It’s college baseball season again, finally. After earning its third straight NCAA Tournament bid last year, the NC State baseball team and head coach Elliott Avent are off to a 7-1 start this season. The team has been impressive in the early going, especially on the offensive side of things.
The Pack hasn’t played any premier competition yet, but the strong start is an encouraging sign for the Wolfpack faithful. Here are some takeaways from the first week and change of NC State baseball:
Piedmonte and Brown are the stalwarts of the rotation
Graduate student Johnny Piedmonte and senior Brian Brown are both back in Raleigh for their last seasons as members of the Wolfpack and both bring a wealth of experience and success.
Piedmonte paced the pitching staff last season, throwing a strong 61.2 innings to the tune of a 2.77 ERA in nine starts and six relief appearances. The towering right hander boasts a 2.08 ERA in two starts this season and has walked just two batters and struck out 12. His sturdy command and control will be key for the Pack, especially in ACC play.
Brown, the Pack’s other starter, doesn’t necessarily throw hard, but his secondary stuff is more than exceptional. Last season, the lefty struggled some with his control, walking 4.3 batters per nine innings, but has walked just two and struck out 13 in 13 innings in 2018.
The third weekend starter is to be determined, but Brown and Piedmonte are a formidable duo atop the rotation.
Brett Kinneman is really good at baseball
Junior outfielder Brett Kinneman had a renaissance freshman season in 2016, batting .296 and slugging .526 while driving in 33 runs and launching six home runs. He followed that up with an impressive sophomore year and now, in his junior year, it’d be a tough task to find a player off to a better start.
He’s batting .455 on the year with a mind-boggling five home runs and 17 RBIs in eight games. His slugging percentage is sitting at an even 1.000, and he’s walking more than he’s striking out. Clearly, the production will level off, but his play thus far has been excellent and a key part of the Wolfpack offense.
Solid production from freshmen and newcomers
It’s no secret NC State has some injury issues. Senior starting second baseman Stephen Pitarra had surgery on his leg and will be out four to six weeks. Sophomore pitcher Dalton Feeney is out for the season, while sophomores Brad Debo and Will Wilson are both also nursing injuries.
Despite the injuries, some new faces have stepped up. Redshirt sophomore Dillon Cooper, after receiving just 12 at bats last year, has taken the reigns at third base and is hitting .370 with solid defense. Freshmen J.T. Jarrett and David Vazquez have filled in admirably up the middle at second base and shortstop, respectively.
Freshman pitcher Reid Johnston and redshirt junior pitcher Nolan Clenney have performed well out of the bullpen. Johnston boasts two saves and a 2.00 ERA in three appearances while Clenney holds a 1.35 ERA in 6.2 innings.
With a less-than-ideal injury situation, it’s good for Avent to be able to rely on freshmen and new players for the time being.
