Holliday, the Wolfpack's pitching coach, was brief and to the point.

"Go get 'em," he told Taylor.

That's what Holliday told each of his relievers in the NCAA Raleigh Regional. And get 'em they did, first shutting down James Madison and then South Carolina twice as State swept the regional to move into this week's Super Regional at Georgia.

In each game, Taylor faced South Carolina's Justin Smoak -- arguably the best power-hitter in college baseball -- with runners on base. Twice, Taylor got Smoak out on fly balls.

"Coach Holliday relies on everyone, and we each know our role," said Taylor, a junior left-hander who played at Wake Forest-Rolesvile High. "We just come in and do our job."

In the course of three games, Holliday handed the ball to Taylor, Joey Cutler, Kyle Rutter, Sam Brown, Eryk McConnell and Alex Sogard. Despite having All-ACC closer Jimmy Gillheeney ruled out of the NCAA tournament for academic reasons, State's bullpen allowed one harmless hit and did not give up a run in 11 innings.

"We can put anybody out there and nobody is like, 'Oh, no, why put this guy in, he's not going to get it done,' " said McConnell, a senior right-hander.

South Carolina coach Ray Tanner came away impressed after seeing the Pack's relievers handcuff his potent offense.

"The thing I really like about N.C. State and I think makes them as good as they are right now is their bullpen," he said. "I know they miss Gillheeney, but they have other guys down there who are quality pitchers in the bullpen.

"Tom Holliday does a tremendous job of being able to mix and match, but those guys he puts in have to make pitches, they have to perform. And they did."

In a 6-2 win over James Madison, the Pack started freshman Jake Buchanan, turning to Cutler in the sixth. Cutler, a junior righty, pitched 3 1/3 hitless innings to close it out.

It was more mixing and matching Saturday in a 5-4 win over the Gamecocks. Starter Clayton Shunick gave the Pack a strong outing, leaving with one out in the seventh and a runner on second.

Brown came in, walking a batter. But Taylor retired Smoak on a fly out to right. In came Rutter, who got the third out on a pop-up.

Holliday used Taylor against Smoak to make Smoak, a switch-hitter, bat right-handed. The junior first baseman, expected be a top-10 pick in this week's Major League Baseball draft, has shown more power hitting left-handed, so Holliday played the percentages.

The next night, Holliday did it again. With State leading 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, Taylor retired Smoak, who hit 23 homers this season, with two runners on to end the inning.

"Of course, you know it's Justin Smoak, but you don't go in there thinking, 'Oh, he's going to be a first-rounder this year,' " Taylor said. "You know what your capabilities are, and you pitch to your capabilities."

While Holliday calls the pitches, Taylor said the pitchers have the option of shaking off the call.

"He believes in his pitchers, and if you believe you can throw a pitch in a situation, he'll let you," Taylor said. "When I got Smoak the second time, [Holliday] wanted to throw a changeup, and that was exactly the pitch I wanted to throw."

A thunderstorm Sunday caused a delay of more than an hour. When play resumed, Holliday had Brown warmed up and ready, and the former Millbrook High standout pitched 2 1/3 strong innings before Taylor came in to face Smoak.

"I like being under pressure a little bit. I think I perform better," said Brown, a sophomore right-hander. "But the whole staff loves pitching under pressure."

Holliday used McConnell in the closer's role to finish off the Gamecocks in the first game. On Sunday, he turned to Sogard, a sophomore left-hander who flashed a fastball in the mid-90s and retired the last four batters.

"Losing a guy like Gillheeney late in the season is difficult. I'm not going to say it's easy," Holliday said. "Yet our bullpen made it look easy, so you sweep it under the rug."

This week, the Pack again will be facing a team with booming bats. Georgia (39-22-1) scored 44 runs in winning the last three games of the Athens Regional. Shortstop Gordon Beckham has slugged 24 homers this season and, like Smoak, is projected as a first-round draft pick.

Holliday said the Pack would start Shunick in Friday's first Super Regional game but also would "throw the kitchen sink" at the Bulldogs, if need be.

"We're fortunate enough to have enough pitching where we can throw the kitchen sink at 'em and put another kitchen out there the next day," he said.