The Good and Bad of NC State Baseball’s #2 Seed in NCAAT

The selection committee Monday made the final decision that State will head into the NCAA Tournament as the best #2 seed in the land. Friday, State heads down to Ruston, LA, to meet up with Louisiana Tech, Alabama and Rider.

Good News – Best Regional

With LA Tech being a 16-seed overall, it means that State will be the best 2-seed. When you look through the schools, and yes I know State has to show up and play, but State should actually be the favorite.

LA Tech – In last 13 games they’re 7-6, with four of those wins in extra innings. Furthermore, against ranked teams this year, they’re 4-7. To put that in perspective, State played over double the amount of ranked teams, and won a majority of said games.

Alabama – Considered one of the last four in, Bama heads to Louisiana with a 31-24 overall record after finishing TENTH in the SEC at 12-17. With how loaded the SEC is, however, the record situation is helped with the fact they had the second toughest schedule in the country.

Rider – Winners of the MAAC Conference, the Broncos head into NCAAT on a five game winning streak. When they face LA Tech in game one, they’ll be meeting their first ranked opponent of the year. They play small ball to produce runs with 19 total home runs on the year. Their top dinger total is McGeehan at five…State have seven players with at least five…

Bad News – What Lurks Ahead

This is completely, “cross that bridge when you get there” situation, but Arkansas would be the next opponent for whomever comes out of the Ruston Regional. Without a doubt, THE team this year from beginning to end with a 42-10 record. Their run to a SEC Championship went through, #3 Vandy, #12 Ole Miss and #4 Tennessee…good lord…

Here is the complete least of weaknesses for the Razorbacks:

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Good News – The ACCT Proved State Starters Can Get Through A Regional

The starting pitching was just brilliant for the Wolfpack in Charlotte. If you take away just the first inning of that Friday game against that one team, State pitching gave up 7 total runs in a four game stretch. Johnston, Highfill, Willadsen, Villaman and Justice out of the pen, have gained the trust of this team to eat innings and reduce runs needed. To that latter point, REDUCED TO ONLY NEEDING TWO F*CKING RUNSSSSSSS…

Bad News – The Bullpen Will Be Tested At Some Point

There is no way a team gets to Omaha without that weird “just get an out” game. State’s bullpen, while improving, hasn’t quite shown it’s ready. Whether in Regionals or, fingers-crossed, Super Regionals, guys are going to need to come in for a couple outs.

Good News – That Tar Heels Game Didn’t Matter

Can’t emphasize enough how angry I was Saturday morning reading all the Carolina hate about “well we should have moved on with run differential, this Tourney is a joke of a setup.” You really think if the game mattered, Avent would have put in Tillery and all 10 total innings this year as Starter? You don’t think that you barely hung on after being GIVEN six runs in the first? Just shutup, I don’t want to hear about the 6 straight wins in the ACCT, it didn’t matter for the Pack and they moved onto the Semifinals. *Takes deep, deep breath*…GTHC!

Bad News – That Tar Heels Game Probably Mattered

When you look at things in retrospect, they’re always different. Avent made 10000% right decision on throwing unneeded arms into UNC game and hoping that the Pack could steal it. If the 1-0 loss was instead against GT the very next game, it’s a direct correlation, but that played so well Saturday. Here’s what happened with that stupid loss though… UNC got into the NCAAT BECAUSE of that damn State win. You could also potentially have seen a #1 seed go because of State dropping two of four games. Woulda, coulda, shoulda…

We’ll start spreading the good vibes for the tournament in the coming days…Until then, let’s refocus and takeover Louisiana.