Razorbacks torch Wolfpack in first game of Fayetteville Super Regional

NC State knew it would face a tall task in the Fayetteville Super Regional against No. 1 overall seed Arkansas. It learned just how tall that task would be Friday night in a loss that tied for the worst defeat in NCAA Super Regional history. 

The Razorbacks’ high-octane lineup struck early and often against NC State’s pitching, with 21 runs on 17 hits, as the Wolfpack fell 21-1 and will now face elimination on Saturday. 

Reid Johnston struggled in a short outing against the Razorbacks’ loaded lineup. The Wolfpack’s starter pitched just three innings, allowing seven runs on six hits while striking out five and walking one on 76 pitches. 

Johnston came out firing in the first inning and retired the side on 11 pitches with two strikeouts, but unraveled quickly from there. He allowed three runs on a two-run homer and RBI double in the bottom of the second, and four more on a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the third, leading Elliott Avent to replace him with freshman Garrett Payne. 

Razorbacks starter Patrick Wickland, on the other hand, was stellar through six innings, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out six and walking two. 

The Pack had its opportunities to keep pace with Arkansas early, but left seven on base through the first four innings. NC State mustered just seven hits for the game, despite the Razorbacks not going to super reliever Kevin Kopps with such a big lead. 

Torres ambushed the first pitch of the second inning from Wicklander, driving it to deep left field and out of the park for a 1-0 Wolfpack lead. 

The Pack then threatened to add more with walks to Luca Tresh and Devonte Brown putting two on with nobody out, but could not get another run home. 

Not getting another run there proved costly in the bottom of the inning, as, following a one-out double for Charlie Welch, Arkansas second baseman Robert Moore launched a two-run homer to right to make it a 2-1 game. The Razorbacks tacked on another on a two-out RBI double from Jalen Battles to take a 3-1 lead through two. 

Johnston again found himself in trouble in the bottom of the third, putting two on via a single and hit batter. He appeared to be on the verge of getting out of the jam, but then walked Moore to load the bases. The next batter, Cullen Smith, smacked a grand slam to dead center to make it a 7-1 Razorbacks lead. 

The Wolfpack loaded the bases with two outs on singles from Tresh, J.T. Jarrett and Austin Murr in an attempt to answer back in the top of the fourth, but Tyler McDonough flew out to end the threat.

Payne entered the game in the bottom of the fourth and got off to an excellent start, as the freshman righty struck out the side in his first career NCAA Tournament inning. The next inning wasn’t as strong for Payne, however, as Welch sent a two-run shot into the bullpen to put his team up 9-1, and an RBI single from Casey Opitz made it 10-1. 

In the bottom of the sixth, NC State had to use four pitches (Payne, John Miralia, Coby Ingle and Andrew Tillery) to get three outs, as Arkansas sent 12 to the plate and tacked on six more runs to make it 16-1. Moore capped the Arkansas scoring with his second homer of the game in the bottom of the eigith. 

Murr’s RBI triple in the top of the ninth allowed NC State to avoid setting a new record for the worst loss in Super Regional history.

These two teams will be back at it tomorrow at 3 p.m., and NC State now has to win two straight to avoid elimination and advance to the College World Series.