NC State righthander Reid Johnston (Aaron Fitt)

Johnston Ends NC State’s Friday Woes

DURHAM, N.C. — Fourth-ranked NC State has had a magical season, made even more remarkable for its unconventionality. Most teams that start 29-7 overall and 13-5 in the ACC — as the Wolfpack did heading into Friday night’s showdown at fellow ACC divisional leader Duke —have a Friday night bell cow that can go deep into games and set the tone for the rest of the weekend.

NC State, though, uses ace Brian Brown on Saturdays and has had to cobble together the pitching on Friday and Sunday. The formula has made sense — Brown eats up innings[…]