Pack Baseball Season Over

General Non-Revenue15

For NC State baseball, it was more of the same: NCAA berth, no moving on to the College World Series. Despite taking out regional host (and national #3 seed) Texas, Stanford drubbed the Pack twice, by a combined 24-9 mark.

IIRC, NC State has made just one super-regional since that new format was instituted (prior to that, Ray Tanner was often “one win away” from the elusive CWS berth – which would be the functional equivalent of a super-regional loss). And I don’t think we’ve ever made a CWS [UPDATE: I am told that NC State did make the CWS in 1968 (5 years prior to my birth), and finished 3rd], at least not during my memory. If anyone has more historical knowledge of NC State baseball, please share in the comments below.

About BJD95

1995 NC State graduate, sufferer of Les and MOC during my entire student tenure. An equal-opportunity objective critic and analyst of Wolfpack sports.

General Non-Revenue

15 Responses to Pack Baseball Season Over

  1. Dexter 06/05/2006 at 4:40 PM #

    I am pretty sure that NC State made the CWS in the early to mid 60’s.

  2. choppack1 06/05/2006 at 5:35 PM #

    Is it just me or can we pretty much say this kind of thing about any sport but cross country (and softball now.)

  3. vtpackfan 06/05/2006 at 6:47 PM #

    I think this deserves more positivity. In the past few weeks Avents squad beat the #2 abd #3 ranked teams in tourney play, knocking out the defending national champs in there own back yard. The Stanford game the ultimately ended the season was tied 5-5 in the fifth, and was essentially blown open in the last few innings. Avent had to go to eight different pitchers that game, and that was really all that prevented this team from going further. Only two teams in the nation scored more runs per game then the ‘Pack, and if brackman had remained healthy this team could have really gone a long way.

  4. tvp 06/05/2006 at 7:56 PM #

    Not that injuries are ever an excuse, but minus Stallings all year and with Brackman either hurt or out of form, we didn’t have what in all likelihood would have been our top two pitchers. That was probably the difference between what was a pretty good team and what could have been a great team.

    Gotta give respect to Gib Hobson – had a rough start Friday, turned around and on one day’s rest pitched a complete game win over Texas on Sunday in 95 degree heat.

    In former player news, Mike Prochaska who pitched three years at State (and is from Raleigh) is pitching for the Durham Bulls now, so if you get a chance go check him out this summer.

  5. cornellpackfan 06/05/2006 at 8:12 PM #

    It would have definitely helped us this season if Brackman would’ve made the same contribution that he brought last year, but Stanford not only out pitched they also out hit us. We flat out got beat up on by the Cardinal. The bottom line is that NCSU needs to find a way to get over the hump in at least one traditionally major sport.

  6. BJD95 06/05/2006 at 9:57 PM #

    To be truthful, I didn’t mean for it to come across THAT negative. I think Avent has done a pretty good job at NC State, and not THAT far behind the level of success that Ray Tanner had. And in a non-revenue sport (where the coach isn’t being made ridiculously wealthy by my alma mater), I can live with that. Championships are to be celebrated, but not necessarily demanded. What I can’t abide by in a non-revenue sport is the embarrassing level of play we have seen from other programs in recent years. It sure would have been nice to get over the hump, though.

    Does anyone else feel similarly?

  7. Lock 06/06/2006 at 4:21 AM #

    BJD: Thanks for that last reply. I was about to say how that sounded suspiciously like a ‘zomg fire Avent!’ post…and considering what we’ve done not just in the past couple of weeks but past few years, I’m rather impressed.

    That said, I agree, and I would like to see us get over that hump, no matter what sport it is.

  8. vtpackfan 06/06/2006 at 9:12 AM #

    I’d agree that it would be nice to see one of the “major” programs make it over the hump. Baseball over the years has become a real test throughout the nation. There is more parity, but still your only recognized if you finish the regular season at or very near the top of the polls, or if you make it to Ohmaha (Elite 8?). I like what the team has been doing recently to give themselves the opportunities to achieve success at the highest level, which in all honesty is all we ask of these coaches. Give the kids a realistic shot every game, each year. Brackman, when he’s right, is a commanding presence, and I really like what the future holds for Corona. How did we ever get him away from Miami is anyone’s guess.

