Rain & Pack Fall in Game One; Do or Die Sunday in Gainesville

Wolfpack Baseball dropped a soaker to the top seeded Florida Gators Saturday in game one of the NCAA Super Regionals in Gainesville, by a final score of 7-1. By the time they had scored their lone run of the day on senior John Gianis’ pinch hit RBI single, the Pack was already down to its last out and it was all over but the crying. Most Pack fans were already likely praying for a quick and painless end by that point (literally).

On a day when the most interesting thing to talk about was Carlos Rodon’s appearance as a pinch hitter, and in a game that was ugly enough without the weather adding to the misery, the Wolfpack seemed to have their spikes stuck in the mud even before the skies opened up. Two rain delays, nearly three hours total of play stoppage, and seven shutout innings later, and the Pack never could string together enough to even make a dent in Gators’ starter Hudson Randall’s armor. Randall shut the Pack out for seven innings, scattering 6 hits along the way while striking out four against zero walks.

So the Pack has its back against the wall (bad news), but with their best chance taking the ball to the hill tomorrow (good news). Also, the Pack is on a three game win streak in elimination games this post-season (kinda good news) so it’s not something they should be terribly phased by at this point.

Florida will counter Rodon with Soph. RHP Jonathan Crawford (6-2, ERA 2.92).

Game time set for 1pm.

TV: ESPNU

Not much more to say, win or go home. But if you want more details…

 

Media Coverage

GoPack.comPack Drops Rain-Soaked Game One in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – NC State slogged through two rain delays, combining for two hours and 51 minutes worth of stoppage, and dropped game one of the Gainesville Super Regional to Florida 7-1, Saturday at McKethan Stadium.

Danny Canela led the Wolfpack (43-19) with a 2-for-3 outing that included a walk. Ryan Mathews reached safely in his 30th consecutive game in a 1-for-4 effort. Brett Austin went 2-for-4 with a double and State’s only run. Jake Fincher came up with a 2-for-4 afternoon. John Gianis had an RBI single in a pinch hit appearance in the ninth.

Pack starter Ethan Ogburn (5-4) took the loss after giving up five runs, three earned, on eight hits over 4 1/3 innings. Relievers D.J. Thomas, Dillon Frye, Chris Overman, and Danny Healey pitched the rest of the way, combining to hold the Gators (46-18) to two hits and two earned.

Florida starter Hudson Randall shut the Wolfpack out for seven innings, scattering six hits and striking out four before a two-hour rain delay cut his afternoon short. Relievers Greg Larson and Bobby Poyner pitched 2/3 each after Randall left, and Keenan Kish gave up the Pack’s lone run over 2/3 in the ninth.

Box Score

 

ESPN.comNo. 1 Florida beats NC State

NewsObserver.comN.C. State falls to Florida 7-1 in Super Regional opener

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — N.C. State coach Elliott Avent saved his ace rather than have him throw in the Wolfpack’s NCAA Super Regional opener against top overall-seed Florida.

Now, Avent will turn to phenom freshman lefty Carlos Rodon to save the season in an elimination game Sunday following the Wolfpack’s 7-1 loss to the Gators at McKethan Stadium.

“It’s a three-game series,” Avent said. “You’re not going to win it opening day.”

Avent insisted he wanted to stick with what he’s done throughout the season in holding Rodon to the second game of the series. He said he thought about moving Rodon up to the first game, but wanted to keep him on proper rest.

“We didn’t hold him back,” Avent said. “He’s pitched second all year.”

 

ESPN.comN.C. State’s Rodon a tough test for Gators

GatorZone.comGators are Halfway There, but Taking Nothing for Granted

NC State coach Elliott Avent didn’t waste many words when asked in the post-game news conference how he felt about Rodon taking the hill with his club facing elimination.

“Pretty good,” he deadpanned.

He should. Not only are they trotting out arguably the nation’s best pitcher, but the Wolfpack know something about must-win games, having staved off elimination three times in the Raleigh, N.C., regional last week to earn the right to reach the super-sized round two wins shy of Omaha, Neb.

Florida is halfway there, but taking nothing for granted.

