Pack Baseball Survives Elimination Sunday

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Matt Bergquist's 7 combined RBIs powered the Pack on Sunday.

They may have taken the long route to the championship game, but Wolfpack Baseball will face off against the Vanderbilt Commodores again tomorrow night at 7pm, this time for the Raleigh Regional crown and a chance to punch their ticket to Gainesville.  On a day when ACC teams were dropping like flies, the Pack found a way to survive two elimination games.

After scoring 17 runs on 22 hits in flying by the UNC-W Seahawks 17-5 earlier in the day, the Pack at first looked as if it might continue to score at a blistering pace in the nightcap against Vanderbilt. Ryan Mathews hit a first inning solo shot (17) and Trea Turner added a 2 run blast (5) in the third to give the Wolfpack a 3-0 lead after three innings. The Pack would add a single run in the 4th and another in the 5th to extend their lead to 5-1.

But Vanderbilt, which broke the collective hearts of State fans everywhere just last night with a late inning come from behind win, had another comeback in them. They would post 2 runs on the board in the 6th and 2 more in the 7th to knot the score at 5 apiece.

Then in the bottom of the 8th, Matt Bergquist’s career day continued when he knocked a one out single, scoring Brett Austin from third. Brett Ratledge was nailed at home on a Trea Turner ground ball the very next play and the Pack would miss out on a big inning, but as it turned out they got the one they needed.

Ryan Wilkins would get the win, pitching 2 scoreless innings. His two strikeouts both came in the 9th inning, the second against the speedy Commodore Tony Kemp to end the game, when Wilkins would sit Vandy down in order to preserve the win. In his two innings of work he would face only the minimum of six batters, thanks in large part to one of the most interesting double plays I’ve seen in awhile…tip of the hat to both Trea Turner (for even fielding the ball and the long throw to first) and Andrew Ciencin (for keeping his head in the game and firing a bullet back to third).

Anthony Tzamtzis started the game for State and tossed 6.2 strong innings, giving up 5 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits, with 5 K’s and 2 BB, but would not figure in the decision. Travis Orwig no hit Vandy for a third of an inning. 😉

 

Updated Bracket

 

Click to enlarge

 

Media Coverage

GoPack.com – Bergquist’s Game-Winner Forces Monday Championship Game

RALEIGH, N.C. – Matt Bergquist’s eighth-inning heroics propelled NC State to a 6-5 win over Vanderbilt Sunday night at Doak Field at Dail Park to stave off elimination and force a Monday night championship game at 7 p.m.

Ryan Mathews handed the Pack (42-18) a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a solo shot, and State added two more on a Trea Turner home run in the third to build a 3-0 lead. Vanderbilt (35-27) broke the seal in the fourth with a run, but the Wolfpack responded with runs in the fourth and fifth to leap ahead 5-1. The Commodores chopped that lead in half with two runs in the sixth, then tied the game with two more in the seventh, but Bergquist came up with the pivotal hit in the eighth to set the final at 6-5.

Bergquist went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI, and a run, putting a stamp on a huge day for the junior. In two games Sunday, Bergquist pieced together a 5-for-8 afternoon with a home run and seven RBIs. Danny Canela and Brett Austin had the Pack’s two other multi-hit games, each going 2-for-4 with Austin driving in one and scoring the game-winning run.

Mathews hit his 17th homer of the year to put the Wolfpack on top in the first, his ninth in the last 14 games and third of the Raleigh regional. Turner’s two-run shot represented his fifth of the season.

NC State starter Anthony Tzamtzis went 6 2/3 innings, the second-longest outing of his career, striking out five batters while allowing four earned for a no decision. Reliever Ryan Wilkins (4-2) scored the win with two shutout innings to seal the deal, holding the Commodores to one hit and striking out two in the ninth.

Box Score

 

NewsObserver.com – Tudor: In the face of adversity, Pack swinging its way out of trouble

The Pack advanced on a game-winning single in the eighth by second baseman Matt Bergquist, the 9th guy in the batting order, that scored Brett Austin.

It was the second hit of the game for Bergquist, a junior who began the night with a modest .212 batting average.

But the way State has played of late, any hitter on the scorecard is a threat.

In four Regional games, Avent’s team has scored 48 runs on 59 hits – a remarkable run.

“Our guys are seeing the ball the best we’ve seen it all season. We’re hitting, so that’s a definite positive,” Avent said.

