Baseball America College Podcast: Rewatching the 2013 Raleigh Super Regional

Image credit: (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images)

On this episode of the Baseball America College Podcast, Teddy Cahill and Joe Healy are joined by North Carolina State coach Elliott Avent to discuss game 2 of the 2013 Raleigh Super Regional between his Wolfpack and the Rice Owls.

 

 

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The win in this game ends up being the crowning achievement for arguably the most talented group of players in NC State history, including future big leaguers Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner.

But in the moment, the result was very much in doubt, as this super regional with Rice was hotly contested. Moved back 24 hours due to a tropical storm that brought rain into the area, game 1 of the series saw the Wolfpack walk off with a 4-3 win after going into the bottom of the ninth trailing 3-2.

Game 2 was just as close, with Rice jumping out to an early lead and holding on to it with a chance to close out a win in the ninth, this time by a 4-1 score. NC State had other ideas, however, and rallied back for three runs to tie it. After eight extra innings and a 77-minute rain delay, the Pack pushed a run across in the top of the 17th and then held the Owls scoreless in the bottom half of the frame to clinch a spot in the College World Series for the first time since 1968.

Among the topics discussed with Avent on this episode are: 

• The momentum the team had coming into this super regional 
• What it was like competing against Wayne Graham
• The importance of getting the spot in Omaha clinched in two games rather than letting it go to three games
• The motivation to get this particular team to Omaha, given the talent on hand
• Expectations for Logan Jernigan’s start on the mound
• How surprised NC State was that Rice’s Christian Stringer provided power for the Owls
• The offensive approach against Rice righthander Jordan Stephens
• The rally that was cut short in the seventh inning
• The ninth-inning rally that tied the game
• His emotions after the final out was recorded
• Memories of his team’s time in Omaha and what makes the CWS special