ATHENS -- Georgia baseball’s season is on the brink of elimination after dropping a 18-1 super regional-opening loss to NC State on Saturday.

The Bulldogs (42-16) and Foley Field’s sellout crowd barely got a chance to build momentum after the Wolfpack (37-20) ripped off an 11-run second inning. NC State cruised to the Game One win, putting itself a win away from a College World Series berth.

Georgia needs to beat the Wolfpack at noon on Sunday (TV: ESPNU) and again on Monday to advance.

Sophomore right-hander Kolten Smith, who was pulled from last Saturday’s game with a forearm cramp, started on the mound for Georgia. The starter looked smooth through the first inning, shutting NC State out with two strikeouts.

Then the Wolfpack bats slowly came alive. NC State knocked a pair of singles to lead off the inning then took the lead on a well-placed bunt single from Luke Nixon.

Then Georgia’s infield smeared the issue as Smith and Charlie Condon failed to communicate on another bunt, loading the bases for No. 9 hitter Noah Soles.

Soles slapped a bases-clearing double for a 4-0 lead. The next batter hit a two-run homer, and NC State was rolling.

State finished the inning with 11 runs on 11 hits and a fielding error with 15 batters coming to the plate. Smith’s day ended after NC State took a 7-0 lead.

It was the second time Georgia has allowed double-digit runs in an inning this season, the first coming when Florida scored 12 in the regular season finale.

NC State scored its last seven runs on three different bullpen arms. Chandler Marsh, Jarvis Evans and Max Dejong combined to allow 10 hits and four strikeouts.

Georgia looked just as rocky offensively, stringing together just four hits, the team’s lowest mark since March 17.

Corey Collins plated UGA’s only run in the fifth inning. The country’s leader in on-base percentage deposited an RBI single into right field, scoring Fernando Gonzalez.

The Bulldogs are fighting for their season for the first time in about a month. Georgia earned its 15th SEC win on May 10, essentially guaranteeing a spot in the NCAA tournament.

The Bulldogs added several more SEC wins and skated through their regional with a 3-0 record. UGA’s season was not threatened again until Saturday.

It’s urgency time for the Bulldogs, who get roughly 20 hours to reset before they fight for their lives.