Baseball Hosts Rutgers

NC State (2-2) vs. Rutgers (0-0)
February 18-20, 2000
Doak Field / Raleigh, N.C.

The Series vs. Rutgers: NC State and Rutgers have met three times previously in baseball, with the Wolfpack winning all three. NC State took the three-game series, March 11-12, 1989, by scores of 6-2, 6-4 and 8-7.

The NC State Pitching Rotation: A trio of sophomores will fill the NC State starting rotation for the series vs. Rutgers. Lefthander Dan D'Amato (0-1, 5.40) will start in the opener on Friday. D'Amato worked the Wolfpack's season opener on February 10 vs. East Carolina at the Trademark Properties Classic in Charleston, S.C., and tossed five scoreless innings before tiring in the sixth and surrendering three runs in five-plus innings. The Pirates romped through the Wolfpack bullpen for a 10-2 victory, but not because of ineffectiveness on D'Amato's part. D'Amato gave up just three hits and worked out of trouble twice.

Righthander Ryan Combs (0-1, 3.00) will start the second game of the series. Combs came up on the short end of an outstanding pitchers dual with The Citadel's Dallas McPherson in the middle game in Charleston, taking the tough-luck 2-1 loss despite allowing just two runs on seven hits in six innings. Combs walked two and struck out one.

Righthander Mike Sollie (1-0, 1.29) will work the final game of the series. Sollie worked seven strong innings in the Pack's 11-2 victory over Old Dominion this past Sunday in the third game in Charleston, allowing one run on seven hits. He walked one and struck out one. Sollie recorded 16 of his 21 outs on ground balls and did not issue a walk until two were out in the seventh inning.

The Rutgers Rotation: The Scarlet Knights, who went 37-21 last season and return almost everyone from that team, plan to start junior righthander Jimmy Wilson (8-3, 4.04 in 1999) on Friday. Wilson was a workhorse for Rutgers last season, starting 12 games and logging 93 2/3 innings. He allowed 97 hits, walked 36 and struck out 70.

Sophomore lefthander Buddy Gallagher (1-0, 10.64) will start the middle game of the series. Gallagher appeared in just eight games as a freshman in 1999, working 11 innings. He allowed 18 hits, walked six and struck out four.

Freshman righthander Bob Brownlie will start for the Scarlet Knights in the series finale on Sunday. Brownlie was a first-team all-state selection and was named New Jersey Player of the Year. The Colorado Rockies drafted him in the 26th round of the 1999 Major League Baseball draft last June.

On Wednesday: The Wolfpack defeated Elon 4-3 in 12 innings, overcoming a 3-1 Elon lead in the bottom of the 11th before rallying to win on Jason Smith's one-out squeeze bunt with the bases loaded. Freshman lefthander Mike Prochaska started for the Wolfpack and threw 6 1/3 shutout innings before handing the ball to fellow freshman Mike Caldwell, who allowed two runs in four solid innings of work.

Senior catcher Dan Mooney gave NC State a 1-0 lead with a fifth-inning home run off Elon starter Brad Pinkerton, who allowed just one run on two hits through eight innings. The Fighting Christians tied the game with a run in the top of the ninth and took a 3-1 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the 11th. Brian Wright's smash past the second baseman drove in two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Smith then won it with his RBI bunt in the 12th.

Last Weekend In Charleston: NC State opened the season with three games February 11-13 at the Trademark Properties Classic at Charleston, S.C. The Wolfpack managed to win one of its three games at Charleston, routing Old Dominion 11-2 in the final round of the tournament. Earlier, NC State had lost to East Carolina 10-2 and to The Citadel 2-1.

Dan Mooney had two hits and drove in four runs, and righthander Mike Sollie pitched seven strong innings against ODU to spark the Wolfpack's first victory of the season. Sollie cruised through the ODU lineup, recording 16 of his 21 outs on ground balls, including 11 of his last 12 outs, and his last 10 in a row. He struck out just one, but did not allow a walk until two were out in the bottom of the seventh. Mooney had a career-high four RBIs, and freshman Mike Prochaska had three RBIs in his first college action at the plate.

The weekend began with a disappointing loss to East Carolina, especially after the solid pitching performance turned in by lefthander Dan D'Amato, who allowed three runs on three hits in five-plus innings, but took the loss when the bullpen came apart in the sixth and seventh innings. D'Amato pitched out of jams in the first and fourth innings, but left with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth.

In the middle game of the weekend, righthander Ryan Combs pitched exceptionally well, but lost a pitchers duel with The Citadel's Ryan McPherson. Combs allowed just two runs on seven hits in six innings, but lost 2-1 on an RBI groundout in the fourth inning. Prochaska hurled two shutout innings in relief of Combs, but neither team could score after The Citadel broke the 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fourth.

On Deck: After this weekend's series with Rutgers, the Wolfpack will take four days off to prepare for next weekend's opponent, the Cleveland State Vikings, who come to Doak Field for a three-game set beginning on Friday at 3 p.m. Saturday's and Sunday's games will be at 1:30 p.m.

