AUBURN, Ala. (Interstat) — Andrew Williamson homered three times and drove in six runs, leading UCF to a 9-3 victory over North Carolina State on Friday night in a playoff game at Samford Stadium – Hitchcock Field at Plainsman Park.

The game was suspended after the top of the eighth inning because of a weather delay and resumed Saturday at 11:02 a.m. Central. UCF’s bullpen combined for 5 1/3 scoreless innings to secure the win. Kaniel Rosado threw 2 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and no earned runs with one strikeout. Anthony Lariz worked 1 1/3 innings, giving up one hit and no earned runs with two strikeouts. Max Murray contributed 1 2/3 innings, allowing two hits and no earned runs with one strikeout.

North Carolina State struck first, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. After a walk and a pickoff that was overturned on a UCF challenge, Nixon Luke singled. Chris McHugh doubled down the right-field line, moving Luke to third. Mikey Ryan singled to third base, driving in Luke. Ryan stole second, and John She walked. Dalton Bargo singled to left field, driving in two runs to give the Wolfpack a 3-0 lead.

UCF answered in the bottom of the first. Ross singled, and after a fielder’s choice, Williamson homered to right field, scoring two runs to cut the lead to 3-2. In the second inning, Jordan Lodise homered to center field, tying the game at 3-3.

The Knights took the lead in the third. Smith III tripled to right field. After Williamson popped out, Z. Skinner singled to right-center, driving in Smith. Skinner advanced on a wild pitch, and L. Moran singled, driving in Skinner for a 5-3 UCF lead.

Williamson struck again in the fifth. Ross singled, Smith III singled, and Williamson homered to right-center, a three-run shot that extended the UCF lead to 8-3. In the seventh, Williamson hit his third home run, a solo shot to right field, making it 9-3.

North Carolina State totaled 12 hits but managed only three runs. McHugh went 2-for-5 with a double. The Wolfpack left multiple runners on base, including stranding the bases loaded in the fourth inning. Anderson Nance started for North Carolina State and allowed eight earned runs in six innings, striking out five. Julien Peissel tossed a scoreless eighth inning. Sam Harris gave up one earned run in the seventh.

UCF recorded 11 hits. Moran went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Lodise was 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Williamson finished 3-for-4 with three home runs and six RBIs.

The Wolfpack fell to 32-23 overall. The Knights improved to 32-21. Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of UCF 6, North Carolina State 5, while Interstat’s ELO system gave North Carolina State a 55.90 percent probability to win.