NC State found out its NCAA Tournament postseason fate Monday, playing Campbell at 12 p.m. Friday in Greenville, N.C. NCSU has earned a postseason berth for five straight years.
The Wolfpack finished the regular season at 42-17 and reached the semifinals of the ACC Tournament, falling 9-2 to Georgia Tech on Saturday. NCSU/Campbell will play the winner of East Carolina and Quinnipiac.
NC State coach Elliott Avent was disappointed the Wolfpack didn’t host a regional and that they were put in the same regional with East Carolina and Campbell.
“All draws are tough,” Avent said. “I thought they had stopped doing the little local stuff where they put everybody local to try and save money. I don’t understand that.”
NCSU found out Sunday night that it wasn’t going to host the regional.
“I was very disappointed and confused a little bit,” Avent said. “You plan your schedule and plan your season based on what they tell you they are doing. They haven’t weighed conference tournaments in forever. This year, they seemed to weigh everybody’s conference tournament but Louisville’s.”
The NC State players took the news in stride and are looking forward to turning the page and starting fresh for the postseason.
“It was a little upsetting,” NCSU junior shortstop Will Wilson said. “We could have done a little more to solidify as hosts. Postseason is a new season for us.”
Junior Brad Debo will miss not having home games for sure.
“We can only use that as motivation,” Debo said. “What else can you really do? It sucks not hosting. Playing here is awesome with our fans and the atmosphere that we create.
“Not getting that is a bad feeling. I wish we had done more to lock that in.”
Campbell went 35-19 and topped Winthrop for the Big South Tournament title. NC State topped Campbell 10-1 on Feb. 27, but the Wolfpack lost to the Camels 5-3 on May 7. Neither team should be all that surprised by the other.
“I guess it helps both ways, but better than playing someone for the first time,” Avent said. “You know them and they know you.”
Campbell hit .276 on the season, with a .387 on-base percentage. The Camels slugged 48 doubles but went 94 of 117 on stolen bases. Redshirt junior Matthew Barefoot of Dunn, N.C., led the way, tying for the team lead with a .313 batting average and led the squad with 13 homers, 47 runs batted in and 126 total bases. He was also second going 25 of 30 on stolen bases.
The Campbell pitching staff had a 4.00 earned-run average, with a pair of starters leading the way. Senior righty Michael Horrell of Winston-Salem, N.C., went 9-3 with a 2.73 ERA, striking out 74 in 82 1/3 innings. Freshman lefty Ryan Chasse of Apex, N.C., went 7-2 with a 2.66 ERA, and he struck out 57 batters in 74 1/3 innings.
NC State might not face East Carolina, but the subplot between the program lingers. The two teams didn’t play each other this season, and had the 2018 contest canceled due to weather. Avent hopes to play ECU at the Carolina Mudcats stadium next year to raise money for ALS and former Wolfpack standout Chris Combs.
“We are definitely trying to work out an ALS game,” Avent said.
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