Wolfpack Baseball (27-20, 9-15 ACC, 5th Atlantic) welcomes the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest to Raleigh this weekend for a must win 3 game series.
Week in Review
To be honest, I toyed with the idea of not writing a preview for this weekend’s series with Wake for mojo reasons. With no preview of last weekend’s series vs Coastal Carolina the Pack jumped up and swept the Chanticleers, scoring 28 runs in the 3 games (including 11 for Carlos Rodon on Friday…holy sh-tsnacks!!!), and running their winning streak to 5 games.
But then on Wednesday, they spotted Richmond an early 4 run lead en route to a 7-4 loss to the lowly Spiders. So I figured it was, at best, an unclear mojo situation and decided to put up a preview. But I waited so long to start it that time constraints became a factor, thus there will be no individual player stats this week.
And of course, if the Pack screws the pooch vs Wake this weekend, I suppose you can blame me for putting up even a minimalistic preview.
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Credit Where It’s Due
Trea Turner was named ACC Player of the Week, as well as a National Player of the Week this past week for his blistering performance vs Coastal Carolina. Turner was 9 for 11 (.818) with 4 walks, including reaching safely for 10 consecutive plate appearances. He had 1HR, 3RBI, scored 11 runs, was 6/6 on stolen bases including a steal of home, and posted a 1.364 slgpct.
The previous week, Carlos Rodon was named ACC Pitcher of the Week, in spite of taking a 1-0 loss to GT. Rodon went the distance in that one, scattering 6 hits and striking out 15 (including 10 of the first 11 batters he faced). He walked only 2 and managed not to plunk anyone.
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Wake Forest Demon Deacons
26-22 (12-12 ACC, 3rd Atlantic); Last 10:3-7 ;Streak:Lost 5
2013: 28-27 (9-21 ACC)
Statistically speaking, State is the better team as far as offense, pitching and defense. Moreover, Wake has been slumping lately. Nonetheless, they currently hold a 3 game lead over the Pack.
Batting/Offense
Batting avg – .252 (NCSU .264)
Runs/game – 4.54 (NCSU 5.60)
HR – 27 (NCSU 25)
Total Hits – 411 (NCSU 419)
Total Runs – 218 (NCSU 263)
OBP – .350 (NCSU .361)
Slgpct – .346 (NCSU .364)
Walks – 221 (NCSU 201)
Struck Out – 349 (NCSU 346)
Stolen Bases – 34/42 (NCSU 58/72)
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Pitching/Defense
ERA – 3.69 (NCSU 3.16)
Runs Allowed/game – 4.51 (NCSU 3.84)
Total Hits Allowed – 428 (NCSU 370)
Total Runs Allowed – 221 (NCSU 180)
HR Allowed – 21 (NCSU 18)
Against avg – .256 (NCSU .238)
Strikeouts – 326 (NCSU 434)
Walks Allowed – 164 (NCSU 188)
Fldpct – .965 (NCSU .969)
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Games Schedule – Pitching Probables – TV
- Friday 5/9, 6:30pm – Carlos Rodon vs Connor Kaden – ESPN3
- Saturday 5/10, 6:30pm – Logan Jernigan vs Jack Fischer – ESPN3
- Monday 5/12, 6pm – TBA vs TBA – ESPNU
Elsewhere in the ACC this Weekend
- GT @ UVa
- UMd @ Pitt
- Miami @ Duke
- FSU @ Carolina
- Clemson @ ND
BC is OOC this weekend vs Binghamton, and VT is idle.
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ACC Standings
| Conference | Overall | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | schools | W-L-T | PCT | W-L-T | PCT |
| 1. | Florida State | 17-7-0 | .708 | 37-11-0 | .771 |
| 2. | Clemson | 12-11-0 | .522 | 30-19-0 | .612 |
| 3. | Wake Forest | 12-12-0 | .500 | 26-22-0 | .542 |
| 4. | Maryland | 12-14-0 | .462 | 30-19-0 | .612 |
| 5. | NC State | 9-15-0 | .375 | 27-20-0 | .574 |
| 6. | Boston College | 9-18-0 | .333 | 20-29-0 | .408 |
| 7. | Notre Dame | 4-20-0 | .167 | 17-30-0 | .362 |
Coastal Division
| Conference | Overall | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | schools | W-L-T | PCT | W-L-T | PCT |
| 1. | Miami | 19-5-0 | .792 | 35-14-0 | .714 |
| 2. | Virginia | 18-6-0 | .750 | 38-9-0 | .809 |
| 3. | Duke | 15-9-0 | .625 | 30-18-0 | .625 |
| 4. | North Carolina | 13-11-0 | .542 | 29-19-0 | .604 |
| 5. | Georgia Tech | 14-13-0 | .519 | 29-20-0 | .592 |
| 6. | Pitt | 11-13-0 | .458 | 22-24-0 | .478 |
| 7. | Virginia Tech | 8-19-0 | .296 | 20-28-1 | .418 |
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ACC Tourney Picture
- Miami 19-5
- FSU 17-7
- UVa 18-6
- Duke 15-9
- Carolina 13-11
- Clemson 12-11
- GT 14-13
- Wake 12-12
- Maryland 12-14
- Pitt 11-13
- ——OUT——
NCSU 9-15
BC 9-18*
VT 8-19*
ND 4-20**
*With 18 and 19 losses respectively, BC and VT are all but eliminated from ACC Tourney contention.
**ND is mathematically eliminated.
ACC schedule remaining.
- Miami (@Duke, vsCarolina)
- FSU (@Carolina, vsDuke)
- UVa (vsGT, @Wake)
- Duke (vsMiami, @FSU)
- Carolina (vsFSU, @Miami)
- Clemson (@ND, vsBC)
- GT (@UVa)
- Wake (@NCSU, vsUVa)
- UMd (@Pitt)
- Pitt (vsUMd, @ND)
- NCSU (vsWake, @VT)
- BC (@Clemson)
- VT (vsNCSU)
- ND (vsClemson, @Pitt)
There are myriad scenarios that could play out which could move the Pack into the mix of 10 teams heading to G’boro. But all involve winning some damn games, and all also will require some degree help from elsewhere.
The Pack’s simplest path (ie, the one in which they control MOST of their own fate and thus rely on the LEAST amount of outside help) is for them to take care of business this weekend vs Wake.
With Wake hosting UVa the final weekend and State headed to slumping VT, a home series win over Wake this weekend is vital to get the Pack within striking distance of the Deacs (as well as UMd and Pitt), while a sweep would have Wake and State tied (with State holding the tiebreaker) heading into that final weekend.
Of course the flip side is that losing this weekend’s series would all but cook our goose (depending on what happens this weekend with Pitt/UMd).
Technically speaking, State could still overtake everyone not named Miami, FSU, UVa or Duke and finish as high as the #5 seed. Of course that would require a confluence of occurrences which might make the universe implode, not the least of which would be ND and BC BOTH sweeping Clemson.
Sorry, can’t resist….
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Go Pack!!!
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