Head Coach Elliott Avent: Now entering his fourth season as NC State baseball coach, Elliott Avent has maintained the proud and rich tradition of excellence that is Wolfpack baseball. In his three-plus seasons on the job, Avent has guided NC State to a 122-70 record, a .635 winning percentage and an average of 40 wins per season. The Wolfpack earned NCAA regional berths in each of Avent's first three seasons, running NC State's current streak of consecutive regional appearances to four.

Avent's first three seasons as head coach did nothing but enhance the Wolfpack's longstanding baseball tradition. Avent's first team had lost four of its best players and had seen its recruiting class wiped out by the major league baseball draft. Avent guided the '97 Wolfpack to a 43-20 overall record and had the Pack in contention for first place in the conference standings until the last weekend of the regular season.

Avent's 1998 team was just as big a success story as its predecessor. The Wolfpack had lost a 1997 senior class that batted .345 with 48 home runs offensively and posted a 23-9 record on the mound with a 3.98 ERA. Despite the personnel losses, the Pack just kept on winning, running up a 41-23 overall record and finishing third at the NCAA West Regional at Palo Alto, Calif.

The success continued in 1999. Despite heavy losses to graduation and the baseball draft the previous two seasons, Avent's '99 team jumped from the gate quickly, winning 17 of its first 18 games, including 14 in a row at one point. NC State won five of its last seven regular-season games, and then won a pair of games in the ACC Tournament to nail down the program's 12th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 14 years, finishing the year at 37-25.

In Avent's three seasons at NC State, four Wolfpack players have earned All-America honors, two have been named Freshman All-Americans, and 11 have been named first- or second-team All-ACC. That success has carried over to the professional ranks, with 15 NC State players signing professional contracts after playing for Avent.

Avent Among The Winningest Young Coaches in America: According to research done by the George Mason University SID staff, NC State baseball coach Elliott Avent is the ninth winningest coach in the country among coaches age 45 or younger. At 43 heading into the 2000 season, Avent has an 11-year career coaching record of 346-279, which includes a 121-68 mark in his three seasons with the Wolfpack.

The 10 Winningest Coaches Age 45 Or Younger (Through 1999)


        No.     Coach (School)  		Years   Record
        1.      Jack Leggett (Clemson)  	20      665-402
        2.      Ray Tanner (South Carolina)     12      537-238
        3.      Pat Murphy (Notre Dame) 	12      506-279
        4.      Bill Brown (George Mason)       18      501-438
        5.      Danny Hall (Georgia Tech)       12      461-237
        6.      Jim Wells (Alabama)     	10      436-179
        7.      Rod Delmonico (Tennessee)       10      404-207
        8.      Mike Stone (Massachusetts)      17      399-306
        9.      Elliott Avent (NC State)        11      346-279
        10.     Gary McClure (Austin Peay)      12      337-337

Wolfpack Aiming To Continue NCAA Tournament Streak: NC State heads into the 2000 season looking to continue one of the most impressive postseason streaks in the nation. The Wolfpack has appeared in the NCAA Tournament 12 times in the last 14 years, including the last four years in a row. Since 1986, the Pack has played in the NCAA regionals every year except 1989 and 1995. NC State has not gone back-to-back seasons without appearing in the NCAA Tournament since the 1984 and '85 seasons.

Big League Bloodlines: Three current NC State players have former major league players for fathers. Redshirt sophomore infielder Sammy Esposito is the son of former Wolfpack coach Sam Esposito, who was an infielder for the Chicago White Sox from 1952-1963 and with the Kansas City A's in 1963. Freshman infielder Ryan Strain is the son of Joe Strain, who was an infielder for the San Francisco Giants from 1979-80 and the Chicago Cubs in 1981. Freshman righthander Daniel Caldwell is the son of ex-Wolfpack lefty Mike Caldwell, who pitched for the San Diego Padres from 1971-76, the Cincinnati Reds in 1976, and the Milwaukee Brewers from 1976-84.

Another Tough Schedule For NC State: According to the NCAA's RPI rankings, NC State played the seventh-toughest baseball schedule in the country last season, and if the pundits at Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America are right, the Wolfpack will take on a schedule almost as demanding in 2000.

In its February 20 College Preview issue, Baseball America ranked the top 100 teams in the country, and the top part of that list looks a lot like NC State*s 2000 schedule. The Wolfpack will play nine games in 2000 against teams ranked in BA*s top 10 (No. 5 Miami on April 21-23, No. 7 Florida State on April 28-30, and No. 9 Georgia Tech on March 31 and April 1-2)

As if those nine games weren't enough, the Pack also will play three games vs. No. 21 Wake Forest (March 10-12), three games vs. No. 24 Clemson (April 7-9), one vs. No. 28 East Carolina (February 11), three vs. No. 29 Rutgers (February 18-20), and three vs. No. 33 North Carolina (March 24-26).

That's 22 games against teams ranked in the top 33 in the country.

