North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Game Notes vs. Clemson
4/6/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 7-9, 2000
Tiger Field / Clemson, S.C.>
* The Series vs. Clemson: The Tigers lead the series with the Wolfpack 80-57. A year ago, the two teams split four games. In the regular-season series in Raleigh, NC State came from behind to win the first game 19-9 and then took the second game of the series, 7-4. Clemson turned the tables on the Wolfpack by taking the series finale by the same 7-4 score. A week later, the two teams met in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament, and this time it was the Tigers who came from behind to hand the Wolfpack a loss, 7-6 in 10 innings. During the decade of the 1990s, Clemson won 23 of 37 meetings with NC State, including nine in a row during one stretch from 1993-95. The Tigers have won five of the last seven meetings between the two teams, while NC State has won six of the last 11.
* The NC State Pitching Rotation: Sophomore righthander Ryan Combs (1-3, 4.02) is tentatively scheduled to pitch the series opener for the Wolfpack. Combs has made 11 appearances for the Wolfpack, seven of them starts. He has allowed 53 runs, walked 19 and struck out 24 in 47 innings. In his last appearance, Tuesday night vs. Charleston Southern, he pitched a scoreless inning of relief, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out one. Combss last start was March 28 vs. The Citadel and he dominated the Bulldogs, allowing one run on five hits in seven innings, He walked two and struck out four. Sophomore lefthander Dan DAmato (5-3, 3.39) is scheduled to start for NC State in the middle game of the series on Saturday. DAmato has made 10 appearances, nine of them starts. He has worked 58 1/3 innings, allowed 57 hits, walked 20 and fanned 40. In his last start, April 2 vs. Georgia Tech, DAmato was a hard-luck loser, dropping a 4-3 decision despite not allowing an earned run. He allowed seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, walked two and struck out three. Freshman lefthander Mike Prochaska (2-2, 4.45) is set to start for NC State in the series finale on Sunday. Prochaska has made 10 appearances, four of which were starts, and has allowed 34 hits, walked seven and struck out 21 in 30 1/3 innings. In his last start, a three-inning start on Wednesday against Charleston Southern, Prochaska allowed two runs on two hits. He walked two and struck out three. In his last ACC start, March 31 against Georgia Tech, he allowed eight runs on 10 hits in 3 1/3 innings. He walked none and struck out two.
* Schmitt Stops Em Cold: Through his first four appearances of the 2000 season, Josh Schmitt had faced eight hitters and recorded three saves. Schmitt finally got an extended appearance on the mound April 4 vs. Charleston Southern, entering the game in the top of the sixth inning with the Wolfpack trailing 6-3. The Buccaneers got three more baserunners the rest of the game, and the Wolfpack rallied to overtake Charleston Southern and post a 7-6 win, Schmitts first of the season. He wound up working four scoreless innings, allowed two hits, did not issue a walk, and struck out a career-high seven. For the season, Schmitt is 1-0 with three saves. He has allowed three hits in seven innings. He has not walked a batter, has notched 10 strikeouts, and has yet to allow a run.
* Wright Breaks Out vs. CSU: entering the Charleston Southern series April 4-5 at Doak Field, sophomore outfielder Brian Wright had one hit in his previous 26 at-bats, the one hit being a leadoff home run April 1 against Georgia Tech. Wright shook off his slump when the Buccaneers hit town, going 4-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs in the first game, and 2-for-4 with a home run in the second game of the series. Wright heads into the Clemson series hitting .321. He leads the team with 29 RBIs and shares the team honors with seven home runs.
* Blanton Makes Midseason Emergence: Twenty-four games into the 2000 season, junior righthander Jason Blanton had made all of two appearances for the Wolfpack, working two innings and allowing a run on two hits. Blanton got his first break of the season when he was called on to work a couple of innings of relief in NC States 5-2 loss March 25 at North Carolina. He responded with two scoreless frames, allowing one hit and recording a strikeout. That earned Blanton a midweek start March 29 at UNC-Wilmington, and he turned in what might have been the Wolfpacks most impressive pitching performance of the season. Blanton shut down the Seahawks on just one hit over six innings to lead the Pack to a 12-0 shutout, its first since a 2-0 blanking of Massachusetts on March 6, 1999. After walking two of the first three UNCW hitters in the first inning, Blanton settled down and retired 16 of the last 19 men he faced. Two of the three Seahawks who reached base during that time did so via error. After walking two in the first inning, he did not issue another base on balls, and wound up with seven strikeouts. The win was Blantons first college decision. He is currently 1-0 with a 0.69 ERA in six appearances.
