Wolves in Omaha

Baseball73

dogpile

On a night when it seemed that both Mother Nature and #NCStateSh!t might have other ideas, Wolfpack Baseball (49-14) would scratch and claw for everything it got and persevere.  Eventually, after 17 innings and a 77 minute rain delay, the Pack would find a way to get it done as they have so often this season.

More than 7 hours after it began the Pack would top the Rice Owls by a final score of 5-4 to win the Raleigh Super Regional and advance to the College World Series in Omaha for the first time since 1968.

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State found themselves in an early hole when Rice’s Christian Stringer jerked a solo HR in the 1st inning to give the Owls a 1-0 advantage.  Stringer would then add another solo shot in 6th, his 3rd of the series, to double the Owl lead.

A Jake Fincher RBI in the top of the 7th would cut the lead in half, but when Rice’s Michael Aquino blasted his own solo HR out to left in the bottom of the 7th, and then the Owls gave the Pack a taste of their own medicine by squeezing home another in the 8th to extend their lead to 4-1, it looked as if the Pack’s Omaha fortunes might rest on the results of a possible Monday rubber match.

But down to their last three outs and needing at least three runs, the Pack went to work.

A Jake Fincher RBI double would plate one run for the Pack, and another would score when the Owls’ Michael Ratteree misplayed the ball in right field.  Two batters later Tarran Senay would get his own RBI double to right to knot the score at 4 and force extra innings.

And then, as if anyone was surprised, the two teams would begin a marathon.

Both teams had their chances to score in the extra frames but each time it seemed fate snuffed them out.  A weather delay would then interrupt the 12th inning, and when the game resumed 77 minutes later it seemed that both teams had settled in for the duration.

Wolfpack reliever Chris Overman would return to the hill for the Pack after the rain delay and pick up where he left off snuffing out a would be Owls’ rally by inducing a double play.  Then Ethan Obgurn would come on for the Pack in the 13th and turn in perhaps the best performance of his career.

Holding the Owls scoreless the rest of the way, Ogburn was able to give the Pack hitters time to figure out Owls’ pitcher John Simms, which they finally did after the Rice hurler had tossed 7 innings of relief work.

Senay would lead off the 17th inning with a single thru the right side, and Brett Williams followed two batters later with a double.  Another Owls’ error in right would score Senay on the play, giving the Pack a 5-4 edge.

But give the Owls credit.  They had absolutely no intentions of going quietly in their half of the 17th.  They would get the potential winning run aboard with the potential tying run as far as third base with the night’s big stick, Christian Stringer, coming to bat to face Obgurn.

But on this night Ogburn’s big overhand curve was working well for him and his ability to mix velocity and location kept the Owls’ batters off balance.  Stringer would do no more than lift a weak fly ball the other way to left field, which Bryan Adametz would haul in easily for the final out to preserve the 5-4 win and send the Pack to Omaha.

Ogburn would go 5.0 innings scattering 3 hits and giving up no runs to earn the win (5-3).  He struck out 6 and walked no one on the night.

Jake Fincher was 2 for 7 on the night with a double and 2 RBIs, while Tarran Senay would also post a 2 for 7 effort with a double and an RBI of his own.  Trea Turner had a three hit night as did Brett Williams, while Jake Armstrong and Logan Ratledge would each hit safely twice on the night.

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LInks

NC State Advances to College World Series (GoPack.com)

Box Score

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Senay’s run in 17th inning sends NC State to CWS for first time since 1968 (NCAA.com)

N.C. State Wolfpack is back in College World Series, first time since ’68, with 17-inning win (CharlotteObserver.com)

NC State wins in record fashion (ESPN.com)

NC State tops Rice 5-4 in 17 inings, advances to College World Series (WRALSportsFan.com)

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The Wolfpack now moves on to the College World Series for the first time in 45 years, which gets underway this Saturday, June 15th in Omaha.  The Pack awaits the results of Monday night’s game three in Chapel Hill between the Heels and the ‘Cocks to find out who its first round opponent will be.

