Category Archives: N.C. State

Featured stories, N.C. State

State’s Doeren talks academics

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Dave Doeren.
Dave Doeren.
New NC State coach Dave Doeren spoke proudly of his team’s academics this week, noting that the teams grade point average during summer school exceeded 2.8.

“That put us in position to have success in the fall,” Doeren said. “There isn’t anybody on the roster academically ineligible entering into the fall. Coming into it, I couldn’t say to you that was going to happen.”

He noted that there were “a lot guys” trying to stay eligible. “I am thankful for all of work that our players have done, our academic support staff, coaches for monitoring guys attendance and making sure guys are doing things the right way,” he said.

Wolfpack players also did more than 1,100 hours of team community service this summer. “I ask our players to do 10 hours per player per year and they did that in one summer,” he said. “I think that says a lot about the way we are approaching things here and the way they give back to a city that gives them a lot in return.”

State is starting a program in the Fall where redshirt players and injured players are getting out to local schools and community hospitals each Friday, mostly to read to children. “I look forward to seeing how that impacts Wake County schools in particular,” he said.

Featured stories, N.C. State, The skinny

NC State football tickets average selling for $118

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Forbes magazine has come up with its own top 25 and NC State made the list at No. 22 – for having the highest “secondary market” ticket price at $118 a seat. “Secondary market” basically means “scalping.”

Notre Dame is tops with an average ticket price of $294, which is 43 percent higher than a year ago. Ohio State was second with a $246 average price.

NC State was the only ACC team listed in the top 25. The prices aren’t necessarily based on how well a team is expected to do. State is one of 10 teams not ranked in the Top 25 by the Associate Press that are on the list of most expensive average home game tickets.

1) Notre Dame ($294)
2) Ohio Stae ($246)
3) Michigan ($230)
4) Nebraska ($210)
5) Texas A&M ($204)
6) Georgia ($188)
7) LSU ($181)
8) Alabama ($179)
9) Iowa ($166)
10)Oklahoma ($161)
11)Oregon ($160)
12)Florida ($159)
13)Washington ($151)
14)Texas ($150)
15)Mississippi State ($146)
16)South Carolina ($146)
17)Tennessee ($134)
18)Penn State ($133)
19)USC ($130)
20)Boise State ($125)
21)Oklahoma State ($122)
22)NC State ($118)
23)West Virginia ($116)
24)Syracuse ($114)
25)Kansas State ($114)

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, UNC

All 135 ACC league games to be televised

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All 135 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season league games and each of the 14 ACC Tournament games are slated to be televised on an ESPN network, the ACC Network, CBS Sports, or on one of the league’s 10 regional cable networks in a schedule released by Commissioner John Swofford on Thursday.

Of the 149 games, 83 will be aired nationally. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise 78 contests, including all 14 ACC Tournament games while CBS Sports will televise five contests. The ACC Network will carry 52 league matchups, including the ACC Tournament in its entirety, while the Regional Sports Network will air 28 games.

The schedule also includes two Saturday Primetime Presented by DIRECTV telecasts and stops by College GameDay Covered by State Farm: Duke at Syracuse (February 1, at 6:30 p.m. ET) and North Carolina at Duke (March 8 at 9 p.m.), both on ESPN.

All conference games carried on an ESPN network will also be available on WatchESPN. Conference games carried on the ACC Network or a regional sports network will also be available on ESPN3.

The 2013-14 slate of conference games marks the inaugural ACC campaign for Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse. The ACC’s new membership further enhances a league that has historically been college basketball’s strongest.

The 15 schools that will comprise the ACC in 2013-14 have made 51 trips to the Final Four and have captured 13 NCAA National Championships. Current league members have won 22,151 games, including 532 in NCAA Tournament play and have had 681 NBA draft picks, including 221 first-round selections.

Additionally, three of the top five, four of the top 10 and five of the top 25 winningest programs in NCAA Division I basketball history currently reside in the ACC.

Three of the five active Division I coaches that have been selected for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame – Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, North Carolina’s Roy Williams and Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim – are in the ACC. When Louisville’s Rick Pitino joins the league’s coaching ranks in 2014-15, the ACC will have four of the five active Naismith Hall of Fame coaches.

Starting with the Virginia at Duke game in Durham, N.C. on January 13, ESPN will showcase eight ACC games basketball on its weekly “Big Monday” telecast. Each “Big Monday” game is set for a 7 p.m. tip and will be televised nationally by ESPN.

