The NC State baseball team will face another in-state rival this weekend when the Wolfpack travels to Chapel Hill to challenge the rival North Carolina Tar Heels and attempt to cure the team’s dreadful record away from Doak Field.
Both teams come into the three-game series with less than stellar records. The Pack holds an overall record of 19-12, with an even 7-7 record in ACC play, while the Tar Heels are 20-13 with a 7-8 record in conference play.
The Wolfpack has lost three of its last four games, including two ACC games against the eighth-ranked Florida State Seminoles this past weekend. The Tar Heels have split their last four games but lost two of their last three conference games last weekend in a series against the Clemson Tigers.
The road hasn’t treated the Pack kindly this season, as the team has struggled mightily, posting a lackluster 3-7 record away from the Doak. The Heels, meanwhile, have been excellent at home, holding an 11-4 record while defending Boshamer Stadium.
Some of the key players for the Wolfpack in the upcoming series will be senior center fielder Jake Fincher and sophomore right hander Joe O’Donnell. Both players have performed well in conference play this season.
O’Donnell has been lights out for the Pack during conference play, with a 3-1 record in conference play and 19 strikeouts. The Wilmington native has only given up 21 hits over 15 game appearances during the regular season.
Fincher has also been having a stellar season as well. The Charlotte native heads into the weekend batting .375, with three home runs and nine extra base hits on the season. Fincher had a strong game against the Elon Phoenix, going 3-for-4 with a home run for the game.
The Tar Heels will heavily rely upon freshman infielder Brian Miller and senior right hander Benton Moss as they look to secure the series win this weekend.
Miller is hitting a stellar .379 in 28 games and only has eight strikeouts on the season. The Raleigh native will look to boost his extra base hits numbers this weekend; however, as he only has two extra base hits this year and no home runs.
Moss has been reliable at the plate for the Heels this season, registering five wins in six starts, with a solid 3.21 ERA and 41 strikeouts on the season. Moss’ opponents are struggling to hit against him as well, as batters have an average of .278 against him.
The series will be the first time the two teams will play each other since the ACC Tournament play-in game last year. That game was determined on a controversial play at the plate on a steal by former NC State starter Trea Turner, who was called out. The game ended with a 4-3 loss to the Heels.
The loss was costly in more ways than one. The game would be the last the Pack would play during the 2013-2014 season as it missed the NCAA Tournament.
The games will be determined by which team can score during the first four innings. The Wolfpack is an impressive 14-0 when the team is leading at the end of four innings, while the Tar Heels are an abysmal 0-10 when trailing after four innings.
Should NC State get runs on the board early, the Pack should see out the win, but it will need solid production from its bats and a reversal of recent fortune on the road to take the series, beginning with Friday’s game at 7:30 p.m.
