UCLA baseball: Bruins get another crack at North Carolina State

The words “North Carolina State” have to make a UCLA fan cringe.

The Bruins met the Wolfpack in the 1974 Final Four. John Wooden had seven consecutive NCAA championships. He didn’t win an eighth straight.

It could work out better today. The Bruins won’t have to face David Thompson today. They will be dealing with pitcher Logan Jernigan in the College World Series at 5 p.m. PDT.

Coach Elliott Avent hemmed and hawed before naming a starter. The Wolfpacks’ rotation thins out considerably after Carlos Rodon, who threw eight shutout innings against North Carolina Sunday.

Of North Carolina State’s 50 victories this season, Rodon has 10 and the bullpen has 31. So Jernigan gets the call, but North Carolina State is ready with a committee.

Jernigan is 1-0 with a 1.19 earned-run average, but has not gone more than five innings this season. He missed more than a month with a broken hand.

Jernigan went five innings, giving up one run and two hits, against Rice in an NCAA super regional.

The game will be televised on ESPN2.

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