NC State is going to Omaha. Thanks to back-to-back one-run, gutsy wins against No. 1 overall seed Arkasnas in the Fayetteville Super Regional, the Wolfpack is headed back to the College World Series for the first time since 2013.
Jose Torres and Jonny Butler homered and NC State got great pitching performances from Matt Willadsen, Chris Villaman and Evan Justice in a 3-2 victory to clinch the Fayetteville Regional.
Here’s the key takeaways from the victory:
Jose Torres is the hero
There can be little doubt about NC State’s MVP in this Super Regional. Torres homered in all three games, culminating in the biggest hit of his career to lead off the top of the ninth inning.
With the game tied at two, Torres stepped into the batter’s box against Arkansas’ Kevin Kopps, who had dealt all game. With the count at 1-2, Torres got the pitch he wanted and drove it to left field and out of the park, giving his team a 3-2 lead it would not relinquish.
Pack proves’ Kopps mortality early
Arkansas super reliever Kevin Kopps came into the game, and his first start of the season, with a .66 ERA. He had not allowed more than one run in a game all season.
NC State had a chance to make something happen in the top of the first, with a one-out single into right by Tyler McDonough and infield hit from Terrell Tatum putting two on with two outs, but could not get a run home. However, that showed the Wolfpack that Kopps was mortal, which proved important later.
In the top of the third, Austin Murr walked with one out and stole second on a strikeout by McDonough, Butler did something only three other batters had done against Kopps all season. After just missing a home run to dead center in the first inning, he drove one to deep left field and out of the park to give the Wolfpack a 2-1 lead. Butler’s homer also marked the first time all season Kopps allowed more than one run in a game.
Kopps pitched another strong game, allowing just three runs on seven hits while striking out three and walking three in eight innings, but NC State did just enough against one of the best pitchers in the country to advance to Omaha.
Willadsen Villaman, set the table
Willadsen got the start on the mound, and did everything he could have asked for against this high-powered Arkansas lineup. In four innings, Willadsen allowed just one run on two hits while striking out four and walking four, limiting Arkansas with his offspeed arsenal.
Willadsen found himself in a couple tough spots, but battled and got himself out of jams to hand the ball to Villaman with the lead. Villaman pitched well in three innings, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out three and walking none. Unfortunately, in a tight game, Villaman’s one mistake proved critical, as he surrendered a game-tying solo shot in the seventh.
After Justice’s first 1-2-3 inning, however, Torres lifted Villaman up with his homer. Villaman has been lights out in this postseason. He’s allowed just three runs on six hits, struck out 16 and walked one batter in 11.1 innings, and has been exactly the weapon this team has needed in long relief.
Evan Justice slams the door
Justice threw 48 pitches in Saturday’s series-tying win. You wouldn’t have known it by watching him on Sunday. The Wolfpack’s closer entered a tied game in the bottom of the eighth and was dominant right away, retiring the side with two strikeouts to set the stage for Torres’ homer by attacking the zone with his fastball.
In the bottom of the ninth, after the Pack had taken the lead, Justice was again unblemished, sending the Pack on its way with a trio of groundouts. Justice was perfect in his two innings, not allowing a base runner while striking out two, and ultimately doing what he’s done all year, making sure there was no doubt about it in the later innings.
Resilient Wolfpack headed to Omaha
Elliott Avent has said on multiple occasions this season that this has been one of his favorite groups in his 25 seasons as the Wolfpack’s head coach, and that it reminds him of his first team.
A big reason for that is the Wolfpack’s resilience and toughness. NC State has rolled through the punches all year. The Pack roared back from a 4-9 start to the regular season to finish 24-6. This team bounced back from a frustrating, 1-0 loss to Duke in the ACC Championship to win the Ruston Regional in commanding fashion.
After a 21-2 drubbing at the hands of Arkansas on Friday night, the Pack bounced back to take back-to-back one-run, hard-fought games against the No. 1 team in the country.
Thanks in large part to its resilience, the Wolfpack is headed to the College World Series for the first time since 2013. It will face a tall task in trying to bring home a championship in Omaha, but this team has shown all year that doubting it is foolish.
