Raleigh Regional Preview (sort of)

Baseball NC State NC State Baseball485

Wolfpack Baseball (35-20) didn’t necessarily have a stellar ACC Tournament showing in Durham last week. But after falling in consecutive games to Florida State and Miami, the Pack rebounded with a much needed win over Georgia Tech.

In all likelihood, the win kept the Pack from losing the opportunity to be named a regional host for the first stage of the NCAA Baseball Tournament. And even if that’s not true, the victory over the Jackets was good for the Pack to get back in the win column and build some confidence/momentum as they get set to host the opening round this weekend.

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Raleigh Regional

My apologies in advance, but due to some unexpected “lack of free time” issues this week, this is going to be mostly links. And probably from more smarterer folks than me anyway. If we advance to Super Regionals, I semi-promise a better write up next week.  Probably.

NC State Hosts Raleigh Regional (GoPack.com)
(links, info, tickets, etc.)

Navy Baseball Selected to Participate in Raleigh Regional (NavySports.com)

At 35-20, overall, and 15-13 in ACC play, North Carolina State will be hosting a regional for the fifth time in program history. Under the guidance of 20th-year head coach Elliott Avent, the Wolfpack were the fifth seed in this past weekend’s ACC Tournament and went 1-2 with a 7-5 victory over Georgia Tech and setbacks to Florida State, 7-3 and Miami, 8-7.

The second-seeded Chanticleers of Coastal Carolina are 44-15 and come in with an RPI of 12 after going 4-0 and winning the Big South Championship. Saint Mary’s will be participating in its first-ever NCAA Tournament after defeating Gonzaga on Saturday in the finals of the West Coast Conference championship. The Gaels from Moraga, Calif. went 3-0 at the WCC tournament over the weekend.

“Winning an automatic bid as the Patriot League champion was a goal of team since last fall,” said Kostacopoulos. “Now we have a new challenge and goal ahead of us and I know we are all looking forward to it.”

All games of the regional will be streamed live on ESPN3.com.

 

Coastal Carolina baseball draws No. 2 seed in Raleigh regional (MyrtleBeachOnline.com)

Coastal Carolina, which swept the Big South regular-season and tournament titles, was hoping its No. 12 RPI and No. 7-rated non-conference strength of schedule would be enough to make it one of the 16 regional host sites for the first time since 2010. The Chants won their last 10 games and 31 of their last 37, but that momentum wasn’t enough to sway the selection committee.

Five teams that finished behind the Chants in the RPI earned the right to host, including a Virginia team they beat early in the season.

By Monday, though, Gilmore said he and his team had moved on from that slight.

 

Buncha damned whiners.  But yeah, they’re good.  Arguably just as good as we are.  And in all honestly, they did deserve a hosting bid.  And if they’ve got a chip on their shoulder it makes them good AND motivated.

This is why Coastal scares the bejesus out of me.

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2016 NCAA Raleigh Regional Schedule

Friday, June 3
Game 1 – No. 2 Coastal Carolina vs. No. 3 Saint Mary’s, 2 p.m. – ESPN3
Game 2 – No. 1 North Carolina State vs. No. 4 Navy, 7 p.m. – ESPN3

Saturday, June 4
Game 3 – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 2 p.m. – ESPN3
Game 4 – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 7 p.m. – ESPN3

Sunday, June 5*
Game 5 – Winner Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 1 p.m. – ESPN3
Game 6 – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 4, 6 p.m. – ESPN3

Monday, June 6
Game 7 – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6, 7 p.m. (if necessary) – ESPN3

*Because of Sunday’s Ironman event being held in Raleigh, if you’re planning on attending either of Sunday’s games, you’re gonna want to take a look at this road closure map and choose an alternate route to The Doak.

 

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No highlights to share this week, so instead I’ll give you a few clips of some guys who really hate umpires (and also bullpen phones….apparently). Also, that was a helluva cover up Dustin Pedroia. Well done.

