North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Baseball Travels To Florida State
4/27/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 28-30, 2000 / Dick Howser Stadium
Tallahassee, Fla.
The Seminoles hold a 24-11 lead in the series with the Wolfpack. The Noles have won the last six meetings overall, and have defeated NC State seven straight times at Dick Howser Stadium. The Wolfpack's last victory in Tallahassee was a 6-4 decision by Matt Donahue in the finale of the series in 1992. FSU leads NC State 22-6 in the 1990s. Current Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent is 2-7 against Florida State.
Freshman righthander Daniel Caldwell (1-1, 6.31) will start on Friday in the series opener vs. the Seminoles. This will be Caldwell's 20th appearance of the season, but only his second start. In his only other start, April 18 vs. UNC-Greensboro at Doak Field, Caldwell allowed four runs, three of them unearned, on five hits in seven innings. He walked one and struck out a career-high seven. Caldwell has made three relief outings since then, allowing one run on one hit in two innings. He walked one and struck out five in those three relief appearances.
Sophomore lefthander Dan D'Amato (5-5, 4.48) will start on Saturday in the middle game of the series. This will be D'Amato's 15th appearance and his 14th start. In his last start, April 23 vs. Miami at Doak Field, D'Amato shut down the Hurricanes, allowing two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked three and struck out four, but was not around to receive the decision, a 5-4 Wolfpack victory.
Sophomore righthander Ryan Combs (5-4, 4.07) will start the series finale on Sunday. This will be Combs's 17th appearance and his 12th start. In his last start, April 26 vs. UNC-Wilmington, Combs allowed just two runs, both unearned, on five hits in six innings to pick up his fifth win of the season. He walked none and struck out two.
In his last 30 games, dating back to March 12 against Wake Forest, Wright has batted .427 (56-for-131) with 13 doubles, one triple, nine home runs and 38 RBIs. He has struck out just 15 times in 142 plate appearances, and has had a pair of absolutely torrid streaks in that 30-game span.
In the first, an eight-game stretch from March 12 vs. Wake Forest through March 26 vs. North Carolina, Wright batted .529 (18-for-34) with five doubles, three home runs and 15 RBIs. He had two or more hits in six of those eight games, and drove in four runs or more in three of them. During one span of four games, he had 10 hits in 15 at-bats.
That hot streak gave way to a 1-for-26 slump, but when Wright broke out of his slump, he did so with a typical flourish, batting .625 (30-for-48) with seven doubles, five home runs and 21 RBIs over his next 11 games. He had three or more hits in eight of those 11 games, and four RBIs in three of them. At one point, he had gone 16 consecutive plate appearances without being retired in back-to-back PAs. During four games, from April 9 vs. Clemson through April 15 vs. Duke, Wright had 13 hits, including five doubles and two home runs, in 18 at-bats,
The 17-game hitting streak also was Prochaska's second hitting streak of at least 15 games this season. He has played in 44 games and has hit safely in all but four of them. He has yet to have consecutive hitless games all season, and has hit safely in 33 of his last 35 games, batting .389 (56-for-144) with 11 doubles, one triple, one home run and 25 RBIs.
Wolfpack teammate Brian Wright set the NC State record for longest hitting streak by an NC State freshman with a 21-game streak a year ago. The school record for longest hitting streak is 27 games, set by Greg Briley in 1986. Tom Sergio had a 26-game hitting streak in 1995.