Way to go Wolfpack!!!  We are all VERY PROUD!!!  Now, go get some rest and get ready to burn Omaha to the ground.

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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

73 Responses to Wolves in Omaha

  1. Whiteshoes67 06/10/2013 at 1:14 PM #

    ^Agreed with 4in12, there’s a difference between showing up the opposing team and acting like a douche. The FSU and Rice antics weren’t about taunting; that was just some silly homers. I don’t like it, wouldn’t let the kids I coached do it, but it’s not nearly the same as grand standing on a home run or yapping at the opposing dugout or pitchers, the equivalent of making a nice tackle and dancing around like a lunatic.

  2. ruffles31 06/10/2013 at 1:16 PM #

    One interesting thought. The three guys involved in the win in the 17th (Senay, Williams, and Ogburn) all have one thing in common.

    Seniors.

    Good job guys!

  3. Whiteshoes67 06/10/2013 at 1:26 PM #

    I’m still basking from last night. Can’t wait to gloat if UNC gets destroyed tonight. So proud of this team. Love to watch them play. And as some know, I’m not short on criticism toward the coaching, and players when deserved, but anything can happen out in Omaha.

    When you get to this point, the competition level is high, you’re playing teams that are hot, you must minimize mistakes (not just the ones in the boxscore) and capitalize on opportunities when they arise. This is especially true of this team because it doesn’t hit the long ball. Aside from Rodon, who is a must win every time he throws in Omaha, we don’t have great starting pitching. Boy were Jernigan and Ogburn’s efforts last night huge!

    Rice made more mistakes. We ultimately took advantage. Better teams will not allow as many opportunities, and will also take advantage of ones presented. I like our chances if we stay in the winners bracket out there and can do a better job moving runners and scoring. I wish Avent would switch Adametz into the 2 hole, move Fincher to 3, and drop Austin to 6 slot, where he can see better pitches, relax, tell him to get his cuts in, and drive the ball into the gap.

  4. redsteel 06/10/2013 at 1:27 PM #

    Phrase of the day……Monkey. Dancing. Asshole.

    Also, the forums have been toast since the format changed way back during the spam invasion….

  5. nav 06/10/2013 at 1:52 PM #

    The forums are a freakin ghost town and it’s depressing. This site is almost like the days before there were a forum site. Most all the activity is on the main page. We need lightening to strike the once vibrant forums in order to raise Dr Frankenstein’s disaster.

    By-the-way, outstanding post as always Wuf. You guys are trying hard to keep the main page alive and it shows. Thanks.

  6. 4in12 06/10/2013 at 2:06 PM #

    From the look of the radar, they’re going to be lucky to get in the games at Charlottesville & Chapel Hill.

  7. nav 06/10/2013 at 2:18 PM #

    One of the news guys stated that if the series is not decided by Tuesday the NCAA picks the team that heads to the CWS. Does anyone have any knowledge if this? It seems there is a good chance the UNC/Cock game may not get done today.

  8. TheCOWDOG 06/10/2013 at 2:25 PM #

    Well…unfortunately for young Austin, by virtue of Senay hitting behind him, the pitches he sees just can’t get any better.

    A slump is a slump, and a new week provides a fresh approach. Gotta work yourself through it.

  9. Whiteshoes67 06/10/2013 at 2:30 PM #

    ^Maybe true CD. He laid down some nice bunts, just too many unproductive outs imo. I tend to think it’s a little more than just a slump. Looks like his bat decelerates or drags through the zone. From what I’ve seen, he kills some mediocre stuff and struggles against top tier pitching. Is he a natural lefty or righty?

  10. Whiteshoes67 06/10/2013 at 2:43 PM #

    I’ve always watched the CWS, but this year’s TV coverage made watching the regionals and supers so much easier. If I had a criticism of the tournament, it would be that the seeding is really bad. I see no point in seeding 1-8, selecting host sites for 9-16 but not seeding them, and then not assigning national seeds to 17-64. You get a general idea of where these fall, but I think the tourney would be so much more balanced if you assigned national seeds throughout. Sure, it wouldn’t help some of the regional matchups the NCAA wants and it would raise travel costs, but some of the regions and supers this year seemed unbalanced. In years past, I wouldn’t have noticed.

