No. 10 NC State vs. No. 7 Georgia in Super Regionals: 3 thoughts, a bold prediction and more
ATHENS, Ga. — Each time NC State coach Elliott Avent has been asked about his most recent trip to play Georgia at Foley Field, the same memory arrives in his head.
“We couldn’t get Gordon Beckham out and we lost game three,” Avent has repeatedly said this week.
The Wolfpack’s 28th-year coach is referencing his squad’s 2008 Super Regional loss to the Bulldogs, which went three games. Now, Avent has another team in an Athens Super Regional. NC State, the No. 10 national seed, is set to square off with No. 7 Georgia with a trip to the College World Series on the line this weekend.
Here are three thoughts, a bold prediction and more ahead of the Bulldogs and Wolfpack’s Super Regional battle.
3 thoughts going into the Athens Super Regional
– This is a big moment for NC State’s 2024 team, but the stage should not be too big for the Wolfpack. NC State surged through the final two months of ACC play, treating every opponent as if it was a regional — seven of those foes were in the field this year. The Pack’s veterans have been in this position before with multiple regional appearances and the 2021 College World Series, while the freshmen have been up to the task so far. The Athens Super Regional and the nearly 4,000 fans in attendance will be a new test, but the Wolfpack seems prepared and ready to go for the moment.
– Graduate third baseman Alec Makarewicz is the heart and soul of the Wolfpack’s batting order this year, leading the team in average, home runs and RBI this spring. He brings two previous trips to a Super Regional to the roster and Makarewicz’s bat will be needed against Georgia. Makarewicz is more than capable of turning this weekend into batting practice with the short porch in right field, while he can also match up with any pitcher as the lone switch hitter in the starting lineup. Makarewicz will set the tone for the rest of the offense, and his infectious energy will be pivotal as well.
– Another trip to Omaha could further cement Avent’s legacy in Raleigh — and in the ACC as a whole. Yes, he has taken the Pack to a pair of College World Series appearances, but a third trip would be a landmark effort. Avent did it with a pair of future Big Leaguers in Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner in 2013, and he followed that up with a team effort in 2021 that was cut short due to positive COVID-19 tests within the program. Avent is not one for self-promotion, but the third trip to Omaha with the Wolfpack and the mix of veterans and rookies that he has now, would be one of the most impressive feats within NC State athletics history in a while.
Bold prediction
– Sophomore outfielder Eli Serrano III dubbed this weekend as a potential “home run derby” inside Foley Field. I’ll predict a double digit number of home runs combined between the two teams.
Broadcast details
Television: ESPNU (Sat./Sun.) & TBD (Mon. if needed)
First pitch: 12 p.m. (Sat./Sun.) & TBD (Mon., if needed)
Broadcasters: Tom Hart (play-by-play) and Ben McDonald (analyst)
Radio: WKNC 88.1 (all weekend)
Broadcaster: Andrew Sanders (play-by-play)
Probable pitchers
Saturday: RHP Sam Highfill (NC State) vs. RHP Kolten Smith (UGA)
Sunday: TBD (NC State) vs. TBD (UGA)
Monday, if needed: TBD (NC State) vs. TBD (UGA)
NC State game notes
– The Wolfpack is the only athletic department in the country to make a football bowl game, the men’s basketball Final Four, the women’s basketball Final Four and the baseball Super Regional this year.
– Junior catcher Jacob Cozart was named a Buster Posey Award finalist Thursday morning. He’s one of three catchers up for the way, joined by Sam Houston State’s Walker Janek and Cal Poly’s Ryan Stafford. The winner will be announced during the Greater Wichita Sports Banquet and Buster Posey Award presentation on June 26.
– Serrano, a 6-foot-5 outfielder, has reached safely in 19 straight games — the longest active streak on the roster entering Super Regionals. He had a 13-game hitting streak within that but it was snapped this past weekend during the Raleigh Regional.
– NC State is 2-3 all-time against Georgia. The Bulldogs and Wolfpack have met in the Super Regional round before, with the hosts winning two of three to end NC State’s season in 2008. The Wolfpack evened the series with an 11-4 win in the second game of that weekend, but the Bulldogs took the rubber match with a 17-8 win to advance to Omaha.
Georgia outlook
– The Bulldogs are paced by power hitter Charlie Condon, a top prospect in this summer’s MLB Draft. He leads the country in batting average, slugging percentage and home runs this spring. Condon will be a tough out at the plate and the Wolfpack’s pitching staff will have its hands full this weekend.
– Georgia is 4-for-4 in advancing out of Super Regionals in program history. The 2008 win over NC State was the Bulldogs’ last trip to this round, and they eventually finished as the runner up in Omaha.
The post No. 10 NC State vs. No. 7 Georgia in Super Regionals: 3 thoughts, a bold prediction and more appeared first on On3.