George Brett is still a huge…ummmm…jerk (family site profanity editor…ENGAGED).

And even minor league skippers have their moments.

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OK, that’s all I got. If the Pack advances, they are most likely to face LSU in Baton Rouge for the Super Regionals. I promise I will start doing advanced research on the Bayou Bengals so I don’t drop a badly done preview like this one on you next week. Which probably assures that LSU will get upset and I’ll have to research someone else instead at the last minute.

Meh, it’s baseball, who cares?

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Go Pack!!!!!

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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 NC State NC State Baseball

Home › Forums › Raleigh Regional Preview (sort of)

Viewing 25 posts - 401 through 425 (of 486 total)
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  • 06/07/2016 at 2:20 PM #104520
    FergusWolf
    Participant

    well, that stinks

    06/07/2016 at 2:21 PM #104521
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Congrats to the Chaucers for not folding. They showed lots of character in forcing us into maximum NC State Shit. We didn’t just do it all by our lonesome.

    06/07/2016 at 2:22 PM #104522
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    And as much as I hate losing, good for Coastal. Really am happy for them and their program.
    (even if we did have to give them a little help to get there….yeah, I’m not totally not bitter)

    06/07/2016 at 2:23 PM #104523
    freshmanin83
    Participant

    hmmm seems the mo has left the premises.

    06/07/2016 at 2:23 PM #104524
    Wolfanatic
    Participant

    And then depression set in.

    06/07/2016 at 2:24 PM #104525
    Wufpacker
    Participant

    ‘Mo left for the golf course a while ago. He’ll be back in September (I hope).

    06/07/2016 at 2:28 PM #104526
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Gotta say, for back-to-back season ending kicks to the nuts…hard to beat NC State el beisbol

    06/07/2016 at 2:29 PM #104527
    Whiteshoes67
    Participant

    Tip a the cap to the boys. Defense was outstanding and pitching stepped up regardless of outcome. Losing Williamson really hurt our chances. Had a feeling we’d need 6 or 7 and that liberal use of the pen early and in the mid-innings of this one might bite us. Too many walks, hit batters. Some of that may have been rain induced with in the 9th last night, which sucks even more. But as Wuf alluded to in his preview, Coastal ain’t no slouch. We got out of some major jams where they could’ve put up big runs. We weren’t able to capitalize in a few of those situations either. Tough one to swallow.

    06/07/2016 at 2:30 PM #104528
    BJD95
    Keymaster

    Still better than staying home like the Cheaters/Losers/Asshats to the west.

    /looks to west, extends middle finger, feels 3% better

    06/07/2016 at 2:51 PM #104529
    ryebread
    Participant

    Another NC State meltdown to end a season. Oh well, I guess you have to end them some way. Short of winning a title, every other team goes home disappointed.

    It never really felt like we had “it” this season. I know we started highly ranked, but we didn’t come into the tournament with a lot of momentum. I had us going to the Supers, but that was before Williamson got hurt.

    I didn’t really think the ACC was that strong in baseball this year. Yeah, a lot of teams got in, but it feels like we have 1-3 legit Omaha threats with Louisville being our best team. We’ll get one in (Miami) and I think Louisville will get there, but who knows about FSU against Florida?

    My question is how this sits with Yow. I’ve heard rumblings that she’s been after Avent. I personally think Avent’s teams have outperformed their resources, but I don’t follow baseball closely.

    06/07/2016 at 4:57 PM #104530
    tjfoose1
    Participant

    I’m not a baseball guru either, far from it, but overhearing Palmeiro Sr yesterday, he has often been confounded by the coaching decisions coming from the NC State bench. Not directly critical mind you (I think being fully aware of his position, and the coaches), but genuinely confused, with ‘why?’, ‘huh?’, and ‘really?’ type stuff, even directly commenting that he long ago gave up trying to figure out the decision making process coming from the dugout and instead focuses on simply supporting the team and players.

