Logan Whitaker tosses 7.0 innings of 1-run ball, but State can’t dig out of early hole
Logan Whitaker tossed 7.0 innings of 1-run ball, surrendering just 2 hits and 3 walks (2 of those via the intentional variety) with 10 strikeouts while utterly destroying the Florida lineup… but he wasn’t the starting pitcher in the game and the early hole that NC State found themselves in couldn’t be overcome.
The Wolfpack’s season came to a close with a 5-4 loss to Florida in the 2024 College World Series.
Dom Fritton got the start for the Pack despite his recent struggles and despite clearly struggling with control – hitting two batters and missing targets consistently – he managed to work a scoreless first inning thanks to some great movement on his fastball. It should have been a clear sign for the coaches to warm up someone else to have on the ready, but it apparently wasn’t and that decision backfired in a big way.
After a Florida lineout to start the 2nd, Fritton issued back-to-back walks before allowing a single to load the bases. After a sacrifice fly to left field scored the first run of the game, Fritton left a pitch right over the heart of the plate to Jac Caglianone and the future 1st round pick hit it into the stands in right field for a three-run home run.
That would be the only contribution Caglianone would make in the game as he would be intentionally walked twice (with the subsequent batters recording inning-ending outs both times) and he gave up a run on the mound in his only inning of work. That one inning was the first when NC State loaded the bases with one out thanks to a hit-by-pitch and back-to-back walks. Brandon Butterworth then singled through the left side to give NC State an early 1-0 lead. Alex Sosa then struck out on a bad called third strike and Luke Nixon was overly aggressive in flying out on a 1-1 pitch to end the inning.
NC State cut the lead to one on a 3rd inning Alec Makarewicz two-run home run into the bullpen in left field. Garrett Pennington was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game to open the bottom half of the inning for State before scoring on A-Mak’s blast.
Florida would score one more run – their only run of the game off Whitaker – on a solo home run by Tyler Shelnut in the 5th inning. Whitaker had very few bad pitches in the game, but he left a changeup out over the plate and Shelnut got just enough of it to clear the wall in left field to push Florida’s lead up to 2 runs.
NC State responded quickly, plating a run in the bottom of the frame to cut it back to a one-run game. Pennington doubled on a one-hopper off the left field wall to start the inning and came home on a two-out Butterworth double over the right fielder’s head.
Unfortunately, that was it for the Pack. Despite several opportunities, NC State failed to push across another run and Florida held on for the win.
In much the same vein as Saturday’s loss to Kentucky, NC State squandered scoring opportunities that ultimately led to the loss. Only scoring one run when having the bases loaded with one out in the 1st, stranding Butterworth on second in the 5th, running into an out (and not challenging the play) on a stolen base attempt in the 6th, stranding runners on first and second in the 7th, getting a runner on 2nd with one out in the 8th and failing to score him. All missed opportunities.
Of course, the biggest head scratcher will be starting Fritton (2.0 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 2 HBP, 3 K) over Whitaker despite Whitaker posting back-to-back fantastic outings previously in the NCAA Tournament and having a full week’s rest since his last start. Fritton, meanwhile, has struggled with control all year and was coming off a start where he allowed 7 runs in 3.0 innings.
Such is life.
Butterworth (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Sosa (2-for-4) joined Florida’s 9-hole hitter Michael Robertson (2-for-4, R) as the only players in the game with multiple hits. Pennington (1-for-3, 2B, 3 R, 2 HBP), Makarewicz (1-for-4, HR, R, 2 RBI, BB), and Jacob Cozart (0-for-2, 2 BB) also reached base safely multiple times in the game.
The Pack bats were able to get to Florida’s pitching with regularity, but Brandon Neely (3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K) was the difference maker down the stretch for them. The Gators will advance to play the loser of Kentucky vs Texas A&M.
It’s a rough end for NC State dropping two 1-run games in the College World Series, but it was a team that overachieved in getting to Omaha. Questionable pitching decisions in the CWS will be the lasting what-if of the season’s end, but there were many memorable moments before then that still made this a rather remarkable year. If this is the end of Elliott Avent’s coaching career, there’s no better place for it to end than in Omaha.
The offseason will bring a lot of change, especially in this age of the transfer portal, but as it stands right now there are several bright spots looking ahead to the 2025 season.