* Wolfpack Getting Solid Starting Pitching: 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 33 games this season, NC States starting pitchers have done more than their share to keep the Wolfpack alive into the late innings. Although the starters have a combined won-lost record of just 10-13, their cumulative ERA is a solid 4.30. NC State starters have allowed 215 hits and 55 walks in 180 innings while striking out 119. Wolfpack starters are averaging 10.75 hits and 2.75 walks allowed per nine inning. They have made 15 quality starts (3 earned runs or less in 6 or more innings) in 33 games.
* Wolfpack Bullpen Killing Rallies: While NC States starting pitchers have been consistent and solid from the outset of the season, the bullpen really began to assert itself in March. In 23 games dating back to March 3, Wolfpack relievers are 6-1 with a save and a 3.43 ERA. In 60 appearances over that time, Pack relievers have worked 84 innings, allowed 32 earned runs on 88 hits, walked 22 and fanned 69. For the season, the NC State bullpen is 9-1 with five saves and a 4.09 ERA. Relievers have made 85 appearances and worked 121 innings. They have allowed 127 hits, walked 35 and struck out 88. They are averaging 9.45 hits and 2.60 walks allowed per nine innings pitched. Wolfpack relievers have inherited 75 runners and stranded 51.
Wolfpack Relievers And Inherited Runners
Pitcher IR Scored
Jason Blanton 2 0
Daniel Caldwell 12 3
Conrad Clark 10 3
Ryan Combs 6 3
Corey Mattison 8 2
Derek McKee 1 1
Josh Miller 9 3
Mike Prochaska 5 1
Josh Schmitt 7 0
Ryan Steadham 8 3
Kyle Stephenson 8 5
* Clutch Two-Out Hitting: NC State played perhaps its best game of the season March 29 at UNC-Wilmington, blasting the Seahawks 12-0 behind the three-hit pitching of a quartet of pitchers and a balanced 15-hit attack. Remarkably, the Wolfpack scored all 12 runs at UNCW after two were out. Craig Lee hit a two-out bases-loaded triple in the first inning to drive in the first three runs of the game. Mike Prochaska had an RBI single and Dan Mooney a two-run double in the second inning, both with two outs. Mooney then came home on a two-out error by the Seahawks. Lee added a two-out RBI single in the fourth, and the Pack scored an unearned run with two out in the fifth. Jamey Shearin ripped a two-out RBI double in the eighth, and Sammy Espositos pinch-hit two-run homer in the ninth came after UNCW turned a double play. For the season, Prochaska leads the Wolfpack with 13 two-out RBIs, followed by Mooney with nine, Lee and Brian Wright with seven apiece, and Jeremy Dutton and Andy Baxter with six.
* Hitting Streaks: NC State hitters have had three hitting streaks at least 10 games in length this season. Sophomore outfielder Brian Wright and freshman infielder-outfielder Mike Prochaska both have had 15-game hitting streaks, and senior outfielder Josh Schmitt had a 12-game hitting streak. Prochaska, who leads the Wolfpack in hitting at .365, batted .393 (15-for-38) with seven doubles, one home run, 15 RBIs and 11 runs scored during his streak, which was snapped on March 31 against Georgia Tech. He has batted safely in 24 of his last 26 games, during which time he has batted .359 (37-for-103). Wright, who had a torrid eight-game hitting streak broken March 28 against The Citadel, batted .306 (19-for-62) during his 15-game streak. During his eight-game streak, Wright hit .529 (18-for-34) with five doubles, three home runs, 12 runs scored and 15 RBIs. Wright had a 21-game hitting streak as a freshman a year ago, the longest hitting streak ever by an NC State freshman and the third longest ever by a Wolfpack player, behind Greg Brileys 27-game streak in 1986 and Tom Sergios 26-game streak in 1995. Schmitt batted .409 (18-for-44) with seven RBIs and 11 runs scored during his streak.
* Wright Belts First Grand Slam Of 2000: Sophomore outfielder Brian Wright had a game to remember March 15 vs. Pace. Wright went 3-for-4 with a grand-slam home run, the first grand slam of his career with the Wolfpack.
