North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Back On The Road At LeClair Classic
3/1/2007 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. — NC State’s 20th-ranked baseball team returns to the road this weekend for the 2007 Keith LeClair Classic in Greenville, N.C. Named for the former East Carolina and Western Carolina coach who died a year ago of Lou Gehrig’s Disease, the LeClair Classic will feature NC State, East Carolina, Western Carolina and 12th-ranked Pepperdine.
NC State will face Western Carolina on Friday at 1 p.m. Junior righthander Jeff Stallings (2-0, 2.40) will face WCU junior lefthander Tyler Sexton (2-0, 2.37). The Pack will face the host ECU Pirates on Saturday at 3 p.m., with junior righthander Andrew Brackman (3-0, 0.52) taking the ball for NC State against ECU’s Dustin Sasser (1-0, 1.69), a junior lefthander. The Wolfpack will play Pepperdine on Sunday. Sophomore lefthander Eric Surkamp (2-1, 2.92) will face sophomore lefty Robert Dickmann (1-1, 5.68).
All three games will be broadcast on gopack.com through Pack Pass. WKNC (88.1 FM) will pick up the baseball broadcasts when they do not conflict with the women’s basketball teams games in the ACC Women’s Tournament. WKNC will join the baseball games in progress when there is a conflict with women’s basketball.
NC STATE VS. THE FIELD: The Wolfpack has an extensive history with in-state rivals Western Carolina and East Carolina. The Pack is 25-7 all-time vs. the Catamounts, including a 3-0 mark in Elliott Avent’s 10-plus seasons as head coach. The two teams last met in the finals of the 2003 NCAA Wilson Regional, with NC State taking a thriller, 6-4 in 14 innings.
The Wolfpack holds a 58-36 advantage in the series vs. the Pirates, 10-8 under Avent, and has won five of the last six meetings between the two. NC State and East Carolina played three one-run games a year ago, with each team winning at home. The Wolfpack won 5-4 on March 29 at Doak Field at Dail Park, dropped a 2-1 game in 13 innings April 12 at Clark-LeClair Stadium, then won 4-3 at the Doak on April 18 on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning.
NC State and Pepperdine have never met in baseball.
BRACK VS. ECU: Saturday’s start vs. East Carolina will be Andrew Brackman’s fourth appearance and third start against the Pirates. Brackman faced ECU three times as a freshman in 2005, winning twice and not allowing a run in 12 innings of work. Brackman’s second-ever college appearance was a one-inning relief stint against the Pirates on April 6, 2005. He walked two and struck out one in the Wolfpack’s 11-4 victory at Doak Field. Two weeks later, at Clark-LeClair Stadium, Brackman took the mound against ECU for his first college start. He made the most of the occasion, working six scoreless innings and allowing just two hits. He walked three and fanned five as the Wolfpack prevailed 3-0. Brackman was back on the mound at Clark-LeClair on May 10, 2005, and worked five scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking three and striking out three in another 3-0 shutout victory for NC State.
AVENT CLOSING IN: Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent heads into action in the Keith LeClair Classic with a 387-236 record in his 10-plus seasons at NC State. Not only is Avent just 13 wins shy of joining Sam Esposito as the only two coaches in Wolfpack history with 400 wins at the school, he is eight wins shy of tying Ray Tanner for second place in school history for wins at NC State. Tanner went 395-173 in his nine years as the Wolfpack’s head coach before he moved on to South Carolina. Esposito’s career record, both overall and at NC State, was 513-253. Avent’s overall career record stands at 612-447 in 18-plus seasons.
TOP OF THE ORDER BLUES: After scoring more than 11 runs per game over the first five games of the season, NC State has scored just 22 runs in its last five games, an average of 4.4 runs per game. In those five games, the Wolfpack’s 1-2-3 hitters are batting .182 (10-for-55). For the season, the top three spots in the order are hitting .227 (25-for-110).
NO LONG BALLS: In 10 games this season, Wolfpack pitchers have kept the ball in the ballpark, allowing just two home runs and limiting the damage by holding the opposition to a pair of solo shots.One of the two was a wind-blown fly ball February 23 by West Virginia’s Justin Jenkins during Jeff Stallings’ masterful six-inning performance against the Mountaineers. Jennings’ homer, lofted into a 20-plus mph wind blowing straight out to center field, was one of just three hits Stallings allowed WVU in a 5-1 victory for the Pack.
LOW-HIT GAME: When Jeff Stallings, Jake Kensmoe and Kyle Rutter combined on a four-hitter February 23 vs. West Virginia, it marked the lowest-hit game by NC State pitching since the Pack tossed a four-hitter at Wake Forest on April 9, 2006, a 17-2 laugher for Eryk McConnell and three relievers. The last time NC State pitching allowed fewer than four hits in a game was February 4, 2006, when McConnell and three relievers combined on a one-hitter in a 12-2 win over Delaware State.
