio, however, with others, such as J.T. Jarrett (three hits, at least one hit in every postseason game so far) making their mark as well.
That top quartet finished the regional a combined 24 for 51 with 15 RBIs and 15 runs socred, leading the Wolfpack’s bats as they racked up 30 runs on 42 hits over the weekend and pushed the team into the next round.
Willadsen battles
While Matt Willadsen found himself in trouble early, allowing a two-run homer to Parker Bates in the first - his first of two two-run shots (he also homered in the third to put the Wolfpack down 4-0), he ultimately fought his way through six innings and limited the damage against a very dangerous Louisiana Tech lineup, allowing NC State to stay in the game until the bats could get going.
Willadsen allowed five runs on six hits while striking out five and walking three, and got better as the game went along, retiring the side after NC State took the lead in the fifth inning. The Wolfpack’s starting pitching played a key role in its regular-season turnaround, and was excellent in the regional, with Willadsen, Reid Johnston and Sam Highfill combining to allow just six runs in 19.1 innings pitched.
So often, starting pitching is the difference between winning and losing a regional. Not having enough of it has ultimately sunk the Wolfpack in past regionals, and having three rock-solid starters helped see the Wolfpack on its way this time around.
Pack battles back, take control with big fith, sixth innings
Thanks to the aforementioned big hits from Bates, the Wolfpack found itself trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the third, and 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth. NC State first began to claw back with a two-run RBI single from Tatum in the bottom of the third, followed by a brief rain delay, to get within two.
A solo shot from Luca Tresh in the bottom of the fourth then made it a one-run game.
After Bates pushed the Bulldogs’ lead to 5-3 with a triple in the top of the fifth, the Wolfpack went to work with a huge bottom of the inning, plating six runs on six hits and sending 10 to the plate to take a 9-5 lead. After Murr and McDonough led off the inning with base hits, Butler brought them both home with a single to right to tie the game at five.
Tatum then singled to keep the line moving, and Torres came up with a phenomenal 11-pitch plate appearance, drawing a walk to load the bases with nobody out. With one away, Brown came through with his third big fly of the regional, a grand slam to right that put his team up by four.
Just like that, a team that had trailed 4-0 led by four runs. This is an NC State team that’s had a knack for stringing hits together all season, and it did so in the biggest moment of this game.
NC State wasn’t done extending its lead, however, again loading the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the sixth. Torres brought home two more with a double to make it 11-5, and NC State added two additional runs with productive outs to go up 13-5.
Villaman, closes the door
After Willadsen gutted his way through six and the Pack took the eight-run lead through six, Elliott Avent turned to Chris Villaman, who pitched a scoreless ninth Friday and was excellent in the ACC title game.
He wasn’t quite perfect, surrendering a two-run homer in the seventh, but did more than enough to preserve the lead and slam the door, allowing two runs on four hits and striking out five in three innings.
The streak is over
Since its run to the College World Series in 2013, NC State has found some brutal, painful ways to fall short in the regional round. A blown 8-1 lead in the eighth inning, which included a controversial balk call, against TCU in 2015. Being a strike away against a Coastal Carolina team that won it all in 2016, before hitting the batter and eventually losing. Whiffing on two chances to close it out against Kentucky in 2017.
This team, however, simply took care of business, getting that all-important 2-0 start and then coming from behind in Sunday’s final to leave no doubt that it would head to a Super Regional for the first time since Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner wore Wolfpack uniforms.
This is a team that started 4-9 and went through an early COVID pause before finishing the regular season 24-6 and falling a run short against Duke in the ACC title game. The Wolfpack didn’t have to wait long to make up for that disappointment, putting eight years of heartbreak behind it and securing a chance to play for a trip to Omaha.
The Pack will now move on to face either Arkansas or Nebraska in next weekend’s Super Regional Round. A possible matchup with the No. 1 overall seed Razorbacks would be a tall task, but this NC State team has already shown that doubting it is not a wise choice.
I wanted nothing to do with Silver on the mound in that ball park.castlewood107 said:
I think he was set to roll out Chris if we got a lead. the right move for sure to slam the door after what he showed against Duke out of the pen.
LaTech had absolutely nothing left. They would have likely brought back their Friday ace for a couple innings but their only bullpen arm threw like 80 pitches against Bama.
Think we would have started Silver and brought in Justice at first sign of trouble and let him go until he was gassed. Then Feeney, Ingle, Reid for an inning even.
We would have had the pitching advantage again for sure.
