North Carolina State University Athletics
Baseball Hosts Miami
3/25/2010 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
NC State vs. Miami
The Hurricanes lead the Wolfpack by a 22-10 margin in a series that dates back only 20 years. The two first met in the 1990 NCAA Atlantic Regional in Coral Gables. NC State and Miami have faced one another five times in NCAA Tournament play, with the Hurricanes winning all five, and 17 times since the Canes joined the Atlantic Coast Conference for the 2004-05 school year.
NC State is 8-18 vs. Miami since Elliott Avent became head coach in 1997. The Wolfpack is 6-11 against Miami in ACC play. NC State is 3-5 vs. Miami at Doak Field at Dail Park, 2-4 since the ballpark was renovated from 2002-04.
Miami swept NC State a year ago by scores of 7-6, 4-0 and 9-7 in Coral Gables. NC State had a late lead in the first game of the series and a big lead early in the third, but could not hold on.
NC State took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 12th of the first gameon Wade Moore’s squeeze bunt, but Jason Hagerty’s two-run homer in the bottom of the inning lifted the Hurricanes to victory.
Three Miami hurlers, led by six innings from David Gutierrez, combined on a three-hit shutout in the second game of the series.
The Wolfpack jumped to a 7-0 lead after three innings of the finale on the strength of a three-run homer by Devon Cartwright, but the Hurricanes scored a run in the fourth and seven in the fifth and held on 9-7.
Probable Pitching Starters
Friday, March 26 - Jake Buchanan vs. Chris Hernandez
Saturday, March 27 - Cory Mazzoni vs. Jason Santana
Sunday, March 28 - Alex Sogard vs. Eric Erickson
Avent Piling Up The W’s
Head coach Elliott Avent, currently in his 14th season with NC State baseball (21st overall), has done a remarkable job following a long line of great Wolfpack head coaches. Avent has averaged more than 38 victories per season over the course of 21-plus years.
Heading into this weekend’s series vs. Miami, Avent has a 722-527 overall record as a head coach, and 497-318 in 13-plus years at NC State. Avent now needs just three victories to become the second coach in school history to win 500 games at NC State. Avent needs 16 wins to pass Sam Esposito and become the winningest baseball coach in NC State history.
Double-Doubles
NC State has scored 10 runs or more 11 times and rapped out 10 hits or more 15 times, reaching double figures in both 10 times.
NC State has had 20 hits or more four times, and 15 hits or more nine times. The Wolfpack has scored 15 runs or more seven times, including 32 runs in the season opener vs. La Salle. The Pack has reached double figures for RBIs nine times, and three times for walks.
Wolfpack Hitters Hot On The Road
NC State batted .309 as a team and scored more than nine runs per game on its recently completed nine-game road trip. The Pack hit 17 doubles and 19 home runs.
Leadoff hitter Kyle Wilson led the offense on the trip, hitting .438 (14-for-32) with a double, a home run, five steals, nine runs scored and three driven in. John Gianis batted .421 (8-for-19) with a triple, a home run and seven RBIs. Tarran Senay played in only five of the eight games he played on the trip, but batted .400 (10-for-25) with three doubles, four home runs and nine RBIs. Three hitters drove in 10 runs or more during the trip — Andrew Ciencin with 12, Dallas Poulk with 11 and Drew Poulk with 10. While the Wolfpack bats cooled off during the final three games of the trip, Russell Wilson (.500), Drew Poulk (.364) and Kyle Wilson (.357) kept the offense rolling.
Kyle Wilson Igniting The Offense
Senior center fielder and leadoff hitter Kyle Wilson has definitely been a big-time table-setter for NC State this season. Wilson’s overall numbers say plenty — .430 batting average, 31 runs scored, 10 steals in 11 attempts, .570 slugging percentage and a .545 on-base percentage — but a deeper look at his season is quite revealing.
Wilson has eight multiple-hit games and seven multiple-run games. Wilson has hit safely in all 19 games in which he has started. He has had hitting streaks of 14 games and five games, the latter streak being current. Wilson began the season by reaching base safely in his first five plate appearances. Wilson has yet to go more than four plate appearances without reaching base safely. He has gone four plate appearances without reaching base just three times all season. Wilson had a season-best streak of eight consecutive plate appearance in which he reached base, covering a three-game span (March 4 vs. Xavier through March 6 vs. Quinnipiac).
Game Day Promotions
Friday - Booking With The Pack
Donate 3 gently used books and receive one free ticket to the game
Saturday - Teacher Apprecation Night
All teachers who show their work ID will receive one free ticket to the game
Sunday - Team Photo Day
All fans 17/under will be invited to the field following the game to have a group photo taken with the team. Photos will be emailed to the fans.