STARTERS: NC State’s starting pitchers have combined for a 7-1 record and a 2.08 ERA. Opponents are hitting .229 against the starters, who have walked 13 and struck out 46. The Wolfpack’s starters have worked at least five innings in six of 10 starts, and one of the other four was a planned split in which the starter was schedule to work just two innings.
RELIEF: When the starters have needed assistance, the bullpen has come to the rescue. NC State’s relievers have a 2-0 record, six saves and a 1.09 ERA in 41 1/3 innings over 26 appearances. The pen has allowed 26 hits, eight runs, five of them earned, with seven walks and 30 strikeouts. Jimmy Gillheeney, Sam Brown, Eryk McConnell, Kyle Rutter, Joey Cutler, Andrew Taylor and Clayton Shunick have combined to throw 31 1/3 innings in relief (out of 41 1/3 by the bullpen as a whole), allowing just two runs, one earned, on 15 hits while walking three and striking out 25.
TIGHTENING UP: As the Wolfpack offense has struggled to score more as the level of competition has improved (5.4 runs per game the last five games, 11.2 runs the first five games), the pitching staff has stepped up to fill the void. Over the last five games, against North Carolina A&T, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, TCU and UNC Wilmington, the Wolfpack’s starting pitchers have gone 2-1 with a 1.90 ERA in 23 2/3 innings. They have allowed five runs on 19 hits, walked six and struck out 20 while holding opposing hitters to a .224 batting average. When the starters have struggled, the bullpen has stepped in and picked up the slack, posting a 2-0 record, a 1.77 ERA and four saves. The pen has allowed six runs, four earned, on 16 hits in 20 1/3 innings with four walks and 12 strikeouts. The bullpen also stranded six of eight inherited runners during the last five games.
CATCHERS: Through 10 games, Wolfpack catchers Caleb Mangum and David Lindsay have allowed just two wild pitches and one passed ball between them. (Wild pitches can can be attributed, at least indirectly, to the catcher.) Over 60 games, those numbers would project to just 12 wild pitches and six passed balls, which would be remarkable full-season figures. Dating back to 1990, NC State has averaged 45.3 wild pitches and 10.3 passed balls per season. Over that time, the most notably low WP figures came when the Wolfpack had some of its better defensive catchers.
Catcher (year) # WP
Greg Almond (1992) 33
Greg Almond (1993) 31
Rob Lasater (1996) 37
Dan Mooney (1999) 35
Dan Mooney (2000) 26
Jake Muyco (2004) 27
Jake Muyco (2005) 34
As for passed balls, the Pack had espcecially low numbers in 2002 (Colt Morton, Sammy Esposito and Conor Clougherty) and 2006 (Mangum and Jon Still).
NC State will face Western Carolina on Friday at 1 p.m. Junior righthander Jeff Stallings (2-0, 2.40) will face WCU junior lefthander Tyler Sexton (2-0, 2.37). The Pack will face the host ECU Pirates on Saturday at 3 p.m., with junior righthander Andrew Brackman (3-0, 0.52) taking the ball for NC State against ECU’s Dustin Sasser (1-0, 1.69), a junior lefthander. The Wolfpack will play Pepperdine on Sunday. Sophomore lefthander Eric Surkamp (2-1, 2.92) will face sophomore lefty Robert Dickmann (1-1, 5.68).
All three games will be broadcast on gopack.com through Pack Pass. WKNC (88.1 FM) will pick up the baseball broadcasts when they do not conflict with the women’s basketball teams games in the ACC Women’s Tournament. WKNC will join the baseball games in progress when there is a conflict with women’s basketball.
NC STATE VS. THE FIELD: The Wolfpack has an extensive history with in-state rivals Western Carolina and East Carolina. The Pack is 25-7 all-time vs. the Catamounts, including a 3-0 mark in Elliott Avent’s 10-plus seasons as head coach. The two teams last met in the finals of the 2003 NCAA Wilson Regional, with NC State taking a thriller, 6-4 in 14 innings.
The Wolfpack holds a 58-36 advantage in the series vs. the Pirates, 10-8 under Avent, and has won five of the last six meetings between the two. NC State and East Carolina played three one-run games a year ago, with each team winning at home. The Wolfpack won 5-4 on March 29 at Doak Field at Dail Park, dropped a 2-1 game in 13 innings April 12 at Clark-LeClair Stadium, then won 4-3 at the Doak on April 18 on a wild pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning.
NC State and Pepperdine have never met in baseball.
BRACK VS. ECU: Saturday’s start vs. East Carolina will be Andrew Brackman’s fourth appearance and third start against the Pirates. Brackman faced ECU three times as a freshman in 2005, winning twice and not allowing a run in 12 innings of work. Brackman’s second-ever college appearance was a one-inning relief stint against the Pirates on April 6, 2005. He walked two and struck out one in the Wolfpack’s 11-4 victory at Doak Field. Two weeks later, at Clark-LeClair Stadium, Brackman took the mound against ECU for his first college start. He made the most of the occasion, working six scoreless innings and allowing just two hits. He walked three and fanned five as the Wolfpack prevailed 3-0. Brackman was back on the mound at Clark-LeClair on May 10, 2005, and worked five scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking three and striking out three in another 3-0 shutout victory for NC State.