    06/07/2016 at 5:29 PM #104531
    Whiteshoes67
    Participant

    ^I witnessed some Palmeiro’s frustration the past two seasons. Occasionally, you need the skip to help you win a few in the close ones. The musical chair lineups and pitching changes, plus the game management, cost us a handful of games this year.

    I’d have liked to have seen Gilbert today if he had two outs in him, but I expected Braband. Gilbert got the win both times out against Coastal this year. Give him the ball.

    06/07/2016 at 5:58 PM #104532
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    Yep. Our “Fightin’ Edwins” hit a hurdle too high.

    Welp, time to pack it up and head off to the summer leagues, and for some, wait out the draft.

    06/07/2016 at 6:05 PM #104533
    Whiteshoes67
    Participant

    Cowdog, any sense on how many of the juniors come back to Raleigh next year?

    06/07/2016 at 6:46 PM #104534
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator
    Whiteshoes67 wrote:

    Cowdog, any sense on how many of the juniors come back to Raleigh next year?

    I think Knizner is gone and if Palmiero goes before the 6th Rnd, he’s also gone. Williamson would have been on that list, but… Johnny Piedmonte would not be a very late signee surprise.

    06/07/2016 at 7:04 PM #104535
    Aeight
    Participant

    OK, nobody seems to want to talk about it so I’ll start it. Avent should have been gone years ago. He does just enough to keep the admins happy and nobody pays too much attention to baseball anyway. It is just another sport at NC State that continues our mediocrity as a whole while everyone around us prospers. Duke baseball has now caught up and will pass us because they want to. UNC may not have made the NCAA this year but their body of work over the last 20 years puts us to shame. Avent is a motor mouth. A couple of years ago when Rodon and Turner played their last season Avent ran his mouth in the pre season guaranteeing a repeat visit to the CWS. We didn’t qualify for the freakin ACC tourney. In 20 years he hasn’t won a thing, nothing. We make the NCAA from time to time, I think he won one ACC tourney, maybe not, and we can’t hold serve at home this year. He’s Sendek on steroids. People just give up on finding a new coach in any sport, “well who are we going to get?” Well why don’t we try until we get it right? Geez, does anyone get ever get tired of this NC State “crap”?

    06/07/2016 at 7:29 PM #104536
    TheCOWDOG
    Moderator

    ^
    You have not followed my takes for the last 12 years.

    06/07/2016 at 9:18 PM #104537
    Classof89
    Participant

    i haven’t seen the fanbase this divided over a coach since Les Robinson (urban legend is that he decided to resign after some well connected donor sent him a picture of two wolves fighting). Sure there are always the Bob Kennels of the world, the suckups who support any incumbent, but with respect to Avent,some people really seem to love him, others are convinced (bizarrelly) that we can’t do any better in baseball until we install a roof over the stands at Doak so what’s the use of firing Avent, and others (like me) look at the bright young minds in Clemson, Louisville, and Boston College and think “we can do better” Does he love NC State? No doubt. So did Les, Sidney Lowe, and Amato. I’d hate to see him unceremoniously tossed out on his ass, but can’t we give him a window office in Case for a few years and put him in charge of something less important than the baseball program?

    06/07/2016 at 9:45 PM #104539
    BassPacker
    Participant

    I’ve been on the fence bout Avent for many seasons. I think the past week had a humpty dumpty effect. First was the arrogant response when Pack lost in the ACC tournament, “We have a bigger goal, its winning a national Championship”. Winning the ACC tournament is a lofty goal, don’t just write off like we have bigger goals than an ACC trophy. Second was the tirade he went on that got him ejects and suspended for 2 of the most important games in his own words “to the bigger goal of a National Championship”. Its one thing to speak your mind about the ump calling but what he did was almost beyond Bobby Knight antics. Go out there, make you point, go back to the dugout and lead your team. Instead he deserted the team in its biggest moments of the season, a regional at home with chance to move on to a Super and the CWS.
    All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
    Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

    06/07/2016 at 11:22 PM #104541
    Aeight
    Participant

    BassPacker you are correct with Avent’s “arrogant” comments. As I mentioned he is a motor mouth. He shoots off his mouth about things he can’t back up. I don’t think he could actually coach a team to a national championship. He is in denial about how good his teams are, and boasts otherwise. So making the NCAA really puts you in the elite crowd? Nice try there Herb, er huh, Elliot.

