Gainesville Super Regional Preview

Baseball153

Wolfpack Baseball invades the University of Florida’s McKethan Stadium in Gainesville this weekend for a best of three date with the Gators for the NCAA Super Regionals. The Pack departed Raleigh Wednesday night, but before boarding their redeye charter, Wolfpack baseball players and coaches participated in a ceremony honoring the 68th anniversary of the WWII allied forces’ “D-Day” invasions of France, which included lighting the Belltower red.

 

On To Gainesville

The Pack celebrates its Raleigh victory.

After their exciting Raleigh Regional victory which saw the Pack win four games, including three straight with their backs against the wall and two out of three against #2 seeded Vanderbilt, Wolfpack Baseball finds itself in the NCAA Tournament’s Super Regionals for the first time since 2008, and one step away from its first College World Series appearance since 1968. To make it through Gainesville and reach Omaha, however, the Wolfpack will need to play its best ball of the season.

The top seeded Florida Gators will likely be motivated to try and make a statement against the Wolfpack this weekend. Despite finishing with the nation’s #1 ranking in multiple polls (all major polls but one, actually), the #1 NCAA RPI, and a 45-18 record against the #1 ranked toughest schedule in the nation, the Gators have little to show for it so far.

They lost in the SEC Tourney, not even reaching the championship game, and finished the regular season tied only for the 3rd best conference record in the SEC at 18-12. A strong finish by South Carolina kept them from even taking the SEC East division pennant. A College World Series appearance would certainly take away some of that sting, and if I’m them I’m wanting to beat some folks, and beat them badly.

Perhaps unfortunately for the Pack, Florida showed signs of heating up during regional play, and if the Gators get in a groove they can beat just about anybody badly.

Game Times – TV Coverage

  • GAME ONE – Saturday, June 9th, 2pm – ESPNU
  • GAME TWO – Sunday, June 10th, 1pm – ESPNU
  • GAME THREE – Monday, June 11th, 1pm – ESPN2 (if necessary)

 

The Competition – Florida Gators Team Capsule

2012 Season Results: 45-18 (18-12 SEC, t3rd). Finished 2nd SEC East Division, t3rd overall. SEC Tourney – 2-2 (beat Auburn, SCar, lost to Vandy twice). Gainesville Regional – 3-0 (beat Bethune-Cookman, GT twice). 7-3 in their last 10.

OFFENSE: Not surprisingly, Florida is an above average hitting club with a team batting avg. of .281 (5th SEC) and 592 hits on the season (5th SEC). Pack pitching will have to be on top of their game this weekend, however, as the Gators are the best power hitting team in the country and regularly make opposing pitching staffs pay for their mistakes with 71 HR on the season (1st SEC, 1st NCAA) and a slugging pct. of .448 (1st SEC).

Florida's Mike Zunino

All-American Junior C (#3) Mike Zunino bats at a .316 clip and leads his Gators team with 18 HR and a seemingly impossible slugging pct. of .667 in 231 at bats.  Senior (#25) Preston Tucker matches Zunino’s .316 avg., while knocking 15 roundtrippers of his own and posting a .579 slugging pct. Junior leadoff man (#4) Nolan Fontana gets on base a lot prior to a lot of those homers being hit (on base pct .414), but he also hits his own share with 9 on the year. Even after Senior (#8) Daniel Pigott (.321, 7 HR, 38 RBI) and Junior (#35) Brian Johnson (.310, 5 HR, 40 RBI), it doesn’t get much easier.

The Gators have drawn 234 walks on the year (4th SEC) and scored 370 runs w/ 339 batted in (both 3rd SEC). Despite their power, Florida hitters rarely strike out with only 332 Ks this season (2nd fewest SEC). Florida baserunners have also stolen 60 bases on 86 attempts.

PITCHING & DEFENSE: Wolfpack hitters will have perhaps their biggest challenge of the season against the Gators and will need to work hard, concentrate and be patient if they expect to continue seeing the ball and hitting it well, as they face a pitching staff which ranks among the nation’s elite. The Gators carry a staff ERA of 2.85 (2nd SEC, 5th NCAA), and hold opposing hitters to a .240 avg. On the season they’ve given up only 201 runs (1st SEC), and issued only 127 walks (1st SEC). Opposing batters have hit only 29 HR against them, while striking out 471 times.