Collegiate Baseball does not list Rutgers among its preseason top 40, but the Arizona-based publication does list four of the Wolfpack's opponents among its top 11. Collegiate Baseball ranks Miami at No. 5, Florida State at No. 6, Georgia Tech at No. 9, and Clemson at No. 11. The Wolfpack plays each three times, giving the Pack 12 games against four of arguably the 11 best teams in the country.

1999 Freshman All-Americans Return For Sophomore Seasons: Since Baseball America began the practice of naming a Freshman All-America tean in 1983, NC State has had 10 first-year players earn that distinction, beginning with shortstop Alex Wallace in 1984. Until 1999, however, the Wolfpack had never had two players earn Freshman All-America honors in the same season.

Outfielder/designated hitter Brian Wright was named first-team Freshman All-American by Collegiate Baseball magazine last season, and Wright and lefthanded pitcher Dan D'Amato were named third team Freshman All-America by Baseball America.

Wright, who started the season as a platoon player facing only righthanded pitching, became a fixture in the everyday lineup in April and never stopped hitting. Literally. Wright, who wound up hitting .363 with 14 doubles, six home runs, 35 RBIs and 12 stolen bases, began a 21-game hitting streak on April 7, the day he moved into the lineup full-time, and batted .413 with seven doubles, five homers and 23 RBIs during the streak. Wright's hitting streak was the longest ever by an NC State freshman and the third-longest by any Wolfpack playe everr.

D'Amato (7-2, 5.11) opened the '99 campaign in the bullpen, but emerged as the Pack's best hurler midway through the season. Down the stretch, D'Amato pitched the first game of every weekend series for the Wolfpack, and punctuated his season on May 8 with a 3-2 win over East Carolina at Wilson, N.C. D*Amato limited the Pirates to two runs on six hits in 8 2/3 innings.

Mooney Set Behind The Dish: No single player had a bigger impact on the 1999 NC State baseball team than catcher Dan Mooney, who returns this season for his senior year. Although Mooney batted just .264 with five homers and 26 RBIs, his effect on the pitching staff was dramatic.

With Mooney behind the plate in 1999, Wolfpack pitchers cut their 1998 wild-pitch total from 73 to 35 and lowered their staff ERA from 5.49 to 5.08. Opposing basestealers had a 69.0 percent success rate in 1998. Mooney helped cut that to 61.9 percent in 1999.

The Four Freshmen Return For Sophomore Encore: While NC State*s success in 1999 was due in large part to yet another strong offensive team, the pitching staff was markedly improved a year ago, thanks to a quartet of freshman pitchers who combined to go 16-2 with a 4.67 ERA.

Lefthander's Dan D'Amato and Kyle Stephenson, and righthanders Ryan Combs and Mike Sollie began the season as role players for the Wolfpack, but by season's end, D'Amato was the unquestioned staff ace, Sollie was its stopper out of the bullpen, and Combs and Stephenson were the team's top two swingmen, making spot starts in the midweek and then pitching valuable innings in relief on the weekend.

D'Amato finished the season 7-2 with a 5.11 ERA and led the staff in wins and innings pitched with 88. Sollie, who went 4-0 with a save, led the staff with a 3.05 ERA and had the fewest walks per nine innings with 1.41. Combs was 3-0 with a 5.53 ERA and a save, and Stephenson was 2-0 with a 4.03 ERA.

The Wolfpack coaching staff not only hopes that last year's four rookie pitchers build on last year's stellar performances, but that the freshman class of 2000, which features four equally talented pitchers (righthanders Daniel Caldwell and Derek McKee, and lefthanders Mike Prochaska and Nate Cretarolo), can come close to the achievements of D'Amato, Sollie, Combs and Stephenson.

Wolfpack Inks Four In Fall Signing Period: With eight Wake County and Triangle area players already on the NC State baseball roster, Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent went out this past fall and added to the local look of his team by signing four more Raleigh-area players in the fall signing period.

Avent and his coaching staff signed Millbrook High School outfielder Joe Gaetti, plus three players from Raleigh*s Broughton High School -- catcher Conor Clougherty, first baseman and lefthanded pitcher David Hicks, and shortstop Lee Kimball.

All four of the Wolfpack's signees were first-team all-conference selections as juniors, and Gaetti is a three-time All-Cap-8 honoree. In 25 games as a junior in 1999, Gaetti batted .514 with nine home runs, 26 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Baseball America ranks him as the No. 3 player in the state and projects him as a fifth- to eighth-round draft pick next June.

Hicks led NC State's Broughton trio in 1999, setting school records for home runs with 12 and RBIs with 36, while hitting .418. Kimball also broke the old school mark for homers, stroking 11 long balls, while drive in 21 runs and batting .345. Clougherty, the younger brother of former Wolfpack All-American Pat Clougherty, batted .340 with six home runs and 15 RBIs.

This past summer, Hicks and Kimball helped lead the Garner American Legion team, coached by former Wolfpack shortstop Moe Barbour, to the state championship and a berth in the national tournament. Hicks batted .481 with 22 home runs, while Kimball batted .377 with 21 homers.

North Carolina State University Athletics

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