Life as a collegiate pitcher can certainly have its ups and downs. Just ask N.C. State sophomore Cory Mazzoni. After a rocky start to his freshman season, Mazzoni’s began his sophomore season playing a vital role in helping the Wolfpack (10-1) to its best start to the season since 2006, when it started 13-1.
“A lot has changed between last year and this year, both as a team and me personally,” Mazzoni said. “I have definitely gotten off to a better start this season and I feel much more confident out there on the mound.”
In three starts this season, Mazzoni is sporting a 2-0 record with a 2.16 ERA and leads the team in strikeouts with 18.
Perhaps his most impressive outing in his college career thus far came against previously No. 3-ranked UC Irvine in the Baseball at the Beach tournament this season, where he allowed a mere two hits and no runs in six innings of work.
“Obviously he has been a big part of our [pitching] staff this year,” head coach Elliott Avent said. “You can tell he has matured. We all get better as we get older. This is a difficult conference to come in right away and ultimately be successful.”
Mazzoni hopes he can build off the success he has had so far this season and continue to be one of the Pack as most reliable starters on a team filled with young hurlers.
“We have a young pitching staff this year,” Mazzoni said. “Every game we’re getting a little bit better and maturing.”
In his last start on March 4 against Xavier, Mazzoni pitched five and two-thirds innings and retired an impressive thirteen of the first fifteen batters he faced while striking out seven Musketeers.
However, everything has not always gone as fluidly as it has this season for Mazzoni.
After leaving his hometown of Evans City, Pennsylvania last year, Mazzoni arrived at State in the fall and pitched extremely well before struggling early in the 2009 season.
“He had a fantastic fall last year and at some point during the first part of the season, he wasn’t pitching the way he did during the fall,” Avent said. “We knew it was there and knew it was going to come. It finally came toward the end of the season and he just took off and has been sensational ever since then.”
While the Wolfpack offense has stolen the headlines so far this season, the old baseball adage “pitching wins championships” still holds true and Mazzoni will play an important role if the Pack want to contend in the ACC.
State squares off against North Carolina A&T today at 3 p.m., followed by a three-game series at No. 13 Clemson this weekend. The series against the Tigers will mark the beginning of the conference schedule for the Pack, as it looks to continue its stellar play.
“We’ve had a different attitude this year and we‚Äôre having fun,” Mazzoni said. “Right now I think we’re a really good team and going to be a real threat in the ACC this season.”