The 61st annual ACC Tournament on March 12-16 will continue to be televised on a variety of ESPN platforms and the ACC Network. The Championship will begin with three first-round games on Wednesday, followed by the second round, quarterfinals, semifinals and title contest in successive days.

The ACC’s regional sports network (RSN) consists of Fox Sports South, Fox Sports Carolinas, Fox Sports Florida, Sun Sports, Fox Sports Indiana, Comcast Sports Net Mid-Atlantic, New England Sports Network (NESN), the YES Network, the Madison Square Garden Network (MSG) in New York and Root Sports in Pennsylvania.

A complete 2013-14 ACC basketball schedule, including non-conference games for all 15 league member institutions, will be released at a later date.

2013-14 ACC Basketball Conference Schedule
ESPN/2 denotes either ESPN or ESPN2
ACCN denotes ACC Network
RSN denotes Regional Sports Network

Sunday, Dec. 8
Virginia Tech at Miami ESPNU 12:30

Thursday, Dec. 12
Maryland at Boston College ESPNU 7:00

Saturday, Jan. 4
Pittsburgh at NC State ACCN 12:00
Georgia Tech at Maryland ACCN 2:00
Miami at Syracuse ACCN 2:00
Duke at Notre Dame CBS 4:00
Clemson at Boston College RSN 4:00
Virginia at Florida State ESPN2 5:00

Sunday, Jan. 5
North Carolina at Wake Forest ESPNU 8:00

Monday, Jan. 6
Maryland at Pittsburgh ESPN2 7:00

Tuesday, Jan. 7
Georgia Tech at Duke ESPNU 7:00
NC State at Notre Dame ACCN 9:00
Syracuse at Virginia Tech ACCN 9:00

Wednesday, Jan. 8
Wake Forest at Virginia RSN 7:00
Miami at North Carolina ESPN2 9:00

Thursday, Jan. 9
Florida State at Clemson RSN 7:00

Saturday, Jan. 11
North Carolina at Syracuse ESPN 12:00
Notre Dame at Georgia Tech ACCN 12:00
Wake Forest at Pittsburgh ACCN 12:00
Boston College at Virginia Tech RSN 12:00
Duke at Clemson RSN 2:00
Virginia at NC State ESPN2 5:00

Sunday, Jan. 12
Maryland at Florida State ESPNU 8:00

Monday, Jan. 13
Virginia at Duke ESPN 7:00
Syracuse at Boston College ESPNU 9:00

Tuesday, Jan. 14
Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, Jan. 15
Notre Dame at Maryland ESPN2 7:00
Clemson at Virginia Tech RSN 7:00
Florida State at Miami ACCN 9:00
NC State at Wake Forest ACCN 9:00

Saturday, Jan. 18
Florida State at Virginia ACCN 12:00
Boston College at North Carolina ESPN/2 12:00
NC State at Duke CBS 2:00
Miami at Georgia Tech RSN 2:00
Pittsburgh at Syracuse ESPN/2 4:00
Wake Forest at Clemson ACCN 4:00

Sunday, Jan. 19
Virginia Tech at Notre Dame ESPNU 6:00

Monday, Jan. 20
North Carolina at Virginia ESPN 7:00
Maryland at NC State ESPNU 9:00

Tuesday, Jan. 21
Clemson at Pittsburgh ACCN 8:00
Notre Dame at Florida State ACCN 8:00
Georgia Tech at Boston College ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, Jan. 22
Wake Forest at Virginia Tech RSN 7:00
Duke at Miami ESPN2 7:30

Saturday, Jan. 25
Florida State at Duke ESPN/2 12:00
Syracuse at Miami CBS 1:00
Notre Dame at Wake Forest ACCN 3:00
Virginia Tech at Virginia ACCN 3:00
Pittsburgh at Maryland ESPN2 6:00

Sunday, Jan. 26
Georgia Tech at NC State ACCN 1:00
Clemson at North Carolina ESPNU 6:00

Monday, Jan. 27
Duke at Pittsburgh ESPN 7:00

Tuesday, Jan. 28
Virginia at Notre Dame ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, Jan. 29
North Carolina at Georgia Tech ESPN2 7:00
Virginia Tech at Boston College RSN 7:00
Florida State at NC State ACCN 9:00
Miami at Maryland ACCN 9:00
Syracuse at Wake Forest RSN 9:00

Saturday, Feb. 1
Maryland at Virginia Tech ACCN 12:00
Boston College at Notre Dame ACCN 12:00
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest RSN 12:00
NC State at North Carolina ESPN/2 2:00
Clemson at Florida State ESPN/2 4:00
Duke at Syracuse ESPN 6:30