    06/08/2016 at 2:32 PM #104550
    ryebread
    Participant

    Interesting comments. Yow seems to like her coaches a bit cocky. Maybe this plays well with his boss?

    I felt like when we missed the NCAAs despite having Rodon and Turner that Avent’s time was short. Of course there’s the flip side that I think that we pay near the bottom and have facilities near the bottom. Maybe we are getting better than what we’re paying for?

    I don’t follow baseball closely, so I don’t really know and have any valid opinion. I wasn’t following closely enough to realize he was ejected for some of the regional games. I find the comments re. Palmero pretty telling though. He’s forgotten more than I’d ever know about baseball.

    06/08/2016 at 4:02 PM #104551
    Wolfanatic
    Participant

    It’s humorous to hear people talk about our facilities ranking near the bottom. I don’t know about the validity of that, but I admit I have seen much nicer facilities, and obviously, some that are worse. No, it’s humorous to me because when I think back to the Fall of 1972 and the Spring of 1973 the facility was completely different than it is today. A few, maybe three or four aluminum bleachers behind home and the first and third baselines – no real stands or seats – bleachers only – first come first serve, a chain link fence in the outfield with no covering, unprotected bullpens, no metal building by the Pack bullpen and the six to eight foot pine saplings in right field. Maybe time has warped my memory, but I think I’m fairly accurate. The point is, if you think our facilities are lacking now, you should have seen them then. It was little more than a high school field. Indeed, forty-four years later it doesn’t look so bad. Could it look better? I suppose. Would that help to improve the product? I can’t be sure, but I rather doubt it. I know, I’m old. Don’t get me talking about how when they emptied equipment bags onto the field to start practice, five or six no-break catchers mitts rolled out. Yogi would have loved it.

    06/09/2016 at 12:42 PM #104556
    Gowolves
    Participant

    Why was my post deleted?

    06/09/2016 at 3:18 PM #104557
    ryebread
    Participant

    woflanatic: I hear you. When I was at State, Doak wasn’t really different than our High School’s field. In all honesty, our High School’s field may have been better.

    Unfortunately I think the arms race that most seem to recognize in college football stadiums is pretty much everywhere in college athletics. I see some of these baseball facilities on TV and they seemingly rival the Durham Bulls Athletics park. There’s been a massive influx of $$$ into the power conference schools for athletics and they have to spend it somewhere given they are “non-profits.”

    They say a picture is worth 1000 words, and here are some to think about:
    Florida

    Florida

    Florida State

    Miami (courtesy of ARod)

    UNC

    National title winning UVA

    LSU, complete with Luxury boxes

    Lil' Ole' UNC Charlotte

    ECU

    and then there’s the Doak:
    http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Doak_Field.jpg

    As much as the Doak has clearly improved, it’s still behind that of our peers, at least to my untrained eye. You can look at the renovations we did and tell some were done on the cheap. I think half the ACC has done some sort of facilities expansion in baseball in the past 10 years. We improved, but I think are still behind, and in the round of improvements probably fell further behind those that upgraded within the same cycle.

    Again, I don’t think that facilities equate to success. I do think the facilities represent the budgets though. Success does seemingly align to budget in college sports. Are we getting more results than we’re paying for in baseball? Quite possibly so.

    06/09/2016 at 4:59 PM #104558
    Classof89
    Participant

    I’d like to see a change, but not if the $$ isn’t there to upgrade. If someone is willing to write the check for the buyout and a coach worthy of an upgraded base salary, then by all means pull the plug. If not, well, I guess I agree that we could do a lot worse. (Sendek looked a lot better to many of us by year 3 or 4 of Sidney Lowe).

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