North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Hosts Cleveland State In Weekend Series
2/24/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NC State (4-3) vs. Cleveland State (0-3)
February 25-27, 2000
Doak Field / Raleigh, N.C.
The Series vs. Cleveland State: NC State and Cleveland State have met five times previously in baseball, with the Wolfpack winning all five. NC State swept a doubleheader from the Vikings last March 10 by scores of 9-1 and 7-3. Those were the Wolfpack's 13th and 14th consecutive victories of the season, the second-longest winning streak in school history.
The NC State Pitching Rotation: A trio of sophomores will start for NC State this weekend against Cleveland State. Righthander Ryan Combs (0-2, 3.46) will start the series opener on Friday. Combs has been the Wolfpack's early-season tough-luck starter, having pitched well in both of his starts, only to lose both. On February 19 vs. Rutgers, Combs pitched seven strong innings, allowing four runs, three of them earned, on seven hits. He walked one and struck out three, but came up a loser when the Scarlet Knights went on to record a 7-3 victory. On February 12, Combs suffered a 2-1 loss at The Citadel.
Sophomore lefthander Dan D'Amato (0-1, 3.60) will start for the Wolfpack in the middle game of the series on Saturday. D'Amato has struggled with his control this season, with eight walks in 10 innings of work, but has managed to keep a pair of strong offensive teams (East Carolina and Rutgers) in check through the middle innings. Against the Scarlet Knights on February 18, D'Amato allowed just one run on four hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out four. Through two starts, opponents are batting just .194 against D'Amato.
Sophomore righthander Mike Sollie (1-0, 2.57) will close out the series on Sunday for NC State. Sollie has been the Wolfpack's most consistent starter this season, allowing just four runs on 18 hits in 14 innings of work. He has walked one and struck out four. On February 20, he held Rutgers to three runs on 11 hits in seven innings, walking none and fanning three. So far this season, Sollie has been a ground-ball machine, recording 29 outs on grounders to just six on fly balls. Sollie has faced 58 batters and walked just one.
Last Weekend: NC State took two of three games from a tough Rutgers team, February 18-20 at Doak Field. Rutgers came to the Doak as the preseason favorite to win the Big East and was picked in the preseason as the No. 29 team in the country by Baseball America.
The Wolfpack took the opener 9-8, building a 7-1 lead, squandering that lead, and then rallying for two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning for the win. Freshman Mike Prochaska went 4-for-5 with two RBIs, including the game-winner, while sophomore lefthander Dan D'Amato had a tough-luck no-decision after allowing just one run on four hits through five innings. Josh Miller got the win, and Josh Schmitt got the save.
Rutgers lefthander Buddy Gallagher stifled the Wolfpack attack in the middle game of the series, beating Ryan Combs, despite seven strong innings from the NC State righthander. The Scarlet Knights exploited the Wolfpack bullpen for a 7-3 victory.
NC State had its most dramatic win of the season in the series finale, rallying for four runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to down the Knights, 5-4. Freshman Jeremy Dutton had a two-out, two-run single to tie the game, and fellow freshman Ryan Strain followed with a single to left to drive in the game-winning run, Corey Mattison got the win after recording the final out in the top of the ninth inning.
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 125-71 record, a .638 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 had an 11-year career coaching record of 346-279, which included 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
Davidson Game Time Switched:The Wolfpack's March 1 game with Davidson has been changed from a 3 p.m. game time to a 6 p.m. start time.
Bad Moon Rising: The NC State offense has had a surprise leader in 2000: senior catcher Dan Mooney, who was hitting .346 with two homers and six RBIs through the first seven games of the season. Mooney had the team's only home runs and either led the team or was tied for the team lead in runs (5), hits (9), doubles (2), RBIs, total bases (17) and slugging percentage (.654).
While Mooney's offense has been a huge plus this season, his defense has been a constant since the first day he arrived on campus. No single player had a bigger impact on the 1999 NC State baseball team than Mooney, Although he 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.
So far this season, Mooney has been almost flawless behind the plate. Wolfpack pitchers have thrown just four wild pitches, and Mooney has thrown out two of the four runners who have attempted to steal against him. He did not have a passed ball or an error behind the plate.
Starting Pitching Outstanding Through First Seven Games: All a coach can ask of his starting pitchers is to keep the team in the game and give the offense a chance to win. Through seven games this season, NC State's starting pitchers have done more than their share to keep the Wolfpack alive into the late innings of ballgames.
