After winning last season’s series, two games to one against rival UNC-Chapel Hill, the No. 28 baseball team will be looking to repeat that success as it travels along Tobacco Road this weekend to square off against the Tar Heels in a three game series in Chapel Hill.
State is fresh off two mid-week games against Coppin State where the Pack scored 29 runs in two blowout wins. The series against UNC will undoubtedly pose a greater challenge for the team however, as the Heels lead the all-time series 149-121-1.
“We always love to play [UNC] no matter if it’s home or away,” senior second baseman Dallas Poulk said. “It’s a big rivalry; there are a lot of fans, and there is a lot of bad blood between us. We’ll try to just focus on staying within our game plan and play as hard as we can and hopefully come out of the series with a couple of W’s.”
In contrast to its struggling in-state neighbor, who has lost seven of its last 13 games, the Wolfpack is riding a three-game win streak and has won five of its last six contests.
Relief pitching has been a key ingredient in helping the Pack stay competitive during close games this season. State’s strong bullpen gives the team the ability to make late rallies just as it did in thrilling extra-inning wins against Campbell, UC Irvine, Miami and Virginia earlier this year.
“Pitching has been huge for us lately, especially the relievers coming out of the bullpen,” sophomore Pratt Maynard said. “They’ve been able to get ahead in the counts and have been throwing good pitches when needed.”
Redshirt junior Rob Chamra, junior Grant Sasser and freshman Anthony Tzamtzis have all provided quality innings of relief work this season and have anchored the Wolfpack bullpen.
Perhaps no victory has been more significant for State this season than the win over previously No. 1-ranked Virginia this past Sunday, which gave the Pack the series 2-1. Sophomore third baseman Andrew Ciencin supplied the heroics, belting a grand slam home run in the seventh inning to propel the Pack past the Cavaliers 7-6.
Currently, State’s record stands at 20-10 overall and 5-7 in the ACC, which is good for third place in the Atlantic Division. Both UNC (20-11, 4-8 ACC) and State will be looking to battle for position in the conference standings this weekend as the midpoint of the 2010 season is quickly approaching.
“Defense will be a major factor this weekend,” Poulk said. “We’re going to have to make some plays out in the field. We’ll try and see if our bats come alive and hopefully get some clutch hits as well.”
Wolfpack bats will have to stay hot in order to overcome the strong pitching duo of the Heels. Preseason all-American right-handers Colin Bates and Matt Harvey lead UNC’s pitching staff. Harvey has struck out 11 batters on three separate occasions this year.
State will need solid contributions from the likes of Poulk and senior centerfielder Kyle Wilson who have been nothing but spectacular for the Pack this season.
Poulk has started all 30 games at second base for the Pack and is currently batting .371 with seven home runs and 40 RBI. Equally as impressive, Wilson has hit safely in all 27 games he has started and is hitting .414 with five home runs and 11 stolen bases to help pace the Wolfpack offense.
Enthusiasm and excitement fill the air outside the team’s locker room as the players prepare for a series that means more than simply wins and losses but also pride.
“I have been here 14 years and it’s been a great series every year,” coach Elliott Avent said. “I don’t remember a series where it wasn’t just outstanding. It is always a lot of fun for the guys who grew up around here; they understand the rivalry right away and as for the guys who are not from around here, well, it doesn’t take them long to figure out what this series means.”
The first game of the series is slated to begin today at 7 p.m. at the newly renovated Boshamer Stadium in Chapel Hill. Saturday’s game starts at 6 p.m. and has already been sold out. The Wolfpack will finish up the series at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
