With Wednesday’s scheduled game against UNC-Charlotte cancelled by rain, the NC State baseball team won’t get a tune-up before a pivotal weekend series with Notre Dame in South Bend.
The Wolfpack (20-14, 8-9 ACC) heads to Indiana this weekend to challenge the Fighting Irish (24-10, 9-9 ACC) in a three game conference series off the back of a 2-1 series loss to local rival UNC-Chapel Hill.
The Pack has struggled to get consistent play on the road, losing three of its last four games away from the Doak, including the two losses to the Tar Heels this past weekend.
Despite its road struggles, posting a 4-10 record on the season, the Pack has played much more competitively during the last four games, losing by two runs or fewer in its three most recent losses.
The Irish, having posted an above average 7-6 home record, have also had much more success recently in South Bend, winning four straight, including a three-game sweep of the 13th-ranked Florida State Seminoles.
Offensively for NC State, senior second baseman Logan Ratledge should make his presence known. The Charlotte native is having a terrific season, leading the Pack in batting average, home runs and runs scored. Ratledge has also started in every game this season for the Pack.
Key to keeping Irish runs off the board will be redshirt sophomore right-handed pitcher Johnny Piedmonte. Standing at a hulking 6-foot-8-inches and 242 pounds, the Pack pitcher is an intimidating force on the mound, pitching a sub-2.50 ERA. The Pack also plays strongly with Piedmonte on the mound, winning all six games that he has started.
For the Irish, sophomore Cavan Biggio will look to pad his solid season. The son of future Baseball Hall of Famer Craig Biggio is batting a solid .304 on the season, with 15 extra base hits, including two home runs.
On the mound, the Irish will turn to sophomore right-hander Ryan Smoyer to keep the Pack struggling. Smoyer has been lights-out when he starts, winning all five of his starting opportunities. The Bowling Green native also has sub-2.50 ERA and 20 strikeouts on the year as well.
With Piedmonte and Smoyer as potential starters for the series this weekend, the deciding factor for the game will hinge upon who will get on the scoreboard first. The Pack is a stellar 16-5 when scoring first, but is 4-9 when its opponents score first. Similarly, the Irish are 19-1 when scoring first, but are 5-9 when their opponents score first.
NC State will look to continue its success against the Irish, having swept the Indiana program during the 2013-2014 season. In that series, the Wolfpack made quick work of the Irish, outscoring them 13-3 during the series.
The Pack will also have to bring its bats with them to South Bend if they want to keep pace with the Irish. The Pack has a batting average of .196 during their last four games while the Irish are batting .278 over their last four contests.