Sunday, Feb. 2
Virginia at Pittsburgh ESPNU 12:30

Monday, Feb. 3
Notre Dame at Syracuse ESPN 7:00

Tuesday, Feb. 4
Maryland at North Carolina ACCN 8:00
Georgia Tech at Clemson ACCN 8:00
Wake Forest at Duke ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, Feb. 5
Boston College at Virginia ESPN2 7:00
Pittsburgh at Miami RSN 7:00
Virginia Tech at Florida State RSN 9:00

Saturday, Feb. 8
North Carolina at Notre Dame ACCN 12:00
Virginia at Georgia Tech ACCN 12:00
Virginia Tech at Pittsburgh RSN 12:00
NC State at Miami RSN 2:00
Florida State at Maryland ESPN2 3:00
Duke at Boston College ESPN 6:00

Sunday, Feb. 9
Clemson at Syracuse ESPNU 6:00

Monday, Feb. 10
Maryland at Virginia ESPN 7:00
Miami at Florida State ESPNU 9:00

Tuesday, Feb. 11
Wake Forest at NC State ESPNU 7:00
Clemson at Notre Dame RSN 7:00

Wednesday, Feb. 12
Syracuse at Pittsburgh ESPN/2 7:00
Boston College at Georgia Tech RSN 7:00
Duke at North Carolina ESPN/ACCN 9:00

Saturday, Feb. 15
Virginia at Clemson ESPN/2 12:00
Pittsburgh at North Carolina CBS 1:00
NC State at Syracuse ACCN 3:00
Maryland at Duke ESPN/2 6:00
Miami at Virginia Tech RSN 6:00
Florida State at Wake Forest RSN 8:00
Sunday, Feb. 16
Notre Dame at Boston College ESPNU 6:00

Monday, Feb. 17
North Carolina at Florida State ESPN 7:00

Tuesday, Feb. 18
Wake Forest at Maryland RSN 7:00
NC State at Clemson ESPNU 7:00
Duke at Georgia Tech ACCN 9:00
Virginia at Virginia Tech ACCN 9:00

Wednesday, Feb. 19
Boston College at Syracuse ESPN2 7:00
Notre Dame at Miami RSN 9:00

Saturday, Feb. 22
Boston College at Miami ACCN 12:00
Wake Forest at North Carolina ACCN 12:00
Clemson at Georgia Tech RSN 12:00
Notre Dame at Virginia ESPN/2 2:00
NC State at Virginia Tech RSN 2:00
Syracuse at Duke ESPN/2 6:00

Sunday, Feb. 23
Florida State at Pittsburgh ESPNU 6:00

Monday, Feb. 24
Syracuse at Maryland ESPN 7:00

Tuesday, Feb. 25
Virginia Tech at Duke ESPNU 7:00
Clemson at Wake Forest RSN 7:00

Wednesday, Feb. 26
Georgia Tech at Notre Dame ESPN2 7:00
Miami at Virginia RSN 7:00
North Carolina at NC State ACCN 8:00
Pittsburgh at Boston College ACCN 8:00

Saturday, March 1
Miami at NC State ACCN 12:00
Pittsburgh at Notre Dame ESPN/2 2:00
North Carolina at Virginia Tech ACCN 2:30
Syracuse at Virginia ESPN/2 4:00
Boston College at Wake Forest RSN 4:00

Sunday, March 2
Maryland at Clemson ACCN 1:00
Georgia Tech at Florida State ESPNU 6:00

Monday, March 3
Notre Dame at North Carolina ESPN 7:00
NC State at Pittsburgh ESPNU 9:00

Tuesday, March 4
Georgia Tech at Syracuse RSN 7:00
Virginia Tech at Maryland ACCN 8:00
Miami at Clemson ACCN 8:00
Florida State at Boston College ESPNU 9:00

Wednesday, March 5
Duke at Wake Forest ESPN2 7:00

Saturday, March 8
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech ESPN/2 2:00
Wake Forest at Miami RSN 2:00
Pittsburgh at Clemson ACCN 4:00
North Carolina at Duke ESPN 9:00

Sunday, March 9
Virginia at Maryland CBS 12:00
Syracuse at Florida State ACCN 2:00
Boston College at NC State ESPNU 6:00

61st Annual ACC Tournament
Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum

Wednesday, March 12 (First Round)
Game #1 ESPN networks/ACCN TBA
Game #2 ESPN networks/ACCN TBA
Game #3 ESPN networks/ACCN TBA
Thursday, March 13 (Second Round)
Game #4 ESPN networks/ACCN 12:00
Game #5 ESPN networks/ACCN 2:00
Game #6 ESPN networks/ACCN 7:00
Game #7 ESPN networks/ACCN 9:00
Friday, March 14 (Quarterfinals)
Game #8 ESPN networks/ACCN 12:00
Game #9 ESPN networks/ACCN 2:00
Game #10 ESPN networks/ACCN 7:00
Game #11 ESPN networks/ACCN 9:00
Saturday, March 15 (Semifinals)
Game #12 ESPN/ACCN 1:00
Game #13 ESPN/ACCN 3:00
Sunday, March 16 (Finals)
Game #14 ESPN/ACCN 1:00

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, UNC

ACC-Big Ten basketball challenge times set

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accbigtenESPN has finalized the network and time assignments for the 15th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge Presented by DICK’s Sporting Goods on December 3 and 4. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will combine to televise all 12 games of the two-day event matching top college basketball programs playing for conference supremacy and the Commissioners Cup.

Every game will also be available through WatchESPN, accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, through ESPN on Xbox LIVE to Gold members and on Apple TV to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider.

All 12 Big Ten teams and 12 of the 15 ACC teams will participate in the 2013 Challenge, including the three newest ACC members Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

The ACC and Big Ten split last year’s Challenge with six wins each. In the event of a tie, the Commissioner’s Cup remains with the conference that won the previous year, which was the Big Ten in 2011. The ACC holds a 10-3-1 Challenge record, winning the first 10 events (1999-2008) while the Big Ten won the next three (2009-2011).

2013 Big Ten/ACC Challenge schedule:

Tuesday, December 3
7:15 p.m. Indiana at Syracuse, ESPN
7:15 p.m. Illinois at Georgia Tech, ESPN2
7:30 p.m. Penn State at Pittsburgh, ESPNU
9:15 p.m. Michigan at Duke, ESPN
9:15 p.m. Notre Dame at Iowa, ESPN2
9:30 p.m. Florida State at Minnesota, ESPNU

Wednesday, December 4
7:00 p.m. Maryland at Ohio State, ESPN or ESPN2
7:00 p.m. Wisconsin at Virginia, ESPN or ESPN2
7:30 p.m. Northwestern at NC State, ESPNU
9:00 p.m. North Carolina at Michigan State, ESPN
9:00 p.m. Boston College at Purdue, ESPN2
9:30 p.m. Miami at Nebraska, ESPNU

Challenge Notes:

Duke is 21-8 all-time against Michigan, including victories in the 2011 NCAA Tournament and 2011 EA Sports Maui Invitational.

Best Three Out of Five: North Carolina and Michigan State, and Minnesota and Florida State will meet in the Challenge for the fifth time with each program holding a 2-2 record against their opponent.

North Carolina, with an 11-3 overall record against Michigan State, won games in 2008 and 2009. Michigan State won the games in 1999 and 2000.

Northwestern and NC State will square off in the Challenge for the third time. Northwestern won in 2009 and NC State in 2002.

The ACC (.658) and the Big Ten (.612) rank first and third, respectively, among conferences in all-time NCAA Tournament winning percentage.

Since 1988, the ACC (23) and the Big Ten (19) have provided 42 of the 96 teams in the Final Four and have won a combined 10 national titles.

Featured stories, N.C. State

State’s Doeren to speak at Raleigh Sports Club

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Dave Doeren.
Dave Doeren.
The next meeting of the Raleigh Sports Club will be Aug. 21. NCSU Head Football Coach Dave Doeren will be the guest speaker.

The 41-year-old Doeren has packed a lifetime’s worth of coaching experience into just 19 years. He comes to NC State after leading the program at Northern Illinois to its most successful two years in program history. His first Husky squad won the school’s first Mid-American Conference Championship since 1983 and tied the school record with 11 wins.

His second version repeated as league champions and set a new school record by posting 12 victories for the season and earning a trip to the Orange Bowl – the first BCS berth ever for a MAC school. Doeren was a finalist for several national coach of the year awards following the 2012 campaign.

Drawings for door prizes will be held. The RSC expects a capacity crowd and local media representatives in attendance.

Meetings are held in Bradley Hall in Highland UMC, 1901 Ridge Road at the intersection of Lake Boone Trail, just inside the Raleigh Beltline. Buffet lines open at 11:30 a.m. and the meeting is from Noon until 1 p.m. on Wednesdays. See http://www.raleighsportsclub.org/ for details.

