NC State Beats Rice 5-4 In 17 Innings To Advance To The College World Series

I don't have the words right now; maybe they will come later. NC State twice mounted ninth-inning rallies this weekend to win games, and now the Wolfpack is going to Omaha and the College World Series for the first time in 45 damned years. State's 1968 appearance stood as the only trip in school history to the CWS until tonight.

And good god was the second trip well earned. After State tied the game in the ninth at four and forced extras, weather eventually stepped in to delay the game for more than an hour. The teams didn't get back onto the field until after 10 p.m., and by that point the Pack had burned through its best bullpen arms. But Ethan Ogburn stepped up in a huge way, throwing five innings of shutout ball, striking out six and walking none.

The Pack finally scratched one across on Rice weekend starter John Simms (who was outstanding as well) in the top of the 17th. Tarran Senay led off with a single, and after Grant Clyde popped out on a bunt attempt, Brett Williams lined a hit that was mishandled in the wet conditions, allowing Senay to score the winning run--and appropriately so. Senay has been huge over the last couple of weekends. NOW WE ARE GOING

This dogpile was 45 years in the making. JimValvanoU. goes to Omaha at long last. @ncstatebaseball beats Rice. #CWS twitter.com/ESPNU/status/3…

— ESPNU (@ESPNU) June 10, 2013