Elliott Avent's N.C. State baseball teams have had the anecdote for a UNC hangover. At least until Tuesday's 2-1 loss to UCLA in the College World Series.

While the basketball and football teams have struggled to follow up an emotional win over the Tar Heels, Avent has done so regularly since 2005.

Five times in the last nine seasons, including earlier this season, Avent has won the last game of a series against UNC and each time N.C. State has won the next game.

N.C. State's Carlos Rodon once again stymied North Carolina, this time in the College World Series. ETHAN HYMAN

OMAHA, Neb. — The game might not have matched the anticipation behind it. Carlos Rodon did, though. Rodon, the N.C. State sophomore left-hander, pitched eight shutout innings on Sunday to lead the Wolfpack to an 8-1 victory against North Carolina in the College World Series.

Here’s our coverage from yesterday, in case you missed it:

If North Carolina and N.C. State fans were excited for the teams' meeting in Durham in the ACC tournament last month (pictured), what will today by like when the Tar Heels and Wolfpack play in the College World Series? ROBERT WILLETT

OMAHA, Neb. — And welcome to game day. North Carolina and N.C. State later today will meet in what will be the most publicized college baseball game in North Carolina state history. Doesn’t get much bigger than the Tar Heels and Wolfpack in Omaha, in the College World Series.

And this could be just the beginning. State and UNC could meet later this week. In fact, they could play three times before this thing is over. But for now we’ll focus on today. Some last-minute reading to get you prepared:

N.C. State pitcher Carlos Rodon signs an autograph on Wednesday before the team departed for Omaha, Neb., and the College World Series. ETHAN HYMAN

College baseball here is probably never going to be what it is in Baton Rouge, La., or in Mississippi, or in South Carolina. But there’s no denying that the sport could be a bigger deal in the Triangle than it is, and has been.

Carolina takes on Vanderbilt in the first game of the College World Series today, and you can watch on ESPN. The game begins at 2 p.m., live from Omaha, Nebraska.

The game between Florida and Texas will start at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

If you miss the games, you can catch them both on repeat on ESPN-U. The UNC game repeats there at 10:30 p.m. and the Florida game follows at 1 a.m.

Read more about today's game.

When Dustin Ackley came to the plate in the ninth inning Thursday night at Rosenblatt Stadium, his North Carolina team was on the wrong side of a blowout against Arizona State. But that didn't prevent the Tar Heels junior from doing what he does best.

Ackley lined a single to right field to extend his College World Series hitting streak to 15 games and his NCAA Tournament streak to 22 games. He finished his college career
just like he started -- by putting the bat on the baseball.

UNC falls to Arizona State 12-5 on Thursday to be eliminated from the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

Dustin Ackley's five hits lead the Tar Heels to an 11-4 win over Southern Miss to stay alive in the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

North Carolina senior Mike McKee said in his N&O snapshots from Omaha on Sunday that the Tar Heels would have to "do this the hard way" after a first-round loss to Arizona State in 10 innings.

He was absolutely right. There is nothing easy about the Heels' path to the CWS final. It's a tough road, but not an impossible one.