Featured stories, N.C. State, UNC

State’s Doeren not ready to talk about the Carolina game

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NCSU's Coach Doeren.
NCSU’s Coach Doeren.
NC State’s new football coach Dave Doeren doesn’t really want to talk about the North Carolina Tar Heels but don’t think he isn’t into college rivalries.

At the ACC Football Kickoff event earlier this week, when a journalist asked him a question about his time coaching Kansas State, he wasn’t happy.

“I didn’t work for K-State. Kansas. I was at Kansas,” he said. “Those are rivals. That’s like saying I worked at UNC. Now, what’s the question?”

Doeren, who as a head coach at Northern Illinois was 2-0 against rival Toledo, said he doesn’t like to make a big deal out of the rivalry until the week of the game.

“The kids already hate ‘em,” Doeren said. “The week of the game, they’re our mortal enemy. Right now we need to get better and worry about us.”

While he doesn’t talk about the Carolina game, which will be at home on Nov. 2, that’s not to say he doesn’t mention the Tar Heels. “I tell our guys, ‘your job should always be to be better than them because they’re our rival.’ We don’t need to talk about the game.”

When the Pack gets to that week, there will be a lot of things said about Carolina, Doeren said, but right now that’s not what State cares about. “We need to beat Louisiana Tech.”

State opens the season at home against Louisiana Tech at 12:30 on Aug. 31.

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, UNC

UNC, NC State picked third in respective divisions at ACC Football Kickoff

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ACCFOOTBALLKO2Clemson and Miami are the favorites to win the Atlantic and Coastal divisions of the ACC this football season while NC State and North Carolina are picked to finish third in those divisions.

The poll of media members was released at 1 p.m. today with Clemson taking 95 of the 110 votes predicting the overall ACC champion.

It’s the first time since 1991 that Clemson has finished atop of the media preseason poll. Tiger senior QB Tajh Boyd was the choice to repeat as ACC Player of the Year. The senior was named on 105 of the 120 ballots. A Heisman candidate, Boyd enters the season with 8,053 career passing yards and 73 touchdown passes.

Clemson was predicted to defeat Miami in the ACC championship game on 55 ballots while 19 had Clemson beating Virginia Teach and 18 had Clemson defeating North Carolina.

The Tar Heels received 22 votes to win the Coastal Division but finished behind Miami and Virginia Tech in the balloting. UNC had 649 total vote points, compared to 654 for Virginia Tech and and 736 for Miami.

While Clemson was the runaway choice in the Atlantic Division with 815 total points, Florida State was predicted as champion on 18 ballots and received 732 points. The Wolfpack was a distant third with 490 points, ahead of Wake Forest’s 392.

MEDIA POLL
Atlantic Division
Clemson
Florida State
NC State
Wake Forest
Maryland
Syracuse
Boston College

Coastal Division
Miami
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Pitt
Virginia
Duke

CAPITALSPORTS predictions
Atlantic Division
Clemson
Florida State
NC State
Wake Forest
Maryland
Syracuse
Boston College

Coastal Division
Miami
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech
Virginia
Pitt
Duke

Featured stories, N.C. State, UNC

Johnson, not Rodon, was the story of UNC’s 7-0 win over State in the CWS

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Hobbs Johnson.
Hobbs Johnson.
Hobbs Johnson. Those were the first words out of UNC coach Mike Fox’s mouth at the post-game press conference. And this left-hander, not NC State’s left-hander Carlos Rodon, was the story of North Carolina’s 7-0 victory over the Wolfpack in the NCAA College World Series.

“Tonight was all about Hobbs,” Coach Fox said. “It was an incredible performance. We really needed it.”

Johnson gave up five hits and no runs over eight and a third innings while striking out six.

“He threw 130 pitches, all fast balls, not one breaking ball,” Coach Fox said. “I’ve never heard of that before.”

Johnson, from Rocky Mount, hadn’t pitched in 10 days but his last outing wasn’t a good one as he gave up five runs to South Carolina in a loss. “The key to his game is pounding the strike zone to get ahead in the count early,” Coach Fox said.

While he planned to throw a lot of fast balls, the fact that the stadium is a pitcher’s park and the wind was blowing in on hitters, it made it even more important to not give up walks and get the batters to put the ball in play.

Carolina hitters hoped to get the ball in play themselves as they were matched up against Rodon again, just four days after the All-America pitcher had stifled the Tar Heels’ bats.

Rodon, from Holly Springs, wasn’t the scheduled starter but he lobbied Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent and, with their backs against the wall in the elimination game, State decided to start their ace.

