Georgia Tech launches NC State 9-2 in ACC's semifinal after Guldberg's jackhammer; Who is next? UNC :: WRALSportsFan.com

By Jason Jennings, multimedia sports journalist

Durham, N.C. – Michael Guldberg signed his first home run of the season for Georgia Tech, and the Yellow Jackets won with an eighth inning to defeat North Carolina State 9-2 in the ACC baseball championship semifinal.

Georgia Tech, number 2, will face North Carolina, number 5, for the tournament championship Sunday at noon. The match will be broadcast live on 99.9 FM The Fan.

Striker Guldberg's three-pointer on the left field wall gave Tech a 4-1 lead (41-16) in the fifth inning after the three riders found themselves in base with two launcher recalls starting from Wolfpack, Jason Parker (4-3).

The Jackets' first run also ended with two outs when Tristin English hit his 17th home run of the season with the center right on a 0-2 run in the second run.

NC State, seeded third (42-17) tied the 1-1 draw in round three on Patrick Bailey's RBI triple with a draw, but the Pack could not get him in. "We had two third-place opportunities with less than two outs and aman on third with less than two out and not getting (to run) each time," said NC State head coach Elliott Avent. "When he was 4-1, I thought we should have been 3-0."

Tech added his last five innings in the eighth inning. The mark began with a double of Baron Radcliff who would then go home on a wild course. Nick Wilhite finished the series with a single two points.

The last round of NC State was marked by a double RBI in the ninth round by Will Wilson.

Jonathan Hughes (8-2) took the victory in relief, giving a point and two hits in five innings. The Wolfpack only managed six hits against Hughes and starting pitcher Keyton Gibson, who made three innings and two-thirds. "We saw (Hughes) against Our Lady and he could not find the strike zone, and tonight he could," said Advent. "That's why, if we could have taken the lead by taking advantage of these opportunities sooner, maybe that will change the way it launches."

NCSU is awaiting the fate of its NCAA tournament and will discover Sunday night whether it is one of sixteen schools hosting a regional conference. The remaining field of the NCAA Tournament will be announced on Monday.