CLTWolf said:I wanted nothing to do with Silver on the mound in that ball park.castlewood107 said:
I think he was set to roll out Chris if we got a lead. the right move for sure to slam the door after what he showed against Duke out of the pen.
LaTech had absolutely nothing left. They would have likely brought back their Friday ace for a couple innings but their only bullpen arm threw like 80 pitches against Bama.
Think we would have started Silver and brought in Justice at first sign of trouble and let him go until he was gassed. Then Feeney, Ingle, Reid for an inning even.
We would have had the pitching advantage again for sure.
Oh, agreed...tongue-in-cheek based on the 30 runs scored in 3 games.DrummerboyWolf said:I would prefer to play on grass and not on turf. I vote no on Ruston if Nebraska wins.Buzz said:
Let's just run it back in Ruston. We seem to enjoy that ballpark.
Understood. The ball park is definitely very batter friendly and we were helped by worn out arms or not very good arms last night. It's sort of like the park Wake plays in. I definitely don't like the turf. Too many weird things happen on it.Buzz said:Oh, agreed...tongue-in-cheek based on the 30 runs scored in 3 games.DrummerboyWolf said:I would prefer to play on grass and not on turf. I vote no on Ruston if Nebraska wins.Buzz said:
Let's just run it back in Ruston. We seem to enjoy that ballpark.
Yeah, I figured Chrysler would've let Matt go another inning at least but I was perfectly fine with how it played out. Villaman has flipped a switch since the ACC tourney and I like it.pack4life11 said:CLTWolf said:I wanted nothing to do with Silver on the mound in that ball park.castlewood107 said:
I think he was set to roll out Chris if we got a lead. the right move for sure to slam the door after what he showed against Duke out of the pen.
LaTech had absolutely nothing left. They would have likely brought back their Friday ace for a couple innings but their only bullpen arm threw like 80 pitches against Bama.
Think we would have started Silver and brought in Justice at first sign of trouble and let him go until he was gassed. Then Feeney, Ingle, Reid for an inning even.
We would have had the pitching advantage again for sure.
Agreed...if LT had continued to pour it on, no need in burning Villaman...some games, it's just not your day. I said in the game thread that once we tied and or took the lead, get Villaman hot and that's what happened. EA coached a good game last night and as many of you know, I am very critical of EA. He stayed aggressive throughout and didn't take the foot off the throttle. I would have probably let Matt keep going until he got in trouble then brought Villaman in just to keep him in your back pocket a little longer and let Matt continue to eat innings. Overall, I thought Avent did a great job.
Jarrett should have never been out on a great steal. But he slid 15 feet. Strange plays.DrummerboyWolf said:Understood. The ball park is definitely very batter friendly and we were helped by worn out arms or not very good arms last night. It's sort of like the park Wake plays in. I definitely don't like the turf. Too many weird things happen on it.Buzz said:Oh, agreed...tongue-in-cheek based on the 30 runs scored in 3 games.DrummerboyWolf said:I would prefer to play on grass and not on turf. I vote no on Ruston if Nebraska wins.Buzz said:
Let's just run it back in Ruston. We seem to enjoy that ballpark.
He definitely has. Almost like the fact he has a short staff bc it has forced him to roll with guys and let them battle through stretchesSportManagementEngineer said:
Avent has managed the staff pretty flawlessly the last 2 weeks.
Woke up feelin' like Regional Champs!#RoadToOmaha x 📸 @NCStateBaseball pic.twitter.com/jgFFTh2hjI
— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 7, 2021
Timely hits for a come-from-behind W last night. pic.twitter.com/uKLMMyhGBi
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) June 7, 2021
You can't do that without offense. You have to let the guy battle, maybe let a few runs through.wolfpack1437 said:He definitely has. Almost like the fact he has a short staff bc it has forced him to roll with guys and let them battle through stretchesSportManagementEngineer said:
Avent has managed the staff pretty flawlessly the last 2 weeks.
Congrats to our seven NCAA Ruston Regional All-Tournament Team honorees.@DevonteBrown03 was tabbed MVP to headline the 11-person team. pic.twitter.com/8Gp5ntb52M
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) June 7, 2021
Talk of the Town! 💙
— Louisiana Tech University (@LATech) June 7, 2021
Here's just some of the praise for our city, our people, and our university from Ruston's many guests over the historic weekend.#EverLoyalBe | #ExcellenceMadeHere pic.twitter.com/xYQg9bipu6
This will NEVER get old. pic.twitter.com/NDNqUFS1At
— #Pack9 ⚾️ (@NCStateBaseball) June 8, 2021