Trea Turner won round one.
After the N.C. State shortstop walked to lead off the bottom of the first in Friday’s 7-1 North Carolina win, North Carolina pitcher Kent Emanuel threw over to first base three times to keep him honest.
But Turner still broke for second anyway. The sophomore stole his 76th base of his career — adding to what’s already an N.C. State career record.
“It sucks,” Emaunel said. “He went on first movement. I read it. I knew he was going, and I still decided to pitch because I knew if I had thrown over to first, he still would’ve been safe. It just goes to show you how fast he is.”
Round two was a different story, though.
Turner, the N.C. State leader in home runs (six), average (.438) and OPS (1.201), came to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. With N.C. State down 3-0, the at-bat could’ve changed the nature of the game entirely.
Emanuel opened the at-bat with a ball, prompting pitching coach Scott Forbes to come jogging out to the mound.
But after working the count to 2-2, Emanuel threw a 90-mph fastball past a swinging Turner to neutralize the threat.
“I threw the majority off-speed earlier in the count,” Emanuel said. “I was finally able to pick up two strikes. And then I was able to reach back and throw one.”
Emanuel had to pitch his way out of that kind of trouble several times Friday night, as he only threw one clean 1-2-3 inning. In the seventh inning, he loaded the bases with no outs and gave up his first and only run on a sacrifice fly, but he managed to pitch out of it by striking out No. 3 and No. 4 hitters Brett Austin and Tarran Senay.
“He knows this is a tough situation he has to work to get out of, and he just makes pitches,” UNC coach Mike Fox said. “I mean, he’s just got that calm, kind of quiet confidence about him. He doesn’t get rattled. He doesn’t get nervous … He’s a stud.”
Emanuel’s key moment may very well have been that strikeout of Turner in the second inning. After Colin Moran homered in the first to give UNC a 3-0 lead, that was the Wolfpack’s chance to claw back into the game — and to bring back the noticeably less rowdy crowd.
“When I struck out with the bases loaded with two outs, I kind of could feel (the lack of energy),” Turner said. “And I don’t think that the first two innings decide the game, but to everyone in the stands, it kind of seemed that way.”
Turner won round one, but then Emanuel hit him and the Wolfpack with an early knockout punch.
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