  9. Pack92 06/06/2006 at 9:19 AM #

    The Pack could easily have had 45 wins this year had the pitching been deeper – Brackman. He can be so dominating but needs to play to get in his rhythm. I have been pleasantly surprised by the efforts of Coach Avent over the last 3 years and what his teams have accomplished. We were literally 1 out away from the CWS 2 years ago but a lack of pitching and heat did us in. If you listen to the media there is only one baseball team in NC anyway and they play in chapel hole. Go ‘Bama this weekend!

  10. vtpackfan 06/06/2006 at 9:45 AM #

    Take Miller out of the Holes rotation, and put them in a regional with two of the most storied programs in the sport, one of which happens to be the host and defending national champion. Maybe if State had played better during the regular season then they could have had home games against Winthrop and App. St, but injuries and depth of pitching wouldn’t allow that to happen. They were a long shot but came very close to pulling off what would have been two huge upsets (ACC and regionals).

  11. ncsslim 06/06/2006 at 9:48 AM #

    Yeah, but it’s pretty much the same story every year, just different cast. I was really proud of the guys the ACC tourney, only to totally lay an egg in the high profile televised championship game. I mean the game was blatently given away (granted mostly by one player); 8 unearned runs in two innings, against the #1 seed in the country?

    We were much closer to winning the Austin regional that I had ever imagined; if you told me that it would play out the way it did, I would have been thrilled to have a second go at a 32-25 3rd seed team, in order to take it to a do-or-die final game against the same team, but regardless of what is was in the 5th, in the end, once again, couldn’t close it out. WTNY.

  12. SaccoV 06/06/2006 at 12:33 PM #

    Despite our angst over Avent’s three finals appearances in the ACC Tournament and no wins, I think his consistency (in a sport that is hurt every season more than any other at the college level as more high-schoolers get minor-league deals [see Josh Hamilton]), he has been very consistent in the league and in the tournament. I think this team was probably better than 7th in the league this year and their finals appearance proved it.

    As for the regional, didn’t play well and still won 2 of 4. I could rant for an hour about how ridiculous the regional system is in college baseball as it tends to favor certain teams for absolutely no reason (Ole Miss, Virginia, Nebraska, etc.) why those teams get a regional, I can’t understand. Not that State would have had one if they would have won the tournament, but what exactly is the criteria for hosting a regional? Whatever it is, winning ball games doesn’t factor in greatly, especially not tournament games. Anyways, good season but would’ve beens are prevalent.

  13. Mr O 06/06/2006 at 1:15 PM #

    Avent has a pretty solid program overall. He struggled for a brief while, but seems to has it on track the last few years. How does his record compare to that of Ray Tanner’s?

    The ACC is absolutely brutal these days with the additions of FSU and Miami. Hard to believe Avent has been here for 10 years.

  14. vtpackfan 06/06/2006 at 1:17 PM #

    “in a sport that is hurt every season more than any other at the college level as more high-schoolers get minor-league deals [see Josh Hamilton])”

    Actually the trend seems to be going in the opposite direction. More and more 1st rounders are from the college ranks. There seems to be a number of factors for this. The most important, IMO, is that the message has started getting around that even if your drafted straight out of high school the probability of making to the bis and sticking are still astronomical. These guys are taking advantage more and more of the free education their receiving and the chance to mature. On the business side, franchise’s are more apt to pick a ball player thats easier to project, and college guys being a little older actuall have less leverage then the youngsters when it comes to bargaining signing bonuses. I don’t know if Hamilton could have attended an ACC school right away, and by the way where is he now?

  15. Mr O 06/08/2006 at 7:44 AM #

    Comments were closed on the latest baseball topic.

    What was our final RPI for the year? IIRC, we had a top 15 RPI rating. Only mentioning a 7th place finish as far as the quality of the regular season isn’t doing it justice IMO. The ACC is a very tough league.

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