How Elliott Avent, NC State are prepping for a hostile environment in Super Regional round
N.C. State baseball coach Elliott Avent has raved about the environment the Wolfpack played in as it went undefeated in the Ruston Region last weekend.
Avent said the crowd at Louisiana Tech’s home ballpark respectful but brought the kind of energy his team hadn’t played in front of in a while. As N.C. State heads to the NCAA tournament’s Super Regional round this weekend against Arkansas, Avent expects that energy to be next level.
“When we went to Ruston we played in front of 3,000 plus,” Avent told The News & Observer in a phone interview Wednesday. “Now you have to (multiply) that by five.”
Baum-Walker Stadium has a seating capacity of 10,737, not counting the grassy hill behind the outfield wall where fans line up their lawn chairs to cheer on the Razorbacks. The place will be rocking this weekend to welcome N.C. State (33-17) as they take on Arkansas (49-11) with a trip to the College World Series at stake.
Not in Ruston anymore
The Razorbacks defeated Nebraska in the regional round this past weekend and will be right at home (29-6 record at Baum-Walker this season) in front of their fans.
These passionate fans, however, might turn on the Wolfpack during the three-game series that starts Friday at 6 p.m. This late in the season, with so much on the line, Avent doesn’t expect much to rattle his veteran team.
“It’s what you want to do as a baseball player,” Avent said. “You want to play in those types of environments. That’s what you play for, to perform on the biggest stage.”
Avent has never been to Baum-Walker but has heard from several coaching buddies this week, all with the same message.
“They said it’s the loudest place they’ve ever played in front of,” Avent told the N&O Wednesday. “It’s going to spur some kind of reaction and you hope it’s a positive one for you. There’s no planning for it, there’s nothing you can do except just play in it.”
Avent hopes he can lean on his veterans, but adds “you never know.”
He likes the way his team handled things in Ruston, going a perfect 3-0, racking up 30 runs over the weekend. Those hot bats led the team to their fifth Super Regional round and first trip since 2013.
But nobody on this team has been this far, so Avent won’t know how his team will react until the lights come on. He isn’t overly concerned, he said. The group has been loose this week in practice, a trait they’ve demonstrated all season, even when they were 1-8 in conference play.
“This is just a fun team,” Avent said. “They just love practice and they come every day the same way. It’s just a loose bunch. Our younger guys have grown up very well and you have to give credit to the older guys. Young guys don’t grow up without leadership.”
Devonte Brown stepping up
One of those young players to grow up over the weekend was freshman Matt Willadsen (5-3), a right-handed pitcher from Holly Springs who tossed six full innings in the deciding game Sunday.
But the Pack wouldn’t be in this position without veterans, older guys who Avent says helps calm things down in front of a hostile crowd. Guys like Devonte Brown, who went 6 for 11 at the plate in the opening round.
“He’s played so well for us for two years,” Avent said. “Baseball is a game of highs and lows, of ups and downs, but Devonte is such an even-keeled, balanced, doesn’t show a lot of emotions ... boy has he been big for us. The last month or so he’s been unbelievable.”
Avent has been playing the same nine position players for the last three months, so he admitted his team has bumps and bruises — and there is the fatigue factor. This close to the College World Series, however, the group has no time to think about that.
“They have to be tired,” Avent said. “This time of the year you think about what’s out there, what can happen and the emotion of everything gets you where you need to go.”
Fayetteville Super Regional schedule, TV coverage
At Arkansas’ Baum-Walker Stadium
June 11: Arkansas vs. N.C. State, 6 p.m., ESPNU
June 12: Arkansas vs. N.C. State, 3 p.m.., ESPN2
June 13: Arkansas vs. N.C. State, 6 p.m. (if necessary), ESPNU or ESPN2
This story was originally published June 9, 2021 at 1:21 PM with the headline "How Elliott Avent, NC State are prepping for a hostile environment in Super Regional round."