Florida's Brian Johnson

Doing it at the plate and on the mound, Junior LHP (#35) Brian Johnson (8-4, 3.56 ERA, 16 starts) is tied for tops among Gators’ pitchers for both wins (8) and innings pitched (86.0), along with Junior RHP (#11) Hudson Randall (8-2, 2.83, 14 starts). Sophomore RHP (#23) Jonathon Crawford (6-2, 2.92 ERA, 65 Ks, 13 starts) and Sophomore RHP (#22) Karsten Whitson (3-0, 3.31 ERA, 10 starts) have been used as both regular starters and out of the pen.  Crawford in particular appears pretty comfortable when used either way, tossing a no hitter in his last outing as the Gators blanked Bethune-Cookman 4-0 in their opening game of the Gainesville Regional.

Among Florida’s set up men, Senior RHP (#37) Greg Larson carries an anorexic season ERA of 1.31 and has six wins of his own (6-0), while Junior LHP (#32) Steven Rodriguez is 3-2 with 4 saves, an ERA of 2.08 and 79 Ks (against only 13 BB). The Gators’ closer, Junior RHP (#10) Austin Maddox, is 3-3 with 12 saves and an ERA of 2.24.

Defensively, the Gators again rank near the top of the heap nationally with a .978 team fielding pct. (3rd SEC, 10th NCAA) and only 53 errors (4th SEC). Opposing baserunners have stolen 52 bases on 74 attempts.

 

Other Super Regional Action

While the Pack doesn’t open play in Gainesville until Saturday, Super Regional play begins elsewhere on Friday. All times for game threes are “if necessary” and subject to change; all times eastern.

Games Friday thru Sunday:

  • (1) Stanford @ (1) Florida State (Tallahassee) – 7pm/6pm/7pm
  • (2) TCU @ (1) UCLA (LA) – 9pm/9pm/10pm
  • (4) Stony Brook @ (1) LSU (Baton Rouge) – 12pm/12pm/1pm
  • (3) St. John’s @ (1) Arizona (Tucson) – 3pm/3pm/4pm

Games Saturday thru Monday:

  • (1) NC State @ (1) Florida (Gainesville) – 2pm/1pm/1pm
  • (3) Kent St. @ (1) Oregon (Eugene) – 11pm/10pm/7pm
  • (2) Arkansas @ (1) Baylor (Waco) – 5pm/4pm/4pm
  • (2) Oklahoma @ (1) S. Carolina (Columbia) – 8pm/7pm/7pm

 

College World Series – The Basics

It’s never too early to look forward to Omaha. In conversing with some folks recently, there seems to be some confusion about how the CWS works, exactly.

There are eight super regional winners which will advance to the CWS in Omaha. In Omaha the teams are divided into two four-team groups. Each four-team group plays SEPARATE seeded four team double elimination brackets. The two teams that emerge from each bracket then play a best of three for the championship.

It’s basically the same as regional to super regional in the earlier rounds.

There is no pool play. There is no sudden death one game championship game.

The CWS gets underway on Friday June 15th. Bracket play runs from 6/15 thru 6/22, with each bracket essentially alternating days of play, thus reducing pitching wear and tear. The two teams left standing after bracket play then face off in their best of three series beginning Sunday, June 24.

 

Media Coverage

GatorSports.com has a brief piece, reflecting what they think of the Pack, with their N.C. State baseball scouting report:

‘Pack at the plate: Other than outfielder Ryan Mathews, who has a team-leading 17 home runs and 62 RBIs, State does not have a lot of power. The rest of the lineup has produced only 25 home runs. The Wolfpack, however, know how to produce runs, and a lot of the offense is generated by hit-and-runs and aggressive baserunning. Trea Turner (.344, 42 RBIs) leads the nation in stolen bases with 56. State’s other top guns at the plate are Chris Diaz (.356, 25 doubles, 55 RBIs) and Danny Canela (.342, 6 HRs, 44 RBIs).

