Pack bats come to play in 18-1 drubbing of Georgia in Game 1 of Athens Super Regional

NC State is one win away from third trip to Omaha in the last 11 seasons

Every NC State batter that stepped to the plate on Saturday in Athens recorded a hit with seven of those Wolfpack hitters recording multiple hit efforts. The result was an 18-1 blowout win for State over the host Georgia Bulldogs. With the victory, the Pack need one more win to advance to the College World Series for the third time in the last 11 seasons.

The 1st inning was uneventful as a two-out Alek Makarewicz single accounted for the only baserunner for either club in the frame. The second inning, however, could not be classified as anything close to that.

NC State batters recorded eight straight hits to start the 2nd inning. Brandon Butterworth got things started with a single to CF and moved to third on a single through the right side by Alex Sosa. Luke Nixon dropped down a gorgeous bunt-for-hit for an RBI single to give the Pack a lead it would not relinquish.

Matt Heavner followed with an intentioned sacrifice bunt between the pitchers mound and third base, but nobody fielded the ball and it resulted in an infield single to load the bases. Noah Soles pulled a ground ball inside the bag at first base that rolled down into the right field corner for a bases clearing double and a 4-0 Wolfpack lead.

Eli Serrano made it 6-0 quickly in the next at-bat.

Garrett Pennington made sure things didn’t stop there with an 0-2 single through the left side and Makarewicz followed with a line drive single just over the pitcher’s head and into center field to put two on with no outs.

Jacob Cozart hit what looked like a potential double play to first base, but the throw to second pulled the shortstop off the bag and Cozart beat the throw back to first for a fielder’s choice. With the bases loaded and no out, Butterworth singled for the second time in the inning to make it 7-0.

Following a pitching change and a strikeout, Nixon hit a ball into centerfield that he legged into a hustle double when the throw went to the cutoff man. Two more runs scored on the double, making it 9-0 Pack.

After a flyout, Soles cranked his second double of the frame to drive in two more -giving him five RBI in the inning – and putting NC State out in front 11-0. It was an impressive inning for the Pack.

Cozart added another run in the 3rd on his first home run on the game.

The Wolfpack would add another run in the 5th. Serrano led off the inning with a double to left center.

Cozart brought him home on a hard hit single through the right side of the infield to make it a 13-0 ballgame.

Nixon provided a run all on his own in the 6th. He singled with one out, moved up a base on a wild pitch, moved up another base on a fly out by Heavner, and then scored when the throw from the catcher back to the pitcher ricocheted off Soles’ helmet and into the infield grass.

All the while, Sam Highfill was cruising on the mound for the Pack. The Mayor set down the first eight men he faced in the game and worked around a two-on, two-out situation in the 3rd to escape with a 0 on the board for the Bulldogs.

After a 3-up, 3-down 4th, Highfill ran into a bit of trouble in both the 5th and 6th innings. Georgia would scratch its only run of the game in the 5th thanks to a one-out double by Fernando Gonzalez, a walk to Clayton Chadwick, and a two-out single by Corey Collins. Following a walk to Charlie Condon, Highfill induced a routine groundout to Dylan Goldstein to limit the damage.

In the 6th, the Bulldogs put the first two runners on via a leadoff double and a hit-by-pitch. With a pitch count already over 100, Highfill worked a flyout and then a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning and complete his outing.

Highfill was exactly what the Wolfpack needed in the game, going 6.0 strong innings of 1-run ball. He wasn’t always the sharpest (3 BB, 1 HBP), but got outs when needed and allowed the Wolfpack to save their bullpen arms for the remainder of the series. In earning the win on the mound, Highfill moved to 7-2 on the year and is now 5-1 in NCAA postseason games in his career.

Meanwhile, NC State continued the onslaught. Pennington added another run via a massive solo shot in the 7th. Makarewicz followed him with a double and scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to make it 16-0 State.

In the 9th, Makarewicz and Cozart hit back-to-back home runs to right field to provide the final tally of 18-1.

Following Highfill’s exit, Andrew Shaffner came on to provide an incredibly efficient and effective outing, setting down all nine batters he faced to earn the 3.0 inning save, the first save of his career. Shaffner ended the game on a swinging strikeout.

It was, obviously, an offensive day for the Wolfpack with 10 extra-base hits and a single-game program record for runs scored in an NCAA Tournament game. I would type it out for you, but it’s easier to just paste the box score.

Getting a win in Game 1 of a Super Regional is big in and of itself, but doing so while only using two pitchers and saving the top two bullpen arms for the Wolfpack cannot be understated. Granted, Georgia also did not use any of their top relief arms, but the pressure is on the Bulldogs to have to climb out of a 1-0 series hole.

Game 2 of the series is set for tomorrow at noon with the broadcast on ESPNU.