Although the starters had a combined won-lost record of just 1-3, their cumulative ERA was a sterling 2.70. NC State starting pitchers had allowed 44 hits and 13 walks in 43 1/3 innings while striking out 18. The strikeout-to-walk ratio of 18-to-13 might seem unimpressive, but the more important stat is walks per nine innings, and Wolfpack starters are averaging just 2.7 walks per nine innings of work.
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 schedule in the country last season, and if Collegiate Baseball and Baseball America are right, the Wolfpack will play 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 of that list looks a lot like NC State's 2000 schedule. The Pack will play nine games against teams ranked in BA's top 10 (No. 5 Miami, No. 7 Florida State, and No. 9 Georgia Tech).
As if those nine games weren't enough, the Pack also will play three games vs. No. 21 Wake Forest, three games vs. No. 24 Clemson, one vs. No. 28 East Carolina, three vs. No. 29 Rutgers, and three vs. No. 33 North Carolina.
That's 22 games against teams ranked in the top 33 in the country.
In the latest poll by Collegiate Baseball, five NC State opponents are ranked in the top 11: No. 1 Florida State, No. 4 North Carolina, No. 6 Georgia Tech, No. 9 Clemson, and No. 11 Miami. The Wolfpack has a three-game series scheduled with each. That's 15 games against five of the top 11 teams in the nation.
D'Amato, Wright Named Freshman All-America In 1999: 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 ever.
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.
Freshmen Dominate 1999 NC State Pitching Staff: 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.
Lefthanders 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.
Freshman Class Coming Up Big: When national magazines such as Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball rank recruiting classes, they rely heavily on the evaluations of professional scouts, but scouts are evaluating a players' tools and trying to project whether or not that player will develop into a possible major leaguer several years down the road.
When college coaches look at their incoming freshmen, they are more concerned with which players can play the game and help their team win right now, not which ones might become major leaguers five years from now. And on that score, NC State's freshman class of 2000 is a winner in anyone's book. Wolfpack newcomers have had an impact on almost every game of the 2000 season.
Through seven games, head coach Elliott Avent has put an average of three freshmen in his starting lineup, and five different first-year players have started games in the field. Three freshman pitchers have made seven appearances on the mound, including one exceptional start.
Following is a game-by-game account of the exploits of NC State's freshman class:
February 12 vs. The Citadel (L, 1-2) at Charleston, S.C.: Third baseman Jeremy Dutton hits a double and a single in four at-bats and drives in NC State's only run in a 2-1 defeat ... Lefthanded pitcher Mike Prochaska hurls two shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out one.
February 13 vs. Old Dominion (W, 11-1) at Charleston, S.C.: Third baseman Jeremy Dutton doubles and singles in five at-bats, scores two runs and handles six chances flawlessly at third base (including five assists) ... Shortstop Chris Goodman has three putouts and two assists in the field, and singles and scores a run offensively ... Mike Prochaska makes his first start offensively, batting cleanup at DH, and drives in three runs ... Righthander Derek McKee makes his debut and throws a scoreless inning.
February 16 vs. Elon (W, 4-3): Lefthander Mike Prochaska makes his first start on the mound and hurls 6 1/3 shutout innings, allowing five hits, walking one and striking out four ... Righthander Daniel Caldwell relieves Prochaska and allows two runs on five hits in four solid innings ... Chris Goodman singles and scores a run offensively, and racks up three putouts and four assists defensively at shortstop.
February 18 vs. Rutgers (W, 9-8): DH Mike Prochaska goes 4-for-5 with two RBIs, including the game-winner, and scores two runs to lead the Pack past Rutgers, 9-8 ... Jeremy Dutton makes three outstanding plays at third base without a miscue ... Ryan Strain has two singles and an RBI, and in his first game ever (in his life) in center field, handles five tough chances flawlessly on a cold, wet field ... Chris Goodman six assists and a putout at shortstop.
February 19 vs. Rutgers (L, 3-7): Third baseman Jeremy Dutton drives in all three of the Wolfpack's runs on a two-run single and a bases-loaded walk.
February 20 vs. Rutgers (W, 5-4): Third baseman Jeremy Dutton, who winds up 2-for-5, ties the game with a two-run, two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning ... Ryan Strain, also 2-for-5, follows Dutton with the game-winning single to left field that caps a four-run ninth inning for the Wolfpack ... Dutton flags down two hard-hit balls at third base ... Strain has five putouts and five assists in a stellar defensive performance at second base ... Mike Prochaska pinch-hits in the bottom of the ninth, reaches on a single to left, and eventually scores the tying run on Dutton's single to left ... John Whitley pinch-runs and winds up scoring the winning run on a close play at the plate.
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.
