RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Alec Makarewicz batted 2 for 4, homered and drove in a pair of runs and North Carolina State beat James Madison 5-3 on Sunday to claim the Raleigh Regional and advance to the super regional of the NCAA Tournament.
For the sixth time under Elliott Avent — and the second time in the last four years — the Wolfpack (36-20) are off to the super regionals. North Carolina State will travel to face Georgia who won the Athens Regional.
N.C. State’s Matt Heavner led off the fourth inning with a hit-by-pitch, Noah Soles walked and Eli Serrano’s sacrifice advanced the runners. Garrett Pennington flied out then Makarewicz was intentionally walked. Then, Jacob Cozart and Brandon Butterworth each drew walks for NC State’s first two runs.
The Dukes’ Mike Mancini responded with his first solo home run of the game in the bottom half of the fourth to reduce the deficit to 2-1. Makarewicz countered with a solo homer in the sixth before Mancini hit a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth to make it 3-2. At bats by Makarewicz and Mancini generated runs in the eighth before Noah Soles added an insurance run for the Wolfpack with a leadoff solo home run in the top of the 9th.
Macini filled the stat sheet for James Madison (36-25) with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate that included the two home runs and 3 RBI.
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