“[NC State] had their backs against the wall last weekend, on the brink of elimination. Our players realize that,” said O’Sullivan, who will counter Rodon with sophomore Jonathon Crawford (6-2, 2.92 ERA). “They won’t want their season to end. They want to go to Omaha as bad as we do. So we’re not going to be flat. We’re going to approach it like we’re down 0-1.

 

GatorZone.comNo. 1 Florida Downs No. 11 NC State, 7-1, In Super Regional Opener

AlligatorArmy.comFlorida Baseball Beats N.C. State, 7-1, Takes 1-0 Lead In Super Regional Series

 

Out of Town Scoreboard

TUCSON

  • Arizona 7
  • St. John’s 4
  • Arizona wins series 2-0

LOS ANGELES

  • UCLA 4
  • TCU 1
  • UCLA wins series 2-0

BATON ROUGE

  • Stony Brook 3
  • LSU 1
  • Series tied 1-1

TALLAHASSEE

  • Florida State
  • Stanford
  • PPD RAIN – Resched. For Sunday, 7PM, FSU leads series 1-0

WACO

  • Baylor 8
  • Arkansas 1
  • Baylor leads series 1-0

COLUMBIA

  • South Carolina 5
  • Oklahoma 0
  • SCar leads series 1-0

EUGENE

  • Kent State 7
  • Oregon 6
  • Kent State leads series 1-0

Go Pack!

About Wufpacker

A 2nd generation alumnus and raised since birth to be irrationally dedicated to all things NC State. Class of '88 and '92.

Baseball

207 Responses to Rain & Pack Fall in Game One; Do or Die Sunday in Gainesville

  1. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:25 PM #

    You have got to like how Wilkins has finished this season. He is clutch…Wilkins holds them in check. Pack coming up…

  2. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:26 PM #

    We need Trae to get on and wreak havoc.

  3. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:27 PM #

    4-4 Chris Diaz HR. Nice!

  4. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:27 PM #

    Diaz solo HR, game tied.

  5. BJD95 06/10/2012 at 4:28 PM #

    Tie game, bitches!!

  6. PackAmy 06/10/2012 at 4:30 PM #

    Is this only on ESPN 3 now?

  7. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:32 PM #

    ESPN2

  8. PackAmy 06/10/2012 at 4:34 PM #

    Thanks – ESPN3 is behind.

  9. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:34 PM #

    ESPN2 here

  10. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:36 PM #

    Interesting (to me, at least) is that gametracker has been ahead of ESPN2 most of the day.

  11. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:37 PM #

    Wilkins hitting his spots and mixing speeds nicely so far.

  12. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:38 PM #

    Another two out single for UF, but nothing more. Wilkins still looking strong.

  13. PackAmy 06/10/2012 at 4:39 PM #

    ESPN3 seems to be really far behind today, almost 5 minutes. I’ve now switched over.

  14. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:39 PM #

    Wilkins is hitting inside well on both sides of the plate. UF seems to be crowding plate, but Wilk is not backing down.

    He is holding UF in check for another inning.

  15. BJD95 06/10/2012 at 4:40 PM #

    Give Wilkins some trucker speed, Adderal, or something. His arse needs to stay on the mound. No idea what we will do after Rodon’s 4 innings tomorrow. But we will cross that bridge when we get to it!

  16. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:42 PM #

    The left side of the UF infield (on D) is ridiculous.

  17. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:46 PM #

    Yeah, I’m hating those guys right now, but have to give ’em credit.

  18. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:47 PM #

    ouch

  19. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:48 PM #

    Better go ahead and give him his shinguards now.

  20. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:50 PM #

    He is going to have a nice knot there for next month or so.

  21. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:52 PM #

    at least

  22. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 4:59 PM #

    That little kick from the UF pitcher is annoying the crap outta me.

  23. Lunatic Fringe 06/10/2012 at 4:59 PM #

    Wilkins continues to be a stud. The “math” allows us to potentially avoid top of lineup in 9th IF we hold them to minimum in next two innings. Big IF cause we will have to go through 4 & 5 to start the next inning.

  24. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 5:01 PM #

    Hell yeah. Now we got something.

  25. Wufpacker 06/10/2012 at 5:04 PM #

    that was a nasty pitch

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