‘Pack on the mound: North Carolina State has a dominant No. 1 starter in true freshman Carlos Rodon, the ACC pitcher and freshman of the year. Rodon is 9-0 with an ERA of 1.61 and 132 strikeouts in 111 innings. Opponents are hitting only .181 against him. The other starters are Ethan Ogburn (5-3, 3.23) and Anthony Tzamtzis (5-5, 3.84). The Wolfpack have a deep and effective bullpen, led by closer Chris Overman, who has six saves and has struck out 42 in 33 innings. Overall, opposing teams are hitting only .231 with 22 home runs against the State staff.

Florida flavor: State’s top four offensive players — Mathews, Turner, Diaz and Canela — are all from the state of Florida. Mathews, who is from Orlando, played at Santa Fe College before signing with the Wolfpack. Overall, State has eight players from Florida on its roster.

 

Chip Alexander (N&O) shows us that Vandy Coach Tim Corbin chose his words carefully, but says the Pack stacks up well with the Gators as N.C. State baseball turns attention to Florida:

“I think North Carolina State stacks up well,” Corbin said. “They’ve got a very good hitting team. They’ve got a couple of guys who can leave the ballpark and in (Ryan) Mathews have a quality power hitter. They’ve got a very similar ballpark as they play in here (at Doak). The lines are shallow (329 feet down left-field line, 325 in right).

“In saying that, I think Florida is the best team in the country that we’ve played this year. Their pitching is very good. They can hit. They don’t make mistakes. And they’ll be playing at home. Does that factor into it? It does factor into it.”

The Gators swept a three-game series from the Commodores during the regular season but lost twice to Vandy in the SEC tournament. Florida bounced back to sweep through the Gainesville Regional, getting a no-hitter from Jonathan Crawford in a 4-0 win against Bethune-Cookman, then dispatching Georgia Tech 6-2 and 15-3.

Chip also has more about the Pack’s Florida connection – Florida a homecoming for several N.C. State baseball players

 

And of course, Tarran Senay has been a popular subject so far this week:

NewsObserver.com – Tudor: Pack baseball hero knew he had hit it out

RALEIGH — There might have been doubt among N.C. State baseball fans at Doak Field Monday, but Tarran Senay knew immediately.

“Yeah, it felt like it was out right away,” said the reserve outfielder. “I was lucky enough to hit it exactly the way I was hoping to.”

“It” was a full-count, three-run homer over the right-field fence in the eighth inning against Vanderbilt in the championship game of the NCAA Tournament Raleigh Region.

JournalNow.com (Winston-Salem) – Senay off bench, into history

RALEIGH — Tarran Senay didn’t sleep much Monday night or Tuesday after almost single-handedly carrying N.C. State to the Raleigh Regional title in the NCAA baseball tournament.

In one of the top feats of the college season, and in school history, Senay came off the bench to play left field in the seventh inning of the championship game Monday, and in two at-bats, he drove in five runs, helping his team win 9-7.

 

And last but by no means least, a truly fantastic piece from Conor O’Neill of TheTimesNews.com (Burlington), Wolfpack banks on high character en route to NCAA super regional…

RALEIGH — North Carolina State baseball coach Elliott Avent said the mood in his team’s locker room after losing to Vanderbilt on Saturday night “didn’t compare” to the mood after the 12th-inning loss to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament.

It was that bad.

But for how awful N.C. State felt Saturday night, the feelings were flipped when the Wolfpack dog-piled in front of the mound on Monday night after Ryan Wilkins shut down Vanderbilt for a 9-7 victory.

In that victory, and Sunday victories against UNC Wilmington and Vanderbilt to set up Monday’s drama, the Wolfpack displayed the same poise that has driven through the season.

 

UF Vitals and Some Fun Stuff

 

UF Vitals

  • Gainesville, Florida
  • Est. 1853
  • Type: Public
  • Enrollment: Approx. 49,600
  • Southeast Conference (SEC)
  • Mascot: Gators
  • Colors: Orange and Blue

Famous UF Alumni include incumbent North Carolina Governor “Bev” Perdue; the Ol’ Ball Coach, Steve Spurrier; the NFL’s Emmitt Smith and Tim Tebow (among many others past and present); and ESPN hottie, Erin Andrews.

