re: Getting To Know the Opponent: UCLA, NC State, & UNC

YGM!!!

Creepy, serial killer Boxtards = aaronb

NC State Wolfpack
CWS History - 2nd appearance (1st since 1968), all-time record: 2-2, best finish: 3rd in 1968
Record: 49-14
ACC: 19-10, 4th
Non-Conf: 23-3
Home: 20-8
Road: 15-5
Neutral: 4-1

Overview:
When sitting in front of the tv on selection Sunday, everyone in the country expected NC State to be called as the #8 National Seed. Instead, the Oregon Ducks got that call, and the winners of the Raleigh Regional would have to travel nearly 3000 miles across country to the Eugene Super Regional. As luck would have it for the Wolfpack, The Rice Owls defeated Oregon in one of the tournament's biggest upsets thus far, giving NC State the opportunity to host the Super Regional in their own park. The Pack went on to beat Rice over the weekend twice by one run, including a Super Regional record 17 innings in game 2.

Key wins include: Florida Atlantic, Coastal Carolina, Campbell, 3-0 vs Georgia Tech, and 2-2 vs Clemson

(LSU numbers in parentheses)
RPI: 6 (3)
vs Top 25: 12-9 (7-4)
vs Top 50: 22-10 (32-8)
vs Top 100: 30-13 (38-9)

Avg runs scored/game: 6.2 (6.6)
Avg runs allowed/game: 3.8 (2.9)


Road to Omaha:
Raliegh Regional - W vs Binghamton, W vs William & Mary, W vs William & Mary
Raleigh Super Regional - swept Rice (4-3, 5-4)

Common Opponents:
Maryland: 2-1 (LSU: 3-0)

Starting Pitching:
Team ERA: 3.09 (2.41)

Two words: Carlos Rodon. The 2013 NCAA strikeout king has fanned 170 hitters in 118.1 innings walking just 42 batters. Rodon has a 9-2 record with a 3.19 ERA in 17 starts holding opponents to a .201 batting average. As for the rest of the rotation... it's anybody's guess. Head Coach Elliot Avent has been rotating starters all season long trying to find that dependable 2nd and 3rd guy. The 3 guys up for the job are Logan Jernigan, Brad Stone, and Ethan Ogburn. Jernigan appears to have the upper hand on the job, so LSU fans might expect to see him should the teams meet in the 2nd round. Ogburn, who has struggled in the second half of the season, came in relief against Rice in game 2 of the Raliegh Super Regional and threw 5 shutout innings earning the victory and sending the Wolfpack to Omaha.

Sunday's Expected Pitching Matchup:
So. RHP Carlos Rodon (9-2, 3.19 ERA, 118.1 IP, 85 H, 42 BB, 170 K, .201 OBA)
UNC/SC starter TBA

Other Starters:
So. RHP Logan Jernigan (1-0, 1.19 ERA, 30.1 IP, 20 H, 25 BB, 27 K, .187 OBA)
Sr. RHP Ethan Ogburn (5-3, 2.70 ERA, 60 IP, 46 H, 14 BB, 38 K, .211 OBA)
Fr. LHP Brad Stone (3-2, 5.28 ERA, 58.0 IP, 54 H, 22 BB, 59 K, .242 OBA)

Relief Pitching:
NC State has a VERY deep and reliable bullpen. Over 60% of the Wolfpack victories have come from relivers. The key shut down man is 6th year senior Grant Sasser, who has a team leading 8 saves and 32 appearances. Sasser has thrown 41 innings allowing only 28 hits for a 1.10 earned run average. Other reliable arms out of the pen include Andrew Woeck (26 app, 3.09 era, 46.2 ip, 38 h, 16 er), Josh Easley (24 app, 1.44 era, 43.2 ip, 36 h, 7 er), and Ryan Wilkins (23 app, 4.02 era, 47.0 ip, 40 h, 21 er). Lights out Senior relief pitcher Chris Overman has accumulated a ridiculous 0.34 era and .103 opponent batting average in 26.1 innings over 20 appearances.


Offense: (LSU numbers in parentheses)
Team BA: .279 (.308)
Team OBP: .363 (.391)
Team SLG: .387 (.436)

NC State's offense is built around leadoff speedster Trea Turner. The 6'1 sophomore right hander was a consensus Freshman All-American a year ago and has been even better in 2013 despite being plagued by an ankle injury back in March. Turner has stolen 84 bases over his two seasons with the Wolfpack. The Wolfpack shortstop leads the team with a .378 average, .460 ob%, and a .571 slg%. Trea has knocked 7 out the park, plus leads the team in runs (65), triples (4), TB (124), walks (35), and stolen bases (27). In short, Trea Turner is a more dynamic version Oklahoma's Matt Oberste, who Tiger fans learned about last week.

Without Turner, the Wolfpack team batting average falls 10 full points to .269. The next most productive hitter is sophomore right fielder Jake Fincher. Fincher has a solid .327 average on the season and leads the team in hits with 83. The biggest power bat comes from Tarran Sennay (.291BA/8HR/58RBI), while other notable hitters include Brett Austin (.258/2/36), Grant Clyde (.278/4/25), and Bryan Adametz (.298/0/31).

Defense:
NC State field's at a .970 clip. (LSU .980)

Season Stats
Roster
Schedule (via Warren Nolan)

North Carolina Tar Heels

hotel pernts

quote:

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15-26

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holy shite

Homewood suites across the street from the stadium for most of the trip and working on downtown the first 4 days so I don't have to have a rental car.

Nice

Looks like I'll be staying a little further the first few nights but I'm hoping we go far so I can stay downtown and get trashed and walk across the street. fricking ready.

So, uh...

Now we riot?