* Prochaska Leads Standout Freshman Class: The NC State coaching staff knew the current Wolfpack freshman class was a good one when they signed them last season, but no one could have foreseen the impact that freshmen would have on this years Wolfpack team. First baseman/outfielder Mike Prochaska has not only been the Wolfpacks Rookie of the Year to date, he is the leading candidate for team MVP honors as well. Through 33 games, Prochaska leads the team in hitting at .365 and doubles with eight. He is third in slugging percentage at .461 on-base percentage at .417. Beyond the more conventional stats, however, Prochaska has been Mr. Clutch for the Wolfpack. He leads the team in two-out RBIs (13), batting average with runners on base (.420), with the bases loaded (.500), with two outs (.405), and with runners in scoring position (.395). In situations with a runner on third base and less than two outs, he has delivered the RBI 10 times in 11 chances. He has struck out just nine times in 128 plate appearances. On the mound, Prochaska is 2-2 with a 4.45 ERA. He has worked 30 1/3 innings, allowed 34 hits, walked seven and struck out 21. As a reliever, he has inherited five runners and allowed just one to score. Other freshmen are making a mark as well. Third baseman Jeremy Dutton is among the team leaders with six doubles and 18 RBIs. Ryan Strain, who missed 10 games with a broken hand, is hitting .341 and has been versatile enough to play second base and all three outfield positions. Infielder Chris Goodman has provided excellent glovework at shortstop. Daniel Caldwell has made a mark for himself as a bullpen stopper, coming into games with runners on base and pitching out of jams. Caldwell has stranded nine of the 12 runners he has inherited through his first 13 appearances. He has struck out 19 and walked just six in 22 2/3 innings.
* Wolfpack Concludes School-Record Homestand At 14-6: With one of the youngest teams in school history, NC State head coach Elliott Avent had to be careful with the Wolfpacks 2000 schedule. On the one hand, Avent wanted his young team tested by strong competition. On the other hand, Avent knew it would be easy to overschedule such a young team, so while Avent put together a very competitive schedule this season, he softened things by opening up with an extended homestand. A school-record 20-game homestand, to be precise. Originally drawn up as 19 consecutive home games, the Pack began the season with a snowout February 5 against Elon and rescheduled that game for February 16, after the teams trip to Charleston, S.C., for the Trademark Properties Classic. In addition to the Elon match-up, the homestand included three-game series with Rutgers, Cleveland State, George Mason, Wake Forest and Virginia, a two-game series with Richmond, and single games with Davidson and Pace. The Wolfpack 14 of the 20 games on the homestand. The previous longest homestand by an NC State team was a 16-game homestand in 1986.
* Back-To-Back CGs: Sophomores Dan DAmato and Mike Sollie gave the Wolfpack pitching staff its first complete games of the season in consecutive games March 18 and 19 against Virginia at Doak Field. DAmato shut down the Cavaliers 4-2 on March 18, walking one and striking out seven. After yielding two runs in the top of the third, one on an error and the other on an RBI single, DAmato retired 10 men in a row from the beginning of the fourth inning into the seventh, and set down 17 of the last 19 men he faced. He was named the ACCs Pitcher of the Week for his performance, the fourth time in his career he has won that honor. Sollie wound up taking a 3-1 loss to the Cavs the following day, despite a dominating performance on the mound. After surrendering a leadoff homer in the top of the second inning, Sollie retired 20 of the next 23 batters he faced through the end of the eighth inning. Two of the three men who reached base in that time were erased on the bases. Sollie carried a three-hitter and a 1-1 tie into the ninth inning, but wound up allowing two runs in the top of the ninth on four hits, one of them a bunt single, and another one a Baltimore chop that went for an infield single.
* Strain Back In Action: Wolfpack freshman Ryan Strain, out since February 26 with a broken left hand, returned to action on March 15 vs. Pace after missing 10 games. Strain suffered the hairline-type fracture in the fourth metacarpal of his left hand when he dived for a ball in center field in the second inning of NC States 7-3 win over Cleveland State. For the record, Strain, in only his third game ever in the outfield, did make the catch on the play. He has six hits in 12 at-bats in six games since his return to action.
* From Walk-On Redshirt To Walk-On Regular: When the 2000 season began, infielder Eric Mosley agreed with the Wolfpack coaching staff that it might well be in his best interests to redshirt this season and get ready to play in 2001. That all changed when freshman second baseman Ryan Strain broke his left hand on February 26, depleting the teams infield depth to the point that head coach Elliott Avent offered Mosley the opportunity to play right away if he had a change in heart regarding his redshirt season. Mosley, a transfer from Louisburg (N.C.) Junior College, decided to play, and has taken full advantage of the opportunity placed before him. In 17 games, 13 of them starts at second base, he is hitting .304 with two doubles, four runs scored and 11 RBIs.
