NC State beats Georgia 8-5 in Game 3 of Super Regional, punches ticket to Omaha for first time since 2021

Freshman right-handed pitcher Jacob Dudan stood directly opposite the most prolific hitter in the country, Georgia’s Charlie Condon, in the bottom of the fifth inning in Game 3 of the Athens Super Regional.

Dudan was brought out of the bullpen to face a near-impossible situation — bases loaded with one out and a 4-2 lead, 60 feet in front of the man who led the nation with 36 home runs and a .436 batting average.

Under the bright lights, on the biggest stage he’s ever been on, Dudan dealt some of the best pitches of his collegiate career. He made quick work of the Golden Spikes finalist, needing just four pitches to strike out Condon and send him back to the dugout. Dudan reached a full count with Georgia’s Slate Alford before forcing a ground out and stranding all three runners on base.

Dudan’s effort was a key factor in the Wolfpack’s 8-4 victory over Georgia, securing the final ticket to the College World Series for the fourth time in school history.

In the first at-bat after Dudan froze the Bulldogs, sophomore center fielder Eli Serrano III sent the first pitch he saw over the wall, extending the Wolfpack’s lead to three and further emphasizing the red-and-white’s momentum.

Serrano had one of his best games of the season, finishing with three hits, two runs and an RBI. Despite his strong day in the batter’s box, Serrano’s key play was late in the seventh inning on defense.

With two runners on base, Alford hit a high fly ball that appeared to be going over the wall. As he’s done many times this season, Serrano put his body on the line, crashing into the wall to secure the catch and prevent what would have tied the game.

Early on, the Pack couldn’t take advantage of its scoring opportunities, leaving three runners on base in the first two innings. The Bulldogs took a different route as designated hitter Tre Phelps hit his second home run of the series to take an early 2-0 lead in the second inning. However, that remained for all of half an inning as graduate first baseman Garrett Pennington crushed a two-run homer in the top of the third to tie the game.

The home run signaled a quick momentum change that bled into the Wolfpack’s pitching. Redshirt senior righty Logan Whitaker started on the mound for the Pack. After allowing the home run in the second inning, he proceeded to throw four strikeouts and allow just one runner on base through the following two innings. Whitaker was subbed out for Dudan in the fifth inning after allowing the Bulldogs to load the bases, but he finished the game with seven strikeouts and allowed just four hits and two runs.

Sophomore second baseman Matt Heavner opened the fourth inning with a double, prompting a Georgia pitching change. The Bulldogs chose to return to Kolten Smith, the same pitcher who gave up 10 hits in the first two innings of Game 1. A pitch gone awry allowed Heavner to score the lead-taking run, a lead the Pack didn’t relinquish for the remainder of the game. Not one to remain quiet, graduate third baseman Alec Makarewicz hit an RBI single to left field to bring home another run for the Wolfpack, ending the inning with a 4-2 lead.

Following Serrano’s home run in the sixth inning, the Bulldogs retaliated with a run scored off a sacrifice fly, but Dudan stranded two more runners on base before any more damage could be done. Dudan was eventually replaced by sophomore righty Derrick Smith early in the seventh inning after continuous inconsistent pitches, but finished with two strikeouts and two earned runs.

The Pack’s momentum continued into the seventh inning as freshman designated hitter Alex Sosa hit a moonshot on the first pitch he saw, forcing Georgia to go back to its bullpen and retiring Kolten Smith. The pitching change didn’t hold up for long as Makarewicz hit his 22nd home run of the season in the eighth inning, bringing another runner home and boosting the score to 8-4.

Though facing what appeared to be an insurmountable five-run deficit, the Bulldogs didn’t give up. Condon ended what was likely his final collegiate at-bat with a home run to right field, and Georgia managed to get another runner on base, but strong pitches from Derrick Smith and a final fly out to Serrano secured the Pack’s victory.

In 2021, after a strong postseason, the Wolfpack was eliminated just one win away from the National Championship after multiple players were diagnosed with COVID-19. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, and after three years away, the Pack is looking to finish the job.

After 36 years of coaching and 28 years with the Wolfpack, many question if this will be head coach Elliott Avent’s final year before retirement. Avent is NC State’s all-time winningest coach and has led the Pack to 21 NCAA Tournament appearances and three College World Series appearances. A final sunset in Omaha would be a fitting end to such an illustrious career.

The team travels to Omaha for Game 1 of the College World Series, facing Kentucky on Saturday, June 15. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.