NC State’s season ends with 15-7 loss to Auburn

For the last few weeks we’ve been searching for the NC State baseball team that at one point looked very much like a group capable of contending in Omaha, but wherever that team went, we’ll never know. The Wolfpack wasn’t playing its best down the stretch, didn’t play its best this weekend, and that’s that.

Auburn, by contrast, had a dominant weekend, going for 10+ runs in all three of its games to cruise through the Raleigh Regional. No doubt that the best team is advancing from here. Still disappointing, though.

Disappointing because the Wolfpack played so well below its capabilities on Sunday night with everything. It was going to be a challenge to come back and win the regional regardless of circumstances, but booting the ball around to the tune of five errors guaranteed defeat. Auburn capitalized quickly and had a commanding 6-0 lead by the end of the third inning. That put the pressure on State to come through in every single clutch hitting situation from then on, and that was not in the cards. Alas.

So we bid farewell to another baseball season over well before we had hoped, and also say goodbye to a great senior class. Into the true depths of the offseason we go.