“I appreciate his effort and wanting the ball,” Coach Avent said. “Carlos told me yesterday he could go if we needed him, and I wanted to make sure he was thinking with his head and not his heart.”

Coach Avent said he even thought about using Rodon in relief but that he had only pitched in relief once in his entire life. Still, he thought Rodon, who had six strikeouts and only one walk in five innings, did well enough for the Wolfpack to win. “I thought we’d have chance to come back at the end.”

In the fourth inning, the Tar Heels were able to scratch off Rodon as UNC’s Michael Russell hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored Brian Holberton on a close play at the plate. Rodon, who had committed a throwing error earlier in the inning, argued the call as did Coach Avent, but Holberton got his hand on the plate prior to the tag.

The Heels pushed across a second run off Rodon in the fifth. With two outs, Colin Moran, who had three hits on the night, singled in Parks Jordan on Rodon’s 75th pitch.

Rodon was on an 80-pitch count and exited the game. Avent said he thought even with the Pack trailing 2-0, that they could come back late in the game.

But, with Johnson breezing on the mound, the Tar Heels fared better against Wolfpack relief pitchers, tacking on four runs in the eighth and one in the ninth.

North Carolina’s middle infielders, who were solid defensively, were the offensive stars of eighth inning. UNC’s shortstop Michael Russell singled up the middle to drive in two runs to give the Heels a 4-0 cushion.

UNC second baseman Mike Zolk doubled down the line in right to drive in two more to break it open at 6-0.

Moran drove in Jordan for Carolina’s seventh run in the ninth.

A lot of the talk coming into the game was the fact that Carlos Rodon was the “surprise” starter for the Wolfpack. But the real story was Hobbs Johnson. ”He’s a great pitcher,” Johnson said of Rodon. “We made him throw a lot of pitches early, got a couple of runs and were able to tack on some runs later.”

Coach Fox said Johnson’s command was key, walking only two batters. “That’s the best he’s thrown and he’s thrown well for us all year,” Fox said.

The Tar Heels face a UCLA team known for its pitching in yet another elimination game Friday at 8 p.m. EDT.

Heel Notes: During an in-game interview on ESPN, UNC coach Mike Fox joked that he knew Rodon, who was on just a three-day rest, was going to start. “I know Elliott better than all of you,” he said with a laugh.

Chaz Frank singled to lead off the game. It took five innings for the Heels to get a hit off Rodon Sunday.

UNC reliever Chris McCue, who got the final two outs on a line-drive 9-3 double play, threw one changeup and it was supposed to be a fastball. That was the only off-speed pitch State saw the entire game.

Of the 10 College World Series games this year, nine of them have been won by the team designated as the visiting team.

The official attendance for the game was 25,742 and the game lasted 3:32.

Featured stories, N.C. State

UCLA pitches its way past State, setting up another Heels-Pack matchup

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statebaseball
UCLA pitcher Nick Vander Tuig worked 7.0 innings and allowed just four hits and one run while striking out six batters and walking none as the Bruins beat NC State 2-1 Tuesday night in the NCAA College World Series.

NC State will play North Carolina in an elimination game at 8 p.m. ET Thursday. The Wolfpack beat the Tar Heels 8-1 in their first game played in the College World Series on Sunday. The loser will be the fourth team eliminated from the CWS.

UCLA will not play again until Friday when the Bruins take on the winner of Thursday’s NC State vs. North Carolina game at 8 p.m. ET.

Here’s the play-by-play from UCLA’s 2-1 win over NC State:

TOP 1st: UCLA’s Brian Carroll steps into the box for the first pitch from NC State right-hander Logan Jernigan: ball, inside at 7:09 p.m. CT. … Carroll grounds out to SS Trea Turner for the first out. … Kevin Kramer taps out to 2B Logan Ratledge; two outs. … Eric Filia lifts a lazy fly ball to LF Bryan Adametz, who has little trouble with the setting sun to record the third out.

BOTTOM 1st: UCLA’s Nick Vander Tuig delivers a called-strike one to NC State leadoff hitter Trea Turner. And on a 1-1 pitch, Turner flies out to LF Brenton Allen for the first out. … Vander Tuig fields a tapper back to the mound off the bat of Jake Fincer and throws to first for the second out. … Vander Tuig gets Brett Austin swinging on a 1-2 pitch for the third out. … This marks the first time in the 2013 CWS that both teams were retired in order in the first inning.

TOP 2nd: NC State’s Logan Jernigan begins the second by striking out Pat Valaika. … And follows up with a slow roller to second off the bat of Kevin Williams for the second out. … No chance for a no-hitter by Jernigan; Pat Gallagher laces a single down the right-field line. … Shane Zeile fans swinging for the third out.

