Around the diamond: NC State baseball has busy week ahead

After it's first midweek lost of the season, NC State snapped a five-game losing streak by sweeping William & Mary over the weekend. The Pack outscored the Tribe by 13 runs, winning each game by at least four, but game two was a battle. NC State had to rally from a 4-0 deficit entering the bottom of the seventh to win 8-4.

NCSU improved to 34-12 on the season and is 15-9 in the ACC.

NC State, Nationally Speaking

The Wolfpack made a jump in most of the rankings after this weekend. Here is an update from the latest national polls, with last week’s rankings in parenthesis:

• Perfect Game — No. 4 (5)

• D1Baseball.com — No. 5 (8)

• USA Today/Coaches — No. 5 (10)

• National College Baseball Writers Association — No. 5 (10)

• Baseball America — No. 7 (7)

• Collegiate Baseball — No. 7 (7)

NC State, Statistically Speaking

Here is where NC State ranks nationally and in the ACC in various statistical categories through May 8.

• Home runs per game: 1.46 — 2nd in the ACC, 5th nationally

• Home runs: 67 — 2nd in the ACC, 6th nationally

• Slugging percentage: .476 — 1st in the ACC, 11th nationally

• Winning percentage: .739 — 3rd in the ACC, 11th nationally

• On base percentage: .397 — 1st in the ACC, 17th nationally

• Walks taken: 245 — tied 5th in the ACC, tied 18th nationally

• Scoring: 7.2 — 2nd in the ACC, 20th nationally

• Shutouts: 5 — tied 2nd in the ACC, tied 20th nationally

• Runs: 330 — 1st in the ACC, 23rd nationally

• Batting average: .296 — 2nd in the ACC, 25th nationally

• Walks and hits allowed per inning: 1.27 — 2nd in the ACC, 30th nationally

• Hits allowed per nine innings: 7.88 — 4th in the ACC, 33rd nationally

• Earned run average: 3.53 — 4th in the ACC, 38th nationally

• Hits: 463 — 2nd in the ACC, tied 39th nationally

• Strikeout-to-walk ratio: 2.45 — 4th in the ACC, 49th nationally

At The Plate

NC State used a patient approach at the plate this past week, drawing 30 walks over four games, an average of 7.5 per contest. That helped the Pack jump from tied for 37th in the country in walks entering the week to tied for 18th as of Tuesday morning.

The Wolfpack remains a power-hitting squad however, and on Saturday senior right fielder Brock Deatherage hit a pair of homers to spark the eight unanswered runs scored between the seventh and eighth innings. Deatherage has 11 homers on the season, joining junior left fielder Brett Kinneman (13), sophomore shortstop Will Wilson (12) and junior first baseman Evan Edwards (11) with double-digit homers.

Freshman catcher Patrick Bailey is a safe bet to join them. He hit two homers in the 5-0 win over the Tribe on Friday and has nine for the year.

On The Mound

In his first 10 starts of the season, senior lefty Brian Brown had allowed seven total earned runs. In the past two, against UNC and William & Mary, NC State's ace has allowed eight earned runs. Despite that, Brown still has an impressive 1.78 earned run average.

The good news though is that the season-long search for a third starter could have settled on freshman Reid Johnston. He threw 5.2 innings of shutout ball against the Tribe, allowing just four hits and striking out five while walking none. In three starts over the past three series, Johnston has thrown 17 innings and allowed five earned runs (2.65 ERA) on 14 hits. He has walked just one and struck out 13.

On Deck

NC State hosts a midweek two-game series against James Madison starting Tuesday night, with freshman lefty Evan Justice receiving his second career start. Wednesday's starter has yet to be announced. JMU is 21-23 overall and 6-12 in the Colonial. It was swept this past weekend by UNC Wilmington.

Then the Pack returns to ACC action with its final home games of the season when Wake Forest comes to Doak Field. The Deacs are 21-26 overall and 11-13 in the ACC. WFU took a hit before the season started with the suspensions of Chris Farish, Keegan Maronpot and Bruce Steel. Farish was a strong bullpen arm who returned to Wake after being drafted in the 31st round by the Indians a year ago.

Both Maronpot (12) and Steel (13) hit double-digit homers last season, during which the Deacons reached a Super Regional. All three returned to the team in mid-April, but Wake is just 1-5 in ACC games since then. Maronpot has yet to play since being reinstated.