Final: NC State wins pitchers duel, defeats Vanderbilt 1-0
NC State went without a baserunner for four innings, but its first hit of the game was a bomb from junior designated hitter Terrell Tatum that would hold up in a 1-0 victory thanks to excellent pitching from freshman Sam Highfill and junior Evan Justice.
Highfill started and went 7.1 innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out seven. Justice then threw the final 1.2 innings, surrendering one walk and fanning a pair, including the game's final out.
With the victory, NC State improves to 2-0 in the College World Series and needs just one more win to advance to the championship series. Vanderbilt faces Stanford on Wednesday in an elimination game Wednesday. The winner of that contest must beat NC State twice to advance to the finals.
Inning-by-inning updates are provided below.
Top of the ninth
Sophomore shortstop Carter Young drew a leadoff walk on a 3-2 pitch to leadoff the inning, but junior first baseman Dominic Keegan grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.
Junior pinch hitter Tate Kolwyck then strikes out looking to end the game.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the eighth
Vanderbilt sends Jack Leiter back to the mound and he gives up a leadoff single to sophomore third baseman Vojtech Mensik. He took second on a two-out passed ball, but he was left stranded there.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the eighth
Freshman pitcher Sam Highfill issues a leadoff walk on a close call on a 3-2 pitch gets sophomore catcher C.J. Rodriguez. A sacrifice moves him to second, where he is listed for pinch runner senior outfielder Cooper Davis.
After 100 pitches, Highfill is lifted in favor of junior closer Evan Justice.
Justice gets a groundout to second for the second out and then ends the inning with a strikeout.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the seventh
Sophomore centerfielder Tyler McDonough led off the seventh with a single for NC State's second hit of the game. He moved to second on a one-out walk drawn by junior designated hitter Terrell Tatum.
Freshman shortstop Jose Torres loaded the bases with an infield single on a swinging bunt to third. Sophomore Luca Tresh struck out on a full count pitch for the second out as Vanderbilt's Jack Leiter went over 100 pitches in the game.
Junior rightfielder Devonte Brown then becomes Leiter's 14th strikeout victim of the game to leave the bases loaded.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the seventh
Pack freshman pitcher Sam Highfill begins the seventh with a pair of strikeouts and then gets some help from junior rightfielder Devonte Brown, who made a diving catch on a line drive to end the inning.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the sixth
A 1-2-3 inning for Vanderbilt star Jack Leiter.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the sixth
Pitching with the lead for the first time tonight, Pack freshman Sam Highfill works a 1-2-3 inning, including getting his fifth strikeout of the game.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the fifth
NC State's first of the game resulted in its first run of the game. Junior designated hitter Terrell Tatum led off the fourth with a towering home run to right for the game's first run.
NC State 1, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the fifth
A two-out single by junior leftfielder Javier Vaz is erased by a fielder's choice groundout, and NC State freshman Sam Highfill continues to hold up his end of the pitchers duel developing in Omaha.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the fourth
Vanderbilt's Jack Leieter continues to dominate as he has yet to allow a baserunner after striking out the side, upping his game total to nine.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the fourth
NC State freshman Sam Highfill surrendered a leadoff walk to sophomore shortstop Carter Young, but Highfill retired the side after that with no damage done.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the third
Vanderbilt sophomore Jack Leiter had his streak of five straight strikeouts snapped by a pair of first-pitch pop outs, but the Pack has been retired in order the first time through the lineup.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the third
A second straight 1-2-3 inning for Pack freshman Sam Highfill, who notched his second strikeout of the game in the process.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the second
Vanderbilt ace Jack Leiter showed some of his best stuff while striking out the side.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the second
Pack freshman Sam Highfill works a 1-2-3 inning, including getting his first strikeout of the night.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Bottom of the first
Vanderbilt star Jack Leiter, the projected first pitcher to be selected in the MLB Draft, starts and ends the inning with a strikeout as part of a 1-2-3 inning, but the Pack made him throw 20 pitches in the frame as both Ks came on full count pitches.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
Top of the first
NC State's heralded defense was on display quickly, with sophomore third baseman Vojtech Mensik barehanding a perfectly laid bunt down the line from speedy Vanderbilt freshman centerfielder Enrique Bradfield Jr. to throw him out at first.
Junior first baseman Dominic Keegan singled with two outs, but he would be the lone baserunner of the inning against freshman pitcher Sam Highfill.
NC State 0, Vanderbilt 0
——
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