And whether you like Tebowmania or not, it’s hard to argue with fans like this…

Tebow Fan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

…and this…

Gator Supporters

…plus, they have cheerleaders that look like this…

Gators Cheerleader Pool Party Click to enlarge (recommended)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully the Pack will have its mind (and its eyes) on business this weekend.  Perhaps if they need help, a couple of notorious “Gator Hators” can lend a hand:

Early & Elvis, Gator Hators

Best Granny Ever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Miscellaneous Notes:

We’ll add more as Saturday’s first pitch draws nearer, but for now here’s something to get you started…

  • Two of the three finalists for the 2012 Golden Spikes Award will be facing off in Gainesville this weekend…Florida’s Mike Zunino and NC State’s Carlos Rodon (The third, Stanford’s Jr. righthander Mark Appel, will also be in the state of Florida as the Cardinal visits FSU for its Super Regional tilt).
  • Between the two teams, there will be four All-Americans competing…For the first team it’s Zunino and Rodon again, of course.  For the second team it’s the Gators’ Mr. Everything Brian Johnson, and the Pack’s go to SS, Chris Diaz.
  • A combined nine All-Conference (ACC & SEC) performers will take the field in Gainesville this weekend.

 

UF’s Alfred A. McKethan Stadium at Perry Field notes and numbers:

  • Opened 1988 (701-231)
  • Capacity: 5,500 (but has held crowds as big as 6,100)
  • Surface: Natural
  • Dimensions:
    • Left Field: 329 feet
    • Left Center: 365 feet
    • Center Field: 400 feet
    • Right Center: 375 feet
    • Right Field: 325 feet
BEST COLLEGE BASEBALL STADIUMS
Source: January 1998 Baseball America
1. Arkansas (Baum Stadium)
2. Hawaii (Rainbow Stadium)
3. Auburn (Plainsman Park)
4. Mississippi State (Dudy Noble Field)
5. San Diego State (Tony Gwynn Stadium)
6. Fresno State (Beiden Field)
7. FLORIDA (McKethan Stadium)
8. Clemson (Tiger Field)
9. Texas A&M (Olsen Field)
10. Arizona State (Packard Stadium)
11. Ohio State (Bill Davis Stadium)
12. Texas (Disch-Falk Field)
13. Georgia (Foley Field)
14. Tennessee (Lindsey Nelson Stadium)
15. Long Beach State (Blair Field)

 

–

Keep it rollin’ thru Gainesville, Gentlemen!

Good Luck and Go Pack!

–

About Wufpacker

A 2nd generation alumnus and raised since birth to be irrationally dedicated to all things NC State. Class of '88 and '92.

Baseball

153 Responses to Gainesville Super Regional Preview

  1. Wufpacker 06/08/2012 at 5:35 PM #

    @fv
    It’s all good, I understand where you’re coming from. Thought overall that the coaching staff handled things very well. Only move I really questioned all weekend was staying with Jernigan thru the 3rd, and as I said I understood why at the time. Just thought letting Vandy get out of the inning with a lead without at least throwing something different at them was a mistake.

    Never can tell though…maybe we pull Jernigan there and whoever spells him goes on to give up a 10 spot.

  2. 61Packer 06/08/2012 at 5:44 PM #

    Not starting a well-rested Carlos Rodon in game one would be THE WTF moment in Avent’s coaching history here at State. You’re playing the #1 seed on their home field in a best-of-three series. Why would you NOT start your ace? What am I missing here?

    Holding Rodon out would be, to me, like the Dodgers of old holding out a well-rested Sandy Koufax for game one of the World Series in Yankee Stadium. Do our coaches really WANT to win, or just WTNY?

  3. Wufpacker 06/08/2012 at 5:51 PM #

    Couple of great early games so far today.

    UofA gets down by 5 runs, tie it at 5 to send it to extras, go to the bottom 10th down 6-5, tie it in the bottom 10th….still batting.

    Stony Brook/LSU still tied at 4 going to the 12th. Rain delay allegedly would be over in 10 minutes (about an hour ago). I think they’re holding it until St.Johns/UofA finishes.