* Making The Most of Three Hits: NC State had its biggest inning of the season on Sunday, March 12, scoring nine first-inning runs against then-20th-ranked Wake Forest. The Wolfpack scored those nine runs with the benefit of just three base hits. Brian Wright got the inning rolling with a sharp single up the middle, and Eric Mosley laid down a bunt that the Wake defense botched for an error. Mike Prochaska walked to load the bases, and Dan Mooney singled to left to score the first run of the inning. Craig Lee hit a grounder to short to force Mooney at second, driving in a run, and Josh Schmitt walked to load the bases for the second time. Daniel Caldwell followed with a one-hopper to third base, but all hands were safe and a run scored when Wake catcher Dan Conway dropped the throw home for an error, giving the Wolfpack a 4-0 lead. Jeremy Dutton walked to force in the fourth run of the inning, and Jason Smith made it 5-0 with a squeeze bunt up the first-base line. Wright, up for the second time in the inning, walked to load the bases for the third time, spelling the end of the afternoon for Wake Forest starter Ben Clayton. Matt Briggs came on in relief and walked Mosley to force in a run and make it 6-0. Prochaska followed with a line-drive double to the left-center-field gap, clearing the bases and giving NC State an insurmountable 9-0 lead. The Pack went on to win, 12-4.
* An Intentional Double: Opposing pitchers should be careful when trying to intentionally walk Wolfpack freshman Mike Prochaska. Ask George Masons Chris Murray. On March 5, in the seventh inning of the final game of NC States three-game series with the Patriots, the Wolfpack had runners on second and third with two out and Prochaska at the plate. The Patriots decided to walk the Wolfpack freshman, who already was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBIs on the afternoon. Mason catcher Brian Anderson stood up and held his mitt out as a target, but Prochaska noticed that Murrays first pitch was a little too close to the plate. Prochaska decided that if the next pitch was in the same location he would swing at it. Sure enough, the pitch came in just a few inches off the plate, and Prochaska slapped the ball past the third baseman and down the left-field line for a two-run double. NC State went on to win, 14-9. Richmond, which is in the Colonial Athletic Association with George Mason, came to Doak Field the following week, and when the Spiders faced a similar situation with Prochaska at the plate, the pitches in the intentional walk were well wide of home plate.
* Two Relief Appearances In One Inning: College rules permit a coach to remove a pitcher from the mound, put him at another position and then bring him back to pitch once per game. The rule rarely comes into play, but it might become a factor during NC State lefthander Mike Prochaskas college career. Prochaska already has made one dual pitching appearance this year, working twice in the same inning March 11 against Wake Forest. Arguably the Wolfpacks best hitter, Prochaska started the game in right field, but was called in to pitch with runners on first and second and none out in the top of the eighth inning. Prochaska retired the first two batters he faced, and Corey Mattison was brought in to face a pair of righthanded hitters. Prochaska went to first base. Both of Mattisons hitters reached base, so Prochaska was brought back to pitch to the ever-dangerous Danny Borrell, who struck out to end the inning. NC State took the lead in the bottom half of the eighth, making Prochaska the pitcher of record. He pitched a scoreless ninth inning to preserve his own victory, his second against no defeats.
* Liberty Game Rained Out, To Be Made Up May 12: NC States game with Liberty scheduled for Tuesday, March 21, in Lynchburg, Va., was rained out. The game will be made up in Raleigh the second weekend in May, when Liberty already is scheduled to play the Wolfpack at NC States Doak Field. The rained-out game will be played at Doak Field on Friday, May 12 at 7 p.m. The two teams then will play their regularly scheduled game at Doak Field the following night, Saturday, May 13, also at 7 p.m.
* Smith Wins Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship: Senior infielder Jason Smith, an eight-time Deans List student and three-time member of the ACC Honor Roll, received his latest academic honor on February 29 when he was named a recipient of the ACCs Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship. Smith, currently in graduate school in civil engineering, holds a bachelors degree in construction engineering and management. He graduated last spring with a 3.84 GPA. Smith also has won a graduate scholarship from the American Science Foundation and the AGC Education and Research Foundation. The Weaver-James-Corrigan Scholarships are named after former ACC commissioners Jim Weaver, Bob James and Gene Corrigan. NC State has had 14 Weaver-James-Corrigan Scholarship winners in the last four years, tops among ACC schools.
* 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 As 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.
* Head Coach Elliott Avent: Now in 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 138-82 record, a .627 winning percentage and an average of 40 wins per season. The Wolfpack earned NCAA regional berths in each of Avents first three seasons, running NC States current streak of consecutive regional appearances to four. Avents first three seasons as head coach did nothing but enhance the Wolfpacks longstanding baseball tradition. Avents 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. Avents 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, Avents 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 programs 12th NCAA Tournament appearance in the last 14 years, finishing the year at 37-25. In Avents 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, including 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
