Here are some notes from NC State baseball’s incredible season thus far:
NC State, Nationally Speaking
NC State leads the nation in wins after crushing Elon 21-2 Tuesday evening at home, improving the Pack’s record to 24-1. That came after a three-game sweep of Miami on the road, NC State’s first-ever sweep of the Hurricanes. The last win came in dramatic fashion, rallying with four runs in the top of the ninth to prevail 6-4.
The Wolfpack has cemented its status as one of the elite teams in the country thus far, according to the updated polls this week:
• Collegiate Baseball — 1st (previously 1st)
• USA Today Coaches — 4th (5th)
• D1Baseball.com — 5th (6th)
• Baseball America — 5th (6th)
• Perfect Game — 6th (8th)
• National College Baseball Writers Association — 6th (10th)
NC State, Statistically Speaking
Here is where NC State ranks nationally and in the ACC in various statistical categories through March 25 (does not include stats from the win over Elon):
• Winning percentage: .960 — 1st in ACC, 1st in NCAA (out of 297 teams)
• Runs: 206 — 1st in ACC, 6th in NCAA
• Runs per game: 8.6 — 1st in ACC, 8th in NCAA
• Batting average: .294 — 1st in ACC, 33rd in NCAA
• On-base percentage: .396 — 5th in ACC, 35th in NCAA
• Hits: 257 — 2nd in ACC, 13th in NCAA
• Walks: 141 — 4th in ACC, 11th in NCAA
• Slugging percentage: .482 — 2nd in ACC, 14th in NCAA
• Home runs: 28 — 4th in ACC, 14th in NCAA
• Doubles: 66 — 1st in ACC, 2nd in NCAA
• Stolen bases: 19 — 9th in ACC, 184th in NCAA
• Earned run average: 3.22 — 3rd in ACC, 27th in NCAA
• Walks and hits per inning allowed: 1.3 — 5th in ACC, 51st in NCAA
• Hits allowed per nine innings: 8.1 —7th in the ACC, 73rd in NCAA
• Strikeout-to-walk ratio: 2.56 — 7th in the ACC, 46th in NCAA
• Shutouts: 3 — 2nd in ACC, 18th in NCAA
• Fielding percentage: 0.987 — 1st in ACC, 2nd in NCAA
At The Plate
The Miami pitching staff had a difficult time handling the heart of the Pack’s order — mainly the 3-4-5 batters of sophomore catcher Patrick Bailey, senior first baseman Evan Edwards and freshman outfielder Tyler McDonough. The trio combined to go 17 for 39 at the plate (.436), with all three hitting safely in each game. That included three doubles and a homer (by Edwards). They also scored seven runs, had nine RBI, walked four times and stole a base (by McDonough).
McDonough had three multi-hit games over the weekend at Miami to give him a team-high 14 on the year. He is batting .377 on the year and leads the ACC with 40 hits. Edwards, who also homered in the rout of Elon Tuesday, leads the team with eight long balls, tied for third in the ACC. Junior shortstop Will Wilson is just one homer behind his teammate and tied for fifth in the league.
NC State’s lineup currently features five regulars hitting .300 or better at the plate, and all five have on-base percentages (OBP) above .400. Sophomore outfielder Jonny Butler also has an impressive .412 OBP to go with his .278 hitting average, and junior designated hitter Brad Debo is not far off either with his .289 average and .390 OBP.
On the mound
NC State appears to have settled on Friday-Saturday starters with junior Jason Parker and sophomore Reid Johnston. Both pitched well at Miami, although Parker was unable to last long enough (four innings) to get a win.
For the season, Parker is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in six games, all starts, and had surrendered just 23 hits over 30 1/3 innings, walking eight while striking out 28. Johnston has made four starts and owns seven overall appearances, and is 3-0 with a 2.93 ERA, allowing 22 hits over 27 2/3 innings. He has struck out 30 while giving up 10 walks.
Finding a Sunday starter has been a chore, however, and head coach Elliott Avent has been somewhat treating it like a bullpen game in recent weeks. However, junior Alec Barger made a promising midweek start against Elon, going five innings while allowing just one earned run and striking out 10. That was Barger's fourth start of the year and he doubled his season strikeout total in the outing.
Junior Canaan Silver, who started the season in the weekend rotation, also had a promising extended relief stint Sunday against the Hurricanes. He pitched three shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks.
What’s next
NC State is at North Carolina A&T in Greensboro Wednesday, hosts Virginia from the ACC for a weekend series in Raleigh and then plays previously nationally ranked South Carolina in Charlotte next Tuesday.
NC A&T is hot with five straight wins to improve its record to 15-9. That includes a surprising 2-0 win at South Carolina Tuesday. Virginia is 5-4 in the ACC after sweeping Pittsburgh at home over the weekend.
The Gamecocks have fallen out of the polls in recent weeks after going 1-5 in their first two SEC series and are 16-9 overall.
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