  11. NCSU84 06/10/2013 at 3:18 PM #

    Basketball team went to the sweet 16 a year ago, Softball team wins ACC, Baseball team now going to the CWS, Football team now has new blood. I believe we are turning the corner. Finally – we have “arroved”.

  12. Wufpacker 06/10/2013 at 3:21 PM #

    Speaking of softball…no one noticed probably but it took a shot to the chin from Tennessee (who were an ass hair from this year’s nat’l champs) to TKO our Pack ladies.

    Senor Rychcik will do great things I think.

  13. tjfoose1 06/10/2013 at 4:12 PM #

    Don’t get too excited folks, the national media knows better than we do, that we can’t compete with the blues.

    And those two local radio ass clowns have laughed, on air, at those who suggested we could have a top 20 athletic program.

    Yep, laughed at the mere possibility.

  14. packpowerfan 06/10/2013 at 4:13 PM #

    U*NX/SCar will play game three tomorrow at 12. Given that game one of the CWS is Saturday, and both teams will have to empty the deck, we might catch the winner still a little tired.

  15. NCSU84 06/10/2013 at 4:31 PM #

    This from WRAL regarding the UNC game:

    “Per NCAA guidelines, Tuesday is available as a make-up day should a game be washed out Monday. If the game is still unplayable on Tuesday, the NCAA baseball committee will select one of the two teams to advance to Omaha. The NCAA is hopeful that it will not come to that this week”

    Now, which team do you think the NCAA would select? (this is not a difficult question to answer).

  16. tractor57 06/10/2013 at 4:43 PM #

    As to forums since the “China invasion”: they are less than useless. As to the holes vs the Cocks really no matter. Wish they could play all week.

  17. CaptainCraptacular 06/10/2013 at 4:45 PM #

    Gamecocks have been to 3 straight final series at the CWS, winning 2. And theyve not had recent sanctions. There is no way the NCAA would leave them out if it came to that. They would get torn to shreds (what is left of their integrity that is) in the court of public opinion. Can’t see it happening.

  18. Wufpacker 06/10/2013 at 4:55 PM #

    ‘Hoos go down in Charlottesville.

    Miss St. to Omaha.

    Heels the only other ACC team still standing (aside from the Pack, that is 🙂 ).

  19. 4in12 06/10/2013 at 4:56 PM #

    And UVa is eliminated.

  20. theghost 06/10/2013 at 5:13 PM #

    I’d give rich odds that the committee would pick the holes over the Cocks.

    Either way, this makes the win last night that much bigger – no doubt we’d be in the same mess, playing on Tuesday.

  21. Tuffy2 06/10/2013 at 5:39 PM #

    Great birthday present pack. My wife and I had great seats which were just right of home plate.We met Trea Turners uncle who came up from Lake Worth, Florida where I spent the first 12 years of my life. I did not realize that when we recruited Trea he was only 5’9 120 pounds.

    As far as the Rice dugout, I told my wife they sounded like a little league team getting ready to go to Pennsylvania instead of a college team headed to Nebraska.

    Anyway, great games and I am glad I stayed to the end. It was a weekend my wife and I will never forget.

  22. Tuffy2 06/10/2013 at 5:54 PM #

    UNC vs USC game is postponed until Tuesday at noon on espn2. I believe I read that correct.

  23. Tuffy2 06/10/2013 at 5:56 PM #

    Sorry packpowerfan, I did not see that you posted this already.

  24. TheCOWDOG 06/10/2013 at 6:17 PM #

    I haven’t seen it written in stone, but if they are forced into a decision, they’d be completely justified in sending the overall #1 seed.

  25. Wufpacker 06/10/2013 at 6:20 PM #

    ^ What he said.

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