Baseball – Duke Rolls Into Raleigh

With less than a month to go in the 2016 regular season, Wolfpack Baseball (29-11, 10-6 ACC) has itself positioned pretty well as it rounds the back turn and approaches the stretch run.

But with Duke at home this weekend, followed by road trips to Clemson and Louisville, and home vs Carolina to close things out, there’s still work to be done.

Let’s (briefly) Talk Duke Baseball

The Duke Blue Devils (24-18, 9-12 ACC) have won 4 of their last five, including a series win on the road in Blacksburg at VT last weekend. And yeah, sure….it was VT, but it WAS on the road.

We don’t need to sweep Duke, but at home we better not lose this series if we hope to host a regional and/or garner a national seed.

They pitch fairly well and they’re solid defensively, but they don’t hit well. We match up well with Duke, FWIW.

Now, I don’t mean to sound as if I’m overlooking the Devils. They’re a solid club and they could easily derail our plans. In all seriousness, mostly, I’m being lazy. But seriously….2 out of 3 this weekend and I am a happy boy heading to Clemson next weekend.

Some NCAA Tourney/RPI/National Seed Discussion

State is currently #8 in the RPI rankings, against the 8th toughest schedule. They dropped from #6 last week after pounding on (then #289) NC A&T last weekend. As I mentioned in the comments of the previous baseball entry, one of the A&T games getting rained out was probably very helpful RPI wise.

Pack9 has twelve games left, all conference games. Nine of those games are against teams in the top 15 of the current RPI (at #11 Clemson x3, at #2 Louisville x3, vs #13 Carolina x3).

Then there’s Duke. Currently #56, Duke’s RPI is on the cusp of being significant for our post-season resume. They climbed eight spots this week to get to #56, and aside from this weekend against us, we need Duke to do well the rest of the year and get themselves into the top 50 if at all possible (just playing us should keep them fairly steady as the RPI numbers go….and as a general rule, we need everyone we’ve already played to do well, other than Coastal Carolina…more on that below).

Records against the RPI top 50 are often significant when two or more teams’ resumes are otherwise similar. Currently, the Pack has the best record in the country vs the RPI top 50 (14-6).

So, what will it take to get a national seed? Hard to say for sure because it’s dependent upon what other teams do of course. But win the Duke, Clemson and Carolina series, and don’t get swept at Louisville, and don’t go 0-fer in our pod in the ACC Tourney….and I’d expect we’d have a shot at a national seed.

Counterpoint – As things stand now, Louisville, Miami, and FSU are very well positioned for national seeds. At the same time, the SEC has four other national seeds all but locked up presuming all of their top teams (Florida, SCar, aTm, Ole Miss, MissSt, Vandy) don’t go down the drain in the next month. Sadly, this means that the Pack REALLY needs to distinguish itself from here on out, as the committee is unlikely to give national seeds to only two conferences unless they have to. While they claim to not look at conference affiliation, that’s crap.

There are also the issues of pairing regionals geographically, but I won’t get into that. Just realize that if we’re in the RPI 7 or lower (higher?) range, and teams like SCar, Vandy or Coastal Carolina are ahead of us, we’re screwed.

FWIW….National seed refers to the top 8 seeds of the NCAA Tourney. A national seed will host both the regionals and also the super regionals…presuming they don’t screw the pooch in the regionals. It’s a way easier path to Omaha than going on the road. As far as hosting a regional (top 16), Pack is safely in that range currently and will have to screw up very badly to fall out. Which isn’t impossible, FWIW.

(please don’t say #NCStateShit)

But yeah, the next four weekends are huge for ’16 NCSU Baseball.  You can be a hero….or you can be a zero.

Weekend Schedule vs Duke

  • Friday 4/29, 6:30pm – ESPN3
  • Saturday 4/30, 6:30pm
  • Sunday 5/1, 1pm – ESPN3

ACC Standings

Atlantic
Schools Conf W-L-T Conf PCT W-L-T PCT
Florida State 13-4-0 .765 28-11-0 .718
Louisville 14-7-0 .667 32-9-0 .780
NC State 10-6-0 .625 29-11-0 .725
Wake Forest 10-11-0 .476 27-17-0 .614
Notre Dame 9-10-0 .474 24-16-0 .600
Clemson 9-12-0 .429 26-14-0 .650
Boston College 7-12-0 .368 21-16-0 .568
Coastal
Schools Conf W-L-T Conf PCT W-L-T PCT
Miami 14-5-0 .737 30-8-0 .789
Virginia 12-10-0 .545 27-17-0 .614
Georgia Tech 10-10-0 .500 27-14-0 .659
Pitt 8-9-0 .471 21-14-0 .600
North Carolina 9-12-0 .429 28-15-0 .651
Duke 9-12-0 .429 24-18-0 .571
Virginia Tech 4-17-0 .190 14-28-0 .333

Elsewhere in the ACC this weekend:

  • FSU at Clemson (go Tiggs…now I feel sick)
  • VT at BC (who cares?)
  • UVa at Pitt (ditto)
  • St John’s at ‘Ville (again…who cares?)
  • Ohio U at ND (ibid)
  • FLA A&M at Miami(sheesh)
  • Coastal Carolina at GT (Go Jackets!!!)

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.