  4. Lunatic Fringe 06/08/2012 at 5:55 PM #

    61 – 3 game series vs 7 game series

    Rodon will pitch 1 and ONLY 1 game vs. Florida. A major league ace (like CC was used for Yankees couple years ago) could potentially pitch 3 games on short rest.

  5. Wufpacker 06/08/2012 at 5:55 PM #

    UofA wins 7-6 in 10th on a walk off bases loaded single.

  6. CaptainCraptacular 06/08/2012 at 6:11 PM #

    ### Why would you NOT start your ace? What am I missing here

    Hello? Check the last comment on page 1.

  7. fvpackman 06/08/2012 at 6:36 PM #

    Weather has a lot to do with it…you guys want Carlos to throw 3 innings have a hour rain delay and be done for the weekend?..and it’s not like Ogburn has not been the game one starter for about 95% of the season,,,this is nothing but a weekend series with the winner going to Omaha…Carlos is very comfortable with this rotation…and so am I….one of 2 situations will happen…we win and Carlos goes for the series win or we lose and we have Carlos in the game we have to have…

    fv

  8. CaptainCraptacular 06/08/2012 at 6:47 PM #

    ^ Thank you for validating my weather concerns….

  9. Lunatic Fringe 06/08/2012 at 6:55 PM #

    “One of 2 situations will happen…we win and Carlos goes for the series win or we lose and we have Carlos in the game we have to have”

    Exactly!

    Carlos as second starter based on conditions maximizes the innings he will be pitching to Florida. It is all I care about really…

  10. Whiteshoes67 06/08/2012 at 7:22 PM #

    FV^ I understand the weather concerns. I also understand the R-L-R and rotation. I just disagree for posteason play. If you have a lot of pitching depth, then it’s different story. When you’re playing #1 on their turf, I want to put pressure on them with my best. When I look at their lineup of lefties and their record versus lefties, it’s a no brainer to me. A bird in the hand is worth 2 in the bush.

    As for the WTF decisions from last week, Avent gets all the credit for making the Senay move, but no criticism for being in some really tough spots? Here are a few, and this ain’t no monday morning quarterbacking. He left starters in too long. Period. Even before the blood letting, Vandy was teeing off. More importantly, not once do I recall an intentional walk when we were in the heart of the Vandy order, runners in scoring position, and 1st base open. Not once. Not even an unintentional intentional walk. We just chucked it over the plate. And got burned. Defensively, I’ll take Austin behind the plate, let Canela DH. Unless the pitchers aren’t comfortable with Austin yet, then i can understand it.

  11. fvpackman 06/08/2012 at 8:20 PM #

    got burned? we lost 1 game out of 5 and that was on a walkoff…not like we got blown out by anyone..where is the blood letting? we went 4-1 and won the reg…..I understand your thoughts on your best in game 1….but I also know we need Carlos to go deep in a game…and the odds of that happening tomorrow with the weather are pretty slim….as far as catchers go I agree…but I know both the kids and they are both great kids so I am not going into the reasons…but there are a couple good ones…..

  12. TheCOWDOG 06/08/2012 at 8:26 PM #

    Zipped lip. Mostly ’cause there’s no where near enough bandwidth .

  13. fvpackman 06/08/2012 at 8:30 PM #

    I hear you cow….I am just ready for tomorrow…I also respect the way you have gotten behind this team,,,knowing and respecting your thoughs on my friend…..

  14. TheCOWDOG 06/08/2012 at 9:08 PM #

    FV, they weren’t thin this past weekend, not by any measure.

    Poorly used Saturday perhaps, but not thin. ( Wilkins)

    Wuf may be right with the closeness angle. I don’t begrudge it, same as all of us. We are on the same side.

    But…if I see Matthews ever, ever square around to SAC in the early innings of this series, like on Monday night…I’ll bust a freakin’ gourd, and call into the baseball knowledge of anyone here.

    Go Pack, and by god go Elliott! I don’t mean go as in leave, I mean get it on.

  15. Wufpacker 06/08/2012 at 9:55 PM #

    I’m rarely right about much, so probably not. Just happy to be there right now…2pm tomorrow, I’ll want more.

