The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/430118
46 ■ THE WOLFPACKER Gilbert are the leading veterans on the staff. Freshmen Evan Mendoza, Tommy DeJuneas and Brian Brown impressed with strong outings in the fall. Even without a bellwether like Rodon, the staff should be much deeper than it was in 2014. Helping rebuild the pitching staff will be first-year pitching coach Scott Foxhall, who came to NC State after six seasons at Auburn and 17 years of college coaching and recruiting. Energetic, hands-on and a tireless worker, Foxhall had a tangible impact on the pitching staff in his first fall practice with the program, tailoring in- dividualized workout programs for each pitcher and personally overseeing their de- velopment. "I've watched our pitchers grow this fall," ■ Key Games To Watch Vs. East Carolina, Feb. 28 — NC State partnered with Notre Dame a year ago in the Irish Classic, an early-season tournament played mostly at USA Baseball's National Training Complex in Cary. Last year, the Pack was paired up with then-defending national champion UCLA on the main diamond at USA Baseball's training complex. This year, NC State will face East Carolina in Cary. That game will be in addition to the annual home-and-home series between the Wolfpack and Pirates. At North Carolina, April 10-12 — This will be the first regular-season meeting between the two old rivals since a series in Raleigh in 2013, and will mark NC State's first trip to Chapel Hill since 2012. The two teams played one another five times in 2013, including a classic 18-inning marathon at the ACC Championship and a pair of games at the College World Series in Omaha, but the vagaries of the ACC's schedule-making software prevented the two from playing a conference series in 2014. A non-conference game in Durham in April was rained out. The two met in a play-in game at the ACC Championship in Greensboro, with UNC ending the Wolfpack's season. Vs. Virginia, April 24-26 — Fans of great pitching will certainly want to catch the Cavaliers, who played for the national championship at last year's College World Series and who return what should be one of the nation's best start - ing rotations for 2015. Junior left-handers Nate Kirby and Brandon Waddell and junior right-hander Josh Sborz were exceptional for the Cavaliers a year ago, and all three should be high draft picks in the 2015 MLB Draft. Sophomore Andrew Knizner, who is moving behind the plate after playing third base last year, will anchor the lineup following a rookie season in which he hit .330 with four home runs and a team-high 47 RBI. PHOTO BY LARRY BLANKENSHIP