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The Pack, this year’s top seed and host of the NCAA Baseball Championship’s Raleigh Regional, beat the Dukes of James Madison 6-2 in a close game at Doak Field on Friday night.
The win, which pushed the Wolfpack to 39-20 on the year, sets up a Saturday evening showdown with the No. 2 seed, the South Carolina Gamecocks, which former N.C. State head coach Ray Tanner coaches.
“I was glad to see us get off to a good start,” head coach Elliott Avent said of his team’s performance against JMU. “Our players were extremely excited about hosting a regional and they were definitely proud of what they accomplished tonight.”
Although the Wolfpack offense was sluggish until late, State’s pitching tandem of Jake Buchanan and Joey Cutler shut down the Dukes, allowing only three total hits and two runs.
Buchanan, the starter, went five and two thirds innings and did not allow a run, and Cutler, the reliever, pitched a perfect three and a third innings of relief.
“I tried to do what I’ve been doing all year, tried to work ahead and not get into too much trouble,” Buchanan said. “I was a little nervous at first, but after the first batter it all went away.”
The late arriving Wolfpack offense, which only managed two runs through the first six innings, came alive in the seventh when senior Ryan Pond hit a two run double to make the score 4-2 State.
In the eighth, two more runs would cross the plate courtesy of a Chris Schaeffer home run to left field.
“We were very clutch tonight,” Avent said of his team’s performance at the plate. “We didn’t have good at-bats throughout like we’ve been doing, but we were clutch. I think they were maybe trying a little too hard.”
Saturday evening’s contest will see the Wolfpack take on the Gamecocks, who defeated UNC Charlotte in game one at 7 p.m.
Avent didn’t have a long-drawn out answer to how excited the Pack will be when they play South Carolina. His answer was short and sweet, and included a wry smile.
“We’re just looking forward to playing,” he said.