 

News-Record.com – NCAA BASEBALL REGIONALS: N.C. State forces Monday elimination game; North Carolina eliminated

theACC.com – NCAA Baseball Regionals ACCtion: Sunday, June 3

TimesUnion.com (AP) – NC State beats Vanderbilt 6-5 in NCAA regionals

VUCommodores.com – NC State forces third game

 

Out of Town Scoreboard

The ACC took it on the chin this weekend. Virginia went down moments ago making FSU and NCSU the only two conference teams still standing.  While the Seminoles are done for the weekend and now await the Stanford Regional winner in Tallahassee next weekend, the Wolfpack has to make a quick turnaround to face the Commodores once more in Raleigh. Game time is set for 7pm Monday evening. The Florida Gators await the winner in Gainesville next weekend.

Gainesville

  • Florida 15
  • Georgia Tech 3
  • GT eliminated, Florida to face NCSU/Vandy winner in super regionals

Tallahassee

  • Florida State 5
  • Samford 2
  • FSU advances to super regionals to face Stanford.

Charlottesville

  • Virginia 4
  • Oklahoma 5
  • UVa eliminated, OU vs. App St. tomorrow for Charlottesville Reg. Champ. OU must beat App 2x tomorrow.

Columbia

  • South Carolina 4
  • Clemson 3
  • Clemson eliminated, SCar to face Oklahoma/App winner.

…and, Chapel Hill

  • St. John’s 9
  • Carolina 5
  • Carolina eliminated, St. John’s to face Arizona.

Sorry ’bout that Heels.  Maybe you can head to Raleigh tomorrow and support the Pack! (…and don’t even try to use going to class as an excuse)

–

About Wufpacker

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

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78 Responses to Pack Baseball Survives Elimination Sunday

  1. BAM 06/04/2012 at 7:12 AM #

    I wonder if FSS picks up tonight’s game?

  2. WDL-Charleston 06/04/2012 at 7:46 AM #

    Who starts tonight?

  3. vtpackfan 06/04/2012 at 8:20 AM #

    Getting Berquist back in firm makes us very difficult to go up and down our lineup. Big numbers from our hitters in the 1,3,5,7 and 9 spots. I guess the real story is the innings Ogburn and Tzam occupied.
    Logans his work cut out for him,, but if he can give us three we should be ready armed the spread out the remaining six.

  4. Six Pack 06/04/2012 at 8:42 AM #

    Who is the likely starter for Monday? Will it be pitch by bullpen committee?

  5. panic83 06/04/2012 at 8:57 AM #

    As vtpackfan mentioned, I guess Logan Jernigan will get the start tonight. I imagine V. Williams would be able to contribute a few innings.

  6. GAWolf 06/04/2012 at 9:01 AM #

    Biggest game on our campus in any spot in an long time.

  7. TheCOWDOG 06/04/2012 at 9:51 AM #

    Everyone sans Ogburn and Tz . That includes the boss hoss, if he has no stiffness.

  8. vtpackfan 06/04/2012 at 12:10 PM #

    I will take my hat and eat it some for the “talented team, poor coaching” mantra. The move to the all frosh outfield took nutz and Avent has our best nine playing and spread out well in the lineup.

    Still disappointed that Canela showed we still don’t know what the ball getting through the left side means, we are running the bases like little leaguers- and not the ones who play in Williamsbrg).

    Pitching by committee will

  9. vtpackfan 06/04/2012 at 12:11 PM #

    The big test for Avent.

  10. gcpack 06/04/2012 at 12:46 PM #

    Can Rodon really be expected to contribute in anyway?

    I was complaining about Avent taking him out in the sixth vs. Vandy Sat. but then I read where he already had 130 pitches at that point.
    That was more than I thought.

    I still would have let him finish the inning. However there is some NCAA limit on how much a pitcher can be used in a week. I assume its an inning count but may be based on number of hours. I don’t know.

    Anyone know if Rodon can really be used based on NCAA weekly limit?

  11. Dr. BadgerPack 06/04/2012 at 12:51 PM #

    “However there is some NCAA limit on how much a pitcher can be used in a week.”

    False.

  12. gcpack 06/04/2012 at 12:53 PM #

    So Badger its totally up to each school’s baseball program to decide how often they can use a pitcher without input from conference or ncaa?

  13. Dr. BadgerPack 06/04/2012 at 1:02 PM #

    gcpack- Yes, it is strictly the coaches decision. There is no rule, either at the conference or NCAA level, that dictates a pitch count or innings limit.

    P.S. I apologize for the curt response before. My bad.

  14. Wufpacker 06/04/2012 at 1:03 PM #

    Assuming no soreness from Saturday, Rodon could probably go 2 innings (maybe 3) if absolutely necessary, but a situation that would call for him to do that would be unlikely and I doubt they’d risk his long term health for it at that point anyway. Far more likely is that he’d come in for a situational type thing (such as to face one or two lefty big hitters late in the game if we have a 1-4 run lead).