    Sure would like an FSU-like opener, with us on the good end, of course. With Appel’s poor showing tonight, is it now a two horse race for the Golden Spikes?

  16. Wufpacker 06/08/2012 at 9:57 PM #

    The move that never works just worked for UCLA, btw.

  17. elvislives 06/08/2012 at 10:02 PM #

    From Baseball America Super-Regional Preview (thanks WV Wolf for your forum link):

    “I think N.C. State is the most talented team we played all year. I think they’re better than Florida State, better than North Carolina, better than Virginia. (snip) They’re fun to watch, man. The talent of the freshmen is really, really good, but they’ve got enough veterans (snip) that help those young guys know how to play the game, and how to handle situations…”

    http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/college/postseason/super-regional/2012/2613544.html

    In Elliott I trust, after last weekend I’m done second guessing (for now). I like the rotation and I’m ready for it to play out. All these extra innings and situational work is improving every single player on the team. Let’s do it Pack.

  18. Dr. BadgerPack 06/08/2012 at 10:04 PM #

    Look folks. It’s baseball. No matter what decision is made, weird stuff will happen and one team will leave pissed, and one will leave thinking their coach is the best thing since implants.

    Every Cardinal fan is probably second guessing starting Appel game 1 on the road… FSU destroyed him, confidence shot, no #8 pick (and #1 talent) to go tomorrow down a game.

    If Appel isn’t missing his spots- and having the worst outing of his career, they’re singing a different tune.

    There are two philosophies, and NEITHER is more “right” than the other.

    Rodon game 1: get momentum, try to steal one
    Rodon game 2: max bullpen for games 1 and 3

    Fact 1: At least one guy other than Rodon needs to win 1 to advance
    Fact 2: The weather is going to suck
    Fact 3: If these asshats even START the game tomorrow with the way the weather is looking, I toss Jernigan or Tzamtzis on the mound…
    Fact 4: Weather changes… so I doubt anything is set in stone. And if I’m managing, I tell two guys to go to sleep tonight expecting to
    get the rock.

    And, Final Thought: I’d love to see Mathews square around in the early innings in a sac spot… Then, of course, after the third baseman takes a step in crush the second pitch right past him. Just to mess with ya COWDOG.

  19. fvpackman 06/08/2012 at 10:06 PM #

    cow I agreed on the Mathews att bunt…the girl sitting next to me told me to watch my language….

  20. Wufpacker 06/08/2012 at 10:17 PM #

    Shoulda smacked her up.

  21. BJD95 06/08/2012 at 10:56 PM #

    I like using the ace in game 2 because it splits up the games with potentially the most extensive bullpen use. One game is one game. What does it matter if #1 or #2? It doesn’t.

  22. Tuffy2 06/08/2012 at 11:59 PM #

    So the Gators can put just about anyone on the mound in game 1 and it would not matter. We need to start Roden because if we lose game 1 we will be in trouble.

  23. Lunatic Fringe 06/09/2012 at 8:44 AM #

    Favorite part of Day 1 was Doug Glanville’s comment in late innings after one of the LSU players hit a HR to tie up the game vs. Stony Brook.

    “…that is why they pay ’em the big bucks” 🙂

  24. bigjohn 06/09/2012 at 8:52 AM #

    The statistical comparison from the N&O article about “No Doubt the Gators Belong”, actually favors the Pack. I think it is a real opportunity to have a shot at the No. 1 team when they might take us more lightly.

  25. BJD95 06/09/2012 at 8:55 AM #

    From a baseball theory standpoint (full disclosure, I’m a saber-ist), it also makes sense to break up two “finesse” guys with your hard thrower. That way, the batters don’t get fully settled in with their timing down, such that the second finesse guy gets throttled.

    But the weather issue makes it a no-brainer. Even for those of you who disagree with me on pitch counts…you really, really can’t suggest it’s prudent to let Rodon pitch 2 or 3 innings, sit out a multiple hour rain delay, then try to pitch again. For one thing, he will be wild and likely ineffective. Secondly, it’s a really good way to get hurt. Fluid mechanics or not.

    Again – I am not overall an Avent apologist. But I do appreciate that he embraces at least some modern baseball theory, and is willing not to manage “by the book.”

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