NC State drops ACC tournament title game to UNC, 9-5

We’ll have to wait at least one more year for the NC State baseball team to get off its championship schneid. For the second second straight year and the seventh time in the last 30, the Wolfpack lost the ACC tournament championship game.

The hot-hitting Tar Heels jumped all over Logan Whitaker, who just didn’t have it today—and he didn’t make it out of the second inning. Matt Willadsen also looked rough out there coming in off of three days’ rest, and that was all she wrote for the Pack. By the time the second inning finally ended, State trailed 8-1.

Chris Villaman allowed no hits or walks over the final five innings, but alas, there was no miracle comeback to be had. (Maybe there’s an alternate universe where Villaman started this game and delivered the title with a no-hitter. Bet that’s a real nice universe.)

Anyway, as always I’m just trying to keep the disappointment in perspective. The Pack started the ACC tournament not sure if it had a spot secured in the NCAAs. Anything beyond locking up that NCAA bid was going to be gravy. Getting in via the auto-bid sure would have been dandy, though.

The Wolfpack will learn its NCAA tourney destination tomorrow at noon. The selection show will be televised by ESPN2.