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Home Forums Baseball – Duke Rolls Into Raleigh

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Viewing 25 posts - 1 through 25 (of 52 total)
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  • #102987
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    With less than a month to go in the 2016 regular season, Wolfpack Baseball (29-11, 10-6 ACC) has itself positioned pretty well as it rounds the back t
    [See the full post at: Baseball – Duke Rolls Into Raleigh]

    #102988
    Gowolves
    Participant

    Thanks for the write up. In honor of a old WPTF radio show I present the following sketch. One hint it was Saturday morning years ago. Lov3d it.

    RADIO HOST: Thanks for calling. Do you have something to sell, trade or looking to buy?
    CALLER (ME): Yes, I have one ticket to the the UN* versus NCSU baseball game in a couple weeks and want to trade it for a Duke game. In light of some recent events I won’t be able to attend that game and I am looking to trade. You can reach me by e-mail. Thanks for taking my call. ???

    #102989
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Question. Should the boys get a national seed, where in the world would they host?

    I mean, with the ever conscientious NCAA laying down the law on all things HB2 (and NC:lol), where the hell do we play?

    I say, Pedro’s place at State Line.

    #102990
    ncsu1987
    Participant

    ^LOL, I like it:

    Hey, Wuf:

    I don’t comment on all your baseball articles, but I read them all and I appreciate the work.

    Time for the home stretch…

    #102992
    redwolf87
    Participant

    The Dillon (or maybe Hamer?), SC regional, featuring NC State. Awesome.

    Postgame festivities at the Hot Tamale. Mexico East and West gift shops offering official NCAA gear. Postgame fireworks provided by Fort Pedro.

    What is hilarious is that the modern knee-jerk reaction to such supposedly racist motifs runs contrary to the politics of the guy that started and ran SOB until his death. Alan Schafer. Decidedly liberal Democrat.

    And let us not forget the engineer of the most recent QE was none other than Ben Bernanke, who waited tables at SOB while he saved up money to go to Harvard (no BS, look it up). He’s even got an interchange in Dillon on I-95 named after him.

    Yeah. A home regional in Dillon would rock. And fling a big finger up at everybody that deserves it in this day and age.

    #102993
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Hell, it’s on the way to Myrtle Beach so why the heck not?

    #102994
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Hey, Wuf:

    I don’t comment on all your baseball articles, but I read them all and I appreciate the work.

    Time for the home stretch…

    Appreciate the kindness 🙂

    #102996
    44rules
    Participant

    Love the baseball articles. Inspired me to go see our team at Ga. Tech when they were in town.

    Communism is not love. Communism is a hammer which we use to crush the enemy. Mao Zedong

    #102997
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Yep. Pedro’s it is. Somebody email Debbie!

    #102998
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    We can chip in for a “no ofence” billboard if that helps!

    And yeah, the el beisbol articles help keep my cracker ass sane AND coming back at all, frankly.

    #103007
    redwolf87
    Participant

    Says it all.

    Several members of the unx athletic department in the early scenes of this clip.

    #103008
    Heelh8r
    Participant

    Walk off hit Mendoza. Pack wins it 3-2 awesome

    #103009
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    ^
    This is how the mojo go.

    #103010
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Honestly thought we were snakebit tonight. Heckuva win, whether we deserved it or not.

    #103011
    mak4dpak
    Participant

    The game started out badly, but the final result is the most important thing. Good win, coming from behind to win it in 9 innings.

    #103017
    Primewolf
    Participant

    Always a great read, Wufpacker. Thanks. Great win last night. Would you say this is our best hitting club, power wise, in some time??

    I guess all your writer buddies have either gone senile or have writers cramp.

    Maybe it is the general state of Wolfpack revenue sports?

    Revenue or not, I like the generally steady improvement in the nonrevenue sports. Put the money where we clearly have exceptional coaches and let’s see if we can become a perennial power in Anything.

    #103026
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Win last night moved us up a notch to #7 in the RPI.
    Sadly, Bama is freefalling and has dropped out of the top 50, costing us a top 50 win, at least for the time being.

    #103030
    blpack
    Participant

    Team is rolling over the Blue Devils so far. Going for sweep on Sunday!

    #103033
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Brian Brown tosses a gem tonight…scatters 3 hits over 7 innings, walks only 1 vs 8 K’s, keeps Duke off the board thru 7 complete.

    Pack tops the Devils 12-2. Will try to break out the brooms tomorrow at 1pm.

    #103034
    mak4dpak
    Participant

    Traveled from Fayetteville, friday for the game, we barely pull out, but we do. Sure woulda been nice to see the game Saturday, with the beat down Duke received. Looking for the sweep Sunday.

    #103037
    Zaphod
    Participant

    Any news on today’s game? Is there a website where game status is tracked, so my dad (who’s 84) and I don’t get there and have to kill several hours waiting for a delay?

    #103039
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    ^ Nothing announced one way or another yet that I’ve heard. Baseball twitter guy is pretty good about keeping folks informed.

    That being said, I’d be surprised if there’s not at least a bit of a delay today.

    #103040
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Indefinite delay just announced.
    Like I said, the twitter guy is pretty good. When they have a first pitch time, he’ll generally be very quick to pass it along.

    #103042
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    Pack blows a lot of chances today, falls vs Duke, 2-1 Final.
    But still won the series so it’s all good.

    #103043
    choppack1
    Participant

    Not good. I will soon start closely following wolfpack baseball and it will all go to heck in a hand basket.

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