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NC State Baseball: Eliminated from Greenville Regional

By Christian Candeloro

OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: A general view of a basket of batting practice balls, during batting practice before game one of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oregon State Beavers on June 26, 2018 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
OMAHA, NE - JUNE 26: A general view of a basket of batting practice balls, during batting practice before game one of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oregon State Beavers on June 26, 2018 at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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NC State Baseball was eliminated from the Greenville Regional in a 9-2 loss to ECU

The clock struck midnight on the Wolfpack’s season, as NC State lost 9-2 to East Carolina and was eliminated from the Greenville regional after not winning a game.

The Wolfpack finish the season at 42-19 after starting 29-2. It enters an offseason full of question marks after it lost the last four games on the season, including three in blowout fashion to Florida State, Georgia Tech, and East Carolina. It was non-competitive in the Greenville Regional, losing to Campbell and East Carolina in the loser’s bracket. It scored just seven runs in postseason play and gave up 28 runs.

NC State will need to evaluate the tenure of head coach Elliott Avent as new Athletic Director Boo Corrigan enters the fold at NC State as NC State baseball’s ACC Championship drought reaches 23 years and its Super Regional drought reaches six years.

Batting Report

Bailey started the game with a bang, blasting a solo home run over the left field wall to give the Wolfpack the lead in the first inning. However, after Bailey’s blast there was a whole lot of nothing from the Wolfpack’s offense.

The Wolfpack finished just 4-30 at the plate on the day and left five men on base. The team struck out 10 times and never really threatened East Carolina after the Pirates jumped out to a five-run lead.

Senior Evan Edwards blasted a solo home run in his final at-bat as a member of the Wolfpack, sending a curveball well over the fence in the top of the 9th inning.

Pitching Report

NC State started junior Jason Parker (4-4, 4.38 ERA) started and earned the loss, pitching 2.1 innings and allowing two runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out five batters in his final appearance of the season, but was pulled when he ran into trouble in the third inning.

After Parker’s early hook, sophomore Evan Justice (4-0, 4.66 ERA) appeared with disastrous results. Justice managed just one out and allowed three runs, on two hits and a walk. He was replaced by junior Michael Bienlien, who faced just one batter and allowed an RBI single.

Avent replaced Bienlien with sophomore Nick Swiney, ultimately using four pitchers in a fatal third inning. Swiney pitched 2.1 innings, and struck out five batters without allowing a run. He did allow one inherited runner to score on a passed ball.

The final pitchers of the day were junior lefthander Kent Klyman and redshirt sophomore Dalton Feeney, who pitched the final two innings, allowing three additional runs that put the nail in the coffin.

Key Moment

Leading 1-0, Parker was cruising before running into some trouble in the third inning. Parker allowed first and second with one out. Rather than allowing Parker to stay in and fight his way out of the situation, Avent pulled Parker and the NC State bullpen promptly allowed six runs to score. The inning energized the Pirates and shocked NC State. The Wolfpack would be retired in five pitches in the 4th inning and never threaten from there.

What’s Next

NC State’s season is over. It will likely lose stars Will Wilson, Evan Edwards, and others. It could lose its head coach as well.

ECU advances to play the loser of Quinnipiac and Campbell for the right to advance to the Regional Championship.

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