BOTTOM 2nd: The Bruins’ Nick Vander Tuig coaxes a ground out off the bat of Tarran Senay then punches out Grant Clyde for the first two outs of the inning. … The third out is a fly ball to right off the bat of Brett Williams. Another 1-2-3 for Vander Tuig, who has retired six consecutive; 25 pitches, 16 for strikes.

TOP 3rd: UCLA’s Cody Regis grounds out to second to start the third inning. … Deja vu for No. 2: Brenton Allen rolls out to second. … Brian Carroll strokes the ball into the right-center field gap for a double. … Kevin Kramer earns a base on balls; runners on first and second with two out. … Eric Filia obviously thought he bounded that ball off his foot; he didn’t run out the grounder to first, which was fielded by NC State 1B Tarran Senway for the third out. (Replays show the ball did not hit Filia …)

BOTTOM 3rd: NC State’s Bryan Adametz is hit by a pitch to end the bid for perfection by UCLA’s Nick Vander Tuig. … Jake Armstrong is hit by a pitch — but the umpire waves off the HBP; he had just told Armstrong to keep his elbow out of the strike zone. … Base hit to left field by Jake Armstrong; runners on first and second with none out. … A sac bunt by Logan Ratledge moves the runners to second and third; one out. … RBI single by Trea Turner to plate Adametz. The throw from UCLA LF Brenton Allen is airmailed and Armstrong races for the plate. UCLA catcher Shane Zeile retreives the ball, fires to the plate and Vander Tuig applies the tag for the second out. Turner advanced to second. … Turner moves to third on a wild pitch by Vander Tuig. … Jake Fincher flies out to left to end the inning. … 1-0 NC State

TOP 4th: UCLA’s Pat Valaika lines out to left field for the first out. … Kevin Williams lofts a fly ball down the the left-field line for the second out. … Pat Gallagher is rung up, called-strike three, for the third out. … NC State’s Logan Jernigan has allowed two hits and issued one walk through four frames.

BOTTOM 4th: NC State’s Brett Austin goes down swinging for the first out. … Tarran Senay also strikes out swinging. … Grant Clyde skies a ball to left field that Bruins SS Pat Valaika settles under to retire the side.

TOP 5th: UCLA’s Shane Zeile, the nephew of former big-leaguer Todd Zeile, grounds out to short to begin the fifth. … Cody Regis works a walk from NC State’s Logan Jernigan. … Nine-hole hitter Brenton Allen, drafted in the 20th round of the MLB Draft by Washington, singles to right; runners on first and second with one out. … Brian Carroll walks to load the bases. … Pitching change: Grant Sasser replaces Logan Jernigan for NC State. … UCLA’s Kevin Kramer drops a 1-0 pitch into shallow center for an RBI single to score Regis; bases still loaded with one out. … Eric Filia pops out in foul territory to NC State 3B Grant Clyde for the second out. … With Pat Valaika at the plate, Grant Sasser uncorks a wild pitch to score Allen; Caroll and Kramer move up to third and second. … Valaika is intentionally walked to reload the bases. … Trent Chatterton is called on to pinch-hit for Kevin Williams. … On a 3-2 pitch, Chatterton lines out to center field to end the inning. … 2-1 UCLA

BOTTOM 5th: NC State’s Brett Williams grounds out to second for the first out of the fifth. … Bryan Adametz flies to center; two out. … Jake Armstrong flies to center to end the inning. … UCLA’s Nick Vander Tuig, who has yielded two hits through five innings, has thrown 69 pitches (46 for strikes).

TOP 6th: UCLA’s Pat Gallagher leads off the sixth with a ground out to second. … Shane Zeile is called out, looking at strike three. … Cody Regis grounds out to second for the third out.

BOTTOM 6th: NC State’s Logan Ratledge strokes a liner to third that is snared by Bruins 3B Kevin Kramer for the first out. … Trea Turner grounds out to third; two out. … And the four-pitch inning ends with Jake Fincher grounding out to short.

TOP 7th: Brett Urabe pinch hits for Brenton Allen and earns a base on balls. … Brian Carroll lays down a sac bunt to advance Urabe to second; one out. … Kevin Kramer flies out to center for the second out. … Eric Filia pops out in foul territory to the catcher to end the Bruins’ seventh.

