NC State did Saturday what it does often, which is methodically take apart opposing pitching, in this case running the burn deep into a theoretically close game and turning it into a bit of a laugher. NC State advanced past Louisiana Tech, 8-3, to put itself in the regional championship game on Sunday night.
To alleviate quickly any big-game jitters, Austin Murr led off the game with a double, and after Tyler McDonough flew out, Jonny Butler drove him home with a double of his own. NC State had a lead that it would not surrender.