Pack 9 Sweeps Double Dip, Takes BC Series [Updated Monday]; Rodon Named ACC Pitcher of the Week

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Missed opportunities plagued the Wolfpack in Friday’s disappointing loss at home to the Boston College Eagles. The late innings proved to be a back and forth affair, with the Pack coming up just short in their final bid for the come from behind win when they left the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth. For the game, State left 12 runners on base.

In the first game of a day/night double header on Saturday, frosh phenom LHP Carlos Rodon took the team on his back and carried them to a 9-0 shutout victory. Scattering five hits over eight complete scoreless innings, Rodon was never in serious trouble and cruised to his seventh victory on the season (7-0). He struck out ten batters while walking only one. Dillon Frye logged a hitless/scoreless ninth inning with one strikeout in mop up duty.

Offensively, the Pack had a balanced attack with 5 players logging multi-hit games, including a 3 for 5 effort from first baseman Andrew Ciencin. Shortstop Chris Diaz went 2 for 4 with 3 rbi and a run scored for the Pack, and rightfielder Ryan Matthews went 2 for 5 on the day with 2 rbi and 2 runs scored, including a solo home run in the eighth to cap off the Pack’s nine run output. While the game was never in doubt, the Pack still managed to leave 9 runners on base.

Saturday’s nightcap rubber match proved to be a wild and sometimes sloppy affair with State pulling away late to register a decisive 16-9 win. Scoring 16 runs on 19 hits (both tying season highs), the Pack again had a very balanced offensive effort. Third baseman Trea Turner led the way with five hits (5 for 5), with 3 runs scored and 2 batted in. Not to be outdone, shortstop Chris Diaz was 4 for 6, including 2 doubles, while scoring 3 runs and knocking in 4.

While the pitching wasn’t spectacular, it got the job done. RHP Logan Jernigan started and logged five complete innings, giving up 7 runs (3 unearned) on six hits. He struck out 6 and walked 3. RHP Anthony Tzamtzis came on in the sixth and worked the rest of the way to record the win (4-3), although a throwing error made things interesting when he first came into the game. He settled down after that and put out the fire, giving up 2 runs (both unearned) on 3 hits, while striking out 5 and walking only 1.

The Wolfpack now sits at 26-12 (13-8) for the season. They will host Charlotte on Wednesday evening at 6:00pm at the Doak, before welcoming Duke to Raleigh for a three game set next weekend.

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Monday Morning Update
Backing the Pack provides a little more color into the current lay of the land in the ACC here.

With this series win, State is 13-8 in league play and if the ACC Tournament were to start today, we’d be the No. 3 seed.

1. FSU** (19-2)
2. UNC** (13-8)
3. NCSU (13-8)
4. Miami (12-9)
4. Clemson (12-9)
6. UVA (11-10)

(**Division champs earn top two seeds regardless of record.)

With nine conference games to go, it’s highly improbable that the Pack is going to make up six games on Florida State, so you might as well assume third is the best we can do. Losses to Campbell and BC last week hurt the chances we’ll host a regional, but there are still six top-50 RPI games on the schedule according to WarrenNolan.com. I don’t think there’s any room for mid-week slip ups at this point, but then again, it’s hard to know what impact a series win at FSU might have on the selection committee.

Monday PM Update:

Carlos Rodon was named ACC Pitcher of the Week today:

Rodon (7-0) controlled game one of the Wolfpack’s doubleheader against visiting Boston College, striking out 10 batters over eight shutout innings.

His performance spanned a 40-minute rain delay in the sixth, as the game was halted with Rodon holding a 1-2 count on an Eagle batter. The freshman stayed warm during the delay and returned in style by registering a strikeout on his first pitch after the break, followed by another two innings of shut-out ball.

It should also be noted how difficult it is to “stay warm” during a rain delay and then return to the mound and pitch effectively.

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

13 Responses to Pack 9 Sweeps Double Dip, Takes BC Series [Updated Monday]; Rodon Named ACC Pitcher of the Week

  1. wolfmountain 04/22/2012 at 3:32 PM #

    Good season so far. Wish we could have swept this series though.

  2. pack76 04/22/2012 at 7:36 PM #

    Yeah, would love to have swept this series but go get ’em and beat Charlotte and sweep Duke! Go Pack!!!!