AVENT CLOSING IN: Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent heads into action in the Keith LeClair Classic with a 387-236 record in his 10-plus seasons at NC State. Not only is Avent just 13 wins shy of joining Sam Esposito as the only two coaches in Wolfpack history with 400 wins at the school, he is eight wins shy of tying Ray Tanner for second place in school history for wins at NC State. Tanner went 395-173 in his nine years as the Wolfpack’s head coach before he moved on to South Carolina. Esposito’s career record, both overall and at NC State, was 513-253. Avent’s overall career record stands at 612-447 in 18-plus seasons.
TOP OF THE ORDER BLUES: After scoring more than 11 runs per game over the first five games of the season, NC State has scored just 22 runs in its last five games, an average of 4.4 runs per game. In those five games, the Wolfpack’s 1-2-3 hitters are batting .182 (10-for-55). For the season, the top three spots in the order are hitting .227 (25-for-110).
NO LONG BALLS: In 10 games this season, Wolfpack pitchers have kept the ball in the ballpark, allowing just two home runs and limiting the damage by holding the opposition to a pair of solo shots.One of the two was a wind-blown fly ball February 23 by West Virginia’s Justin Jenkins during Jeff Stallings’ masterful six-inning performance against the Mountaineers. Jennings’ homer, lofted into a 20-plus mph wind blowing straight out to center field, was one of just three hits Stallings allowed WVU in a 5-1 victory for the Pack.
LOW-HIT GAME: When Jeff Stallings, Jake Kensmoe and Kyle Rutter combined on a four-hitter February 23 vs. West Virginia, it marked the lowest-hit game by NC State pitching since the Pack tossed a four-hitter at Wake Forest on April 9, 2006, a 17-2 laugher for Eryk McConnell and three relievers. The last time NC State pitching allowed fewer than four hits in a game was February 4, 2006, when McConnell and three relievers combined on a one-hitter in a 12-2 win over Delaware State.
STARTERS: NC State’s starting pitchers have combined for a 7-1 record and a 2.08 ERA. Opponents are hitting .229 against the starters, who have walked 13 and struck out 46. The Wolfpack’s starters have worked at least five innings in six of 10 starts, and one of the other four was a planned split in which the starter was schedule to work just two innings.
RELIEF: When the starters have needed assistance, the bullpen has come to the rescue. NC State’s relievers have a 2-0 record, six saves and a 1.09 ERA in 41 1/3 innings over 26 appearances. The pen has allowed 26 hits, eight runs, five of them earned, with seven walks and 30 strikeouts. Jimmy Gillheeney, Sam Brown, Eryk McConnell, Kyle Rutter, Joey Cutler, Andrew Taylor and Clayton Shunick have combined to throw 31 1/3 innings in relief (out of 41 1/3 by the bullpen as a whole), allowing just two runs, one earned, on 15 hits while walking three and striking out 25.
TIGHTENING UP: As the Wolfpack offense has struggled to score more as the level of competition has improved (5.4 runs per game the last five games, 11.2 runs the first five games), the pitching staff has stepped up to fill the void. Over the last five games, against North Carolina A&T, West Virginia, Coastal Carolina, TCU and UNC Wilmington, the Wolfpack’s starting pitchers have gone 2-1 with a 1.90 ERA in 23 2/3 innings. They have allowed five runs on 19 hits, walked six and struck out 20 while holding opposing hitters to a .224 batting average. When the starters have struggled, the bullpen has stepped in and picked up the slack, posting a 2-0 record, a 1.77 ERA and four saves. The pen has allowed six runs, four earned, on 16 hits in 20 1/3 innings with four walks and 12 strikeouts. The bullpen also stranded six of eight inherited runners during the last five games.
CATCHERS: Through 10 games, Wolfpack catchers Caleb Mangum and David Lindsay have allowed just two wild pitches and one passed ball between them. (Wild pitches can can be attributed, at least indirectly, to the catcher.) Over 60 games, those numbers would project to just 12 wild pitches and six passed balls, which would be remarkable full-season figures. Dating back to 1990, NC State has averaged 45.3 wild pitches and 10.3 passed balls per season. Over that time, the most notably low WP figures came when the Wolfpack had some of its better defensive catchers.
Catcher (year) # WP
Greg Almond (1992) 33
Greg Almond (1993) 31
Rob Lasater (1996) 37
Dan Mooney (1999) 35
Dan Mooney (2000) 26
Jake Muyco (2004) 27
Jake Muyco (2005) 34
As for passed balls, the Pack had espcecially low numbers in 2002 (Colt Morton, Sammy Esposito and Conor Clougherty) and 2006 (Mangum and Jon Still).
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