    Rodon’s motion and strength/stamina is what allows him to go a lot of innings and not lose much dominance along the way. It also allows him to come back more quickly. Of course, best case is we score enough runs to not have to consider him at all for today.

    There is no NCAA limit/rule, btw. Here’s an article from a couple years ago that talks more about the overall issue…

    http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/06/04/514204/coaches-dilemma-pitch-counts.html

  15. Wufpacker 06/04/2012 at 1:15 PM #

    Tonight’s game is a sellout, btw. State will be the road team again. Still haven’t seen anything on starters.

  16. Dr. BadgerPack 06/04/2012 at 1:16 PM #

    Wufpacker- Since I’m on a roll ticking people off today… I would say Bergquist’s career day was a couple of years ago in the ACC tourney- if my memory serves, he won a game with an absolute moonshot.

    He’s been pretty disappointing after that though. I hope he has a bounce back year next season (or, even better, just starts it now!)

  17. TheCOWDOG 06/04/2012 at 1:52 PM #

    Doc…pissin’ people off is my bag. Let’s see…I disagree that the move to right for Austin is a good one.

    Yes, I was pissed that he showed a bit of laziness with back handed picking in the ACCT, probably led to the move, in fact.

    However, Canela has shown some real iffy receiving, to the point of liability.
    The catchers don’t call their own game, so let’s get Canela back at DH.

    Wuf, sir, you are correct about Rodon. However, I can see an inning out of him.
    Maybe a set-up to Wilkins. Hell, maybe to close.

    This ain’t gonna kill him, and truly, there is no tomorrow.

  18. gcpack 06/04/2012 at 2:35 PM #

    Wufpacker ,, thanks so much for the article link. I guess that answers my question. Looks like everyone should be available except for Tzamtzis
    who pitched last night. Anyone know if Vandy’s pitcher is a regular weekend starter?

  19. Wufpacker 06/04/2012 at 3:05 PM #

    @DBP – You might be right. I had forgotten about that as more recently Bergquist had unfortunately become backburner memory material. Even still, 7 RBI over two games in a single day, including the game winner in second game…I mean, c’mon!!

    @COWDOG – My 2-3 innings est. was more what I thought his arm could take without much risk. I agree that he goes an inning tops, and more likely would face 1 or 2 batters and be pulled whether he retired them or not. Hopefully we won’t even need to sweat the decision and will explode for another mid to high teens runs output.

    @gcpack – No problem.

  20. gcpack 06/04/2012 at 3:15 PM #

    Check out this comment from a Vanderbilt fan who posted this on Baseball America’s blog:

    “State won the Sunday game on two wind-aided home runs. I don’t think Vandy will lose tonight, but if State advances they will be decimated at Florida.
    The State facilities are high school level at best and a 320 shot down the line is a joke in college baseball without a high wall to compensate.
    Maybe I am just biased-naaah!”

    Posted by Dan Ryan | June 4, 2012 at 10:04 am |

  21. Wufpacker 06/04/2012 at 3:31 PM #

    I thought the left field wall was 16′. Has this changed? And thank goodness the wind only blows when we’re batting.

    Bergquist’s day yesterday upped his avg. 25 pts. He started the day at .197 and finished well above the Mendoza line at .222.

  22. gcpack 06/04/2012 at 3:55 PM #

    Well not only did the wind stop when Vanderbilt came to bat the grounds crew moved the fences out. Once it was State’s turn to bat they rolled them back to the 320 line. Ahhh home field advantage.

  23. Classof89 06/04/2012 at 4:39 PM #

    CowDog or Dr. Badger: what’s the back story on how we ended up with a big hole at catcher on our roster? Is Canela back there because Austin hasn’t developed this season to the extent they had hoped? I wasn’t paying attention earlier this year–was Austin the catcher until the ACCT?

    Given that the entire team (other than Rodon) performed pretty shit-ily in the ACCT, don’t see why Austin alone lost his catchers duty. Canela’s been pretty horrific from a defensive standpoint during this regional.

    Are there no other options other than Canela and Austin for Catcher?

  24. Pack78 06/04/2012 at 5:10 PM #

    ^Maybe it’s Folwer’s fault-he played BB at Vandy…

  25. Wufpacker 06/04/2012 at 6:42 PM #

    Nice enough start I guess. Those jerseys look like a throwback homage to the ones worn by a certain bovine/canine poster and his boys.

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