In the game of baseball, the leadoff hitter has a lot of pressure on him. Not only is he supposed to get on base and set the tone for the offense early on in the game, but he also allows the other hitters to get a look at what the pitcher has up his sleeve by working the count.

Senior centerfield Kyle Wilson has done just that leading off and has helped to lead the Wolfpack to one of its better starts in recent years with a 6-1 record, including an upset over previously No. 3-ranked UC Irvine. Wilson also helped to pace an offensive attack that has averaged over 12 runs per game.

“We have gotten off to a better start than last year. We also have got a lot more chemistry this year and I think that shows,” Wilson said. “Last Friday we were down two runs in the eight and we came back. We have been down a couple times and we have been able to come back and it shows we aren’t going to quit and just roll over.”

Part of the Pack’s hot start offensively this season can be directly linked to Wilson’s success at the plate this season. The senior is hitting .500 and is tied for the lead on the team while leading the team in runs scored with 14.

But his teammates, including senior second baseman Dallas Poulk, believe it’s not just his offensive stats that are helping the team but also his good at-bats.

“He is really good at the top of the order and sets the tone for the rest of the lineup. Every at-bat is a good one,” Poulk said. “He works his walks and gets his hits when he needs to. He goes in there with the right mindset and he knows what he is doing every time he steps into the box. He allows the rest of the order to see different pitches and see some things from the pitcher.”

Wilson credits his success this season to his more patient approach at the plate, which has lead to him becoming more comfortable hitting at the top of the lineup.

“In my previous years in junior college, I really didn’t like to hit leadoff because I didn’t like going in without any information about the pitcher. But towards the end of last year I started to get a little more comfortable doing it because I started to become more patient as a hitter,” Wilson said. “As a leadoff hitter, you have to take pitches and give the information to the other guys. If I get a hit, great. But if I can see as many pitches as I can, it helps the other hitters.”

Since arriving at State last season from Hill College in Texas, Wilson has not only had to adjust hitting first but also at a new position. The senior originally came in as a shortstop but throwing problems resulted in a move to the outfield.

“He came in as a shortstop, played all fall there. Me and him where working up the middle a little bit,” Poulk said. “But we laugh at it now, but he couldn’t seem to throw it to the first baseman and so we flipped flopped positions and he moved to second. Eventually he found his way out in centerfield where he has really excelled. He found his spot there and is comfortable there.”

But Wilson has had no problems with the transition to the outfield, saying that his offensive game has improved because of the move to center.

“Moving to center field has been good because I don’t have to worry about the throws as much. At short I was so focused on concentrated on my throws that it effected my hitting also because I was more worried about playing defense,” Wilson said. “Now, in the field, I can concentrate a little bit more on hitting. It took me a little bit to get used to the position and some of the things you do, adjusting in counts, moving up and moving back. But I am having a blast out there.”

With the hot start this season, the team has shown it can compete, and Wilson hopes he will be able to achieve his goal of playing in a Super Regional or even the College World Series, a desire that led him to transfer instead of going pro.

“When I left Texas, I had gotten drafted and I had to choose whether to sign a contract with the Cubs or come to State,” Wilson said. “I wanted the opportunity to go to a College World Series, go to a Super Regional and play on ESPN and do something with college baseball. That has been my goal since I was really young and I wanted to do it.”