  3. Dr. BadgerPack 04/23/2012 at 8:04 AM #

    Your headline really should say “wins BC series.” Salvages is generally used to indicate winning the last of three after dropping the first two.

    Sweeping Duke isn’t likely. Hell, sweeping anyone isn’t likely.

  4. GAWolf 04/23/2012 at 9:34 AM #

    It’s interesting how this team has consistently lost the first game of the series and thereafter ridden Rodon’s arm to a win to change the momentum of the series.

    There is a big question now if Rodon should start the series against Duke’s ace next weekend.

    Certainly, if you’re looking at what it would take to advance past a Super Regional, this system would work… assuming of course the Pack could continue to win the last two games of each series.

    Would tinkering with the pitching rotation help or hurt this interesting scenario?

  5. Dr. BadgerPack 04/23/2012 at 12:37 PM #

    GAWolf- For tournaments, the rotation probably depends on the matchups. It is also highly dependent upon the slight chance Sasser makes it back.

    As for the remaining conference series, I’d keep trotting Rodon out in game two. It is the most likely way of having more available pen arms for the 3rd game.

    For the record, in ACC play we’re 3-4 in openers, which is by no means fabulous- but not consistently losing either! In fact, we won the opener against UNC, which made the series lost disappointing but by no means crushing.

  6. rawolf53 04/23/2012 at 12:43 PM #

    I have to agree with Dr. BadgerPack. I don’t consider winning a series a “salvage”.

  7. Lunatic Fringe 04/23/2012 at 12:45 PM #

    GA,

    I say leave Ogburn as the Friday starter. The last two Friday games were more around the offense not taking advantage of opportunities to secure the win.

    We are 3 – 3 with Ogburn as the Fri starter. He is averaging just under 6 innings an outing in those 6 games with an ERA of 3.82. I think Ogburn is doing enough to win us games. Additionally, I have always like the R – L – R rotation in a series.

    The only reason to move Rodon up would be in order to get him extra rest or more opportunities to pitch in a do or die scenario.

  8. Lunatic Fringe 04/23/2012 at 12:48 PM #

    Good point by Badger. Rodon is a bullpen saver and his ability to go deep innings helps us on Sunday.

  9. Dr. BadgerPack 04/23/2012 at 3:04 PM #

    “I don’t think there’s any room for mid-week slip ups at this point, but then again, it’s hard to know what impact a series win at FSU might have on the selection committee.”

    Their assessment is a tad off here. Mid week games aren’t going to influence what we get. Win 2 of the 3 series, and hosting is a coin flip. Win all three, and we’re slotted 9-13 (out of 16 #1’s) and almost a certainty to host.

    I’ll need to look closely at the top in two weeks, but any #1 seeds who can’t host (poor facilities or conflicts) will help our chances as well.

    My pitching assessment was for the regular season. You HAVE to start Rodon in game 1 in any tournament scenario- that’s the arm you want to have twice if need be. In only a select few cases do you hold him for game 2 (for example, the 6 seed in game one, with an FSU in the second game). That is a matchup mandate; you’d almost have to beat FSU to advance as you can’t count on them to lose twice in a round-robin.

  10. Wufpacker 04/23/2012 at 3:39 PM #

    ^ Agreed. And apologies to anyone I might have offended with my egregious use of the word “salvage”. 😉

  11. Dr. BadgerPack 04/23/2012 at 4:32 PM #

    ^Not offended here- just pointing it out. By the same token, not trying to bust your chops Wufpacker. I appreciate you posting these recaps, as I simply don’t have time until the semester is over. I’m interspersing comments as I work, since I don’t have to research to do this.

    Wufpacker: No worries, I didn’t take it that way. I actually know better, but after the loss Friday (not to mention the fashion in which the loss came), and then with Sunday’s game being moved to Saturday (I hate double header’s…makes it too hard to get/keep a win streak going) I guess subconsciously I felt like we were fortunate to get the series, thus my brain threw “salvage” out there.

    Glad you didn’t take it the wrong way. I do come off as rather abrasive sometimes… If I’m curt, it’s because time is of the essence (bonus points for getting the movie ref.)

  12. Wufpacker 04/23/2012 at 6:14 PM #

    You calling “The Wolf”?

  13. Dr. BadgerPack 04/23/2012 at 8:19 PM #

    ^Nicely done

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