BOTTOM 7th: NC State’s Brett Austin strikes out for the first out. … Tarran Senay also strikes out; two down. … Grant Clyde singles to right, becoming NC State’s first baserunner since the third inning. UCLA’s Nick Vander Tuig had retired 12 consecutive batters. … Brett Williams grounds into the 6-4 fielder’s choice that retired Clyde at second for the third out.

TOP 8th: UCLA’s Pat Valaika grounds out to short for the first out. … Chris Keck pinch-hits for Trent Chatterton, and pops out to NC State 3B Grant Clyde for the second out. … Pat Gallagher strikes out and the ball bounds away; Wolfpack C Brett Austin pounces and throws to 1B Tarran Senay for the third out.

BOTTOM 8th: NC State’s Bryan Adametz lines a single to left to begin the frame. … UCLA makes a call to the bullpen; David Berg trots in from the right-field bullpen to replace Nick Vander Tuig. … Jake Armstrong is hit by a pitch to put runners and first and second with none out. … Logan Ratledge bunts back to Berg, who throw to third to force out Adametz for the first out. … Trea Turner gives the ball a ride into the left-center field alley — and it’s caught on the warning track for the second out. … Jake Fincher strikes out for the third out of the inning.

TOP 9th: For UCLA, Shane Zeile strikes out to begin the ninth. … Cody Regis singles to left. … Christoph Bono hits the ball to deep short, no chance for a play at second, and Bono is out on the fielder’s choice at first for the second out; Regis at second. … Brian Carroll goes down hacking for the third out.

BOTTOM 9th: NC State’s Brett Austin grounds out to second for the first out. … Tarran Senay strokes a single to right — the first hit of the game for the Nos. 2-3-4 hitters for NC State; combined 1-for-12. … Brian Taylor enters as a pinch-runner for Senay. … Grant Clyde strikes out swinging for the second out. … Brett Williams strikes out swining to end the game. … UCLA advances to play Friday while NC State faces UNC in an elimination game Thursday. … UCLA wins 2-1

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Rodon, NC State roll over Tar Heels in College World Series

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Carlos Rodon.
Carlos Rodon.
NC State All-America pitcher Carlos Rodon struck out eight and kept the Tar Heels scoreless for eight innings as the Wolfpack rolled to an 8-1 victory over Carolina in the teams’ first game of the 2013 College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

“You know, this is the College World Series,” Rodon said. “It doesn’t get any better than this, so why not bring your A game?”

Tar Heel Chaz Frank said Rodon really didn’t do anything different than he usually does. “He picks up his game even more when he plays us,” he said.

“Complete dominance,” UNC coach Mike Fox said of Rodon. “He was too good for us today.”

It was the fifth time Rodon has pitched against the Heels in the past two seasons. While he’s always pitched well, it was only the second win he’s posted against Carolina. In the past, the Tar Heels have managed to get into the State bullpen and come back for the victory.

This time Rodon went the distance.

“He had everything working,” said UNC’s Brian Holberton, who had two of the Heels’ five hits.

On the other hand, Ken Emanuel lasted less than three innings for the Tar Heels.

With two outs, State’s Tarran Senay singled in lead-off batter Trea Turner, who had walked, to put the Wolfpack up 1-0 in the first inning.

“I had two strikes on him and I wanted to go outside,” Emanuel said. “I did but I needed a couple of inches more to get the out instead of him getting the cap on it for a hit.”

It might be a game of inches but the Wolfpack opened the game up by a mile in the third inning. State’s Grant Clyde singled in Brett Austin, who had doubled, to put the Wolfpack up 2-0. Then, Brett Williams doubled down the left field corner to drive in another run to make it 3-0.
State’s Bryan Adametz singled in a run and, after Emanuel was pulled, UNC reliever Chris McCue gave up an RBI-single to Logan Ratledge which made it 5-0.

With Rodon dealing on the mound, the 5-0 lead seemed insurmountable and it was.
“Anytime you’re facing Carlos Rodon, getting behind early is one of the worst things you can do,” Coach Fox said.

Carolina didn’t get a hit until the fifth inning and didn’t get a run until the ninth when Landon Lassiter doubled in the right-center gap to score Frank.

State coach Elliott Avent said Rodon is a better person than he is a ballplayer. “He’s one of the best teammates on this team, and we have a lot of great teammates,” he said. “He just happens to have a powerful left arm and he’s learned how to control the emotional side of the game and channel the emotional side of the game.”

UNC faces an elimination game Tuesday at 3 p.m. against the loser of UCLA-LSU, the Tar Heels remain confident.
“This team has played with a lot of fight all year,” Frank said. “We haven’t lost two in row all year and we don’t plan on losing Tuesday either.”

Box score