DURHAM, N.C. — It had all the makings of another NC State baseball heartbreaker: a hot start and big early lead followed by a cold streak at the plate and late-game collapse.
In many ways, it was déjà vu from the team’s loss to North Carolina on a walk-off earlier in the month. Only this time, a loss would have meant elimination from the ACC Tournament and virtually extinguished hopes of making the NCAA Tournament.
But just when it appeared that all hope was lost, the “Cardiac Pack” did it again, pulling off a thrilling 8-7 victory over Duke in 11 innings at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park.
The Wolfpack (35-18, 13-16 ACC) nearly blew an early 7-1 lead as the Blue Devils (35-20, 16-13 ACC) tied it up in the bottom of the ninth and seemingly had all the momentum going into extras, but it was freshman designated hitter Cannon Peebles who hit the game-winning RBI single in the top of the 11th as the Pack closed it out for a crucial win.
“It was a great college baseball game to be a part of and a great ballpark; we just beat a great ballclub,” said head coach Elliott Avent. “Both teams showed a lot of mental toughness. In this league, you have to have mental toughness this time of year or you’re not gonna survive.”
After going six consecutive innings without recording a hit between the fourth and ninth, Peebles provided the spark the Wolfpack offense needed, shooting a base hit through the gap into center field that scored junior left fielder Noah Soles for the go-ahead run.
For Peebles, it was easily the biggest hit of his young college career, but not only that — it was the biggest hit of NC State’s season.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much; [associate head coach Chris] Hart had given me the green light because he had confidence in me, and that gave me more confidence,” Peebles said. “We always have to trust that the guy behind us is going to be able to pick us up. We know in the back of our minds that we’re able to win a game as long as our team is together.”
The late-game heroics capped off what had been a roller-coaster ride to get to that point.
The Pack opened the game with a bang as junior third baseman LuJames Groover III smashed a two-run homer over the towering left field wall in the top of the first, granting the Pack an early lead. While Duke scored one run in the bottom of the first, NC State kept it going with two more runs in the second and three in the third, putting the red-and-white on top 7-1 through three innings.
After it was all Wolfpack early, Duke slowly but surely crept back into the game. Two runs in the fourth followed by one run apiece in the sixth and seventh made it 7-5 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
With the Blue Devils down to their final two outs, MJ Metz crushed a two-run home run into right field, stunning the Wolfpack crowd in attendance as all the momentum shifted in Duke’ favor going into extras.
The two teams went scoreless in the 10th before Peebles’ clutch hit gave the Pack the lead once again in the 11th, and it was up to redshirt junior right-hander Logan Whitaker to close the game on the mound in the bottom of the inning. A usual Friday-night starter, closing is not Whitaker’s usual role, but the 6-foot-6 Winston-Salem native delivered, retiring all three batters to seal the win.
With the win, NC State virtually eliminates Duke and will play Miami on Thursday for a spot in the semifinals. NC State would have been eliminated with a loss, which could have easily happened, but somehow, some way, the Pack came through in the clutch.
While NC State didn’t put as many pitchers on the mound as Duke, a total of five Wolfpack arms made appearances. Junior right-hander Matt Willadsen earned the start after pitching in last Friday’s 17-8 win over Pitt, making it through four innings and allowing three runs before being taken out.
Freshman left-hander Dominic Fritton had the 7-5 lead going into the bottom of the ninth but gave up the tying two-run homer, prompting the change to Whitaker in extras. Like his usual self, Whitaker was lights-out, only putting one man on base in the 10th and 11th combined.
“[Whitaker] has gone through so many arm injuries and 9 of 10 teams would not have kept doing the things he did to be on the stage,” Avent said. “To see him in that moment, for me, for his family and for him personally, there’s a lot of pride in that.
With the amount of arms used in this game, it will be an “all hands on deck” for the Pack’s pitching staff in the next contest against Miami. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 25 in the Durham as NC State looks to keep its NCAA Tournament hopes alive.
