The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/430118
JANUARY 2015 ■ 51 BY RYAN TICE N C State's softball program had its second consecutive record-setting campaign last year. The Wolfpack — which was two games below .500 in the five seasons before the arrival of third-year head coach Shawn Rychcik — started inconsistently, but that could have been expected. The defending ACC champi- ons were playing with a target on their back for the first time and could no longer catch opponents by surprise. The Wolfpack recovered to finish strong, going 16-8 in league play and qualifying for a second straight NCAA Tournament. NC State made its presence felt in the sec- ond game of the Athens Regional by topping No. 4 national seed Georgia. It was just the fifth time since 2005 that one of the top four seeds lost before a regional final contest in the double-elimination bracket, and it was the first time in program — as well as the state of North Carolina — history that a team advanced to the regional championship without a loss. The Bulldogs eventually advanced with consecutive wins, but the players who are the "heart and soul" of the Pack return hun- gry for the program's first-ever Super Re- gional appearance. Last year's All-ACC duo of shortstop Renada Davis and pitcher Em- ily Weiman will lead the team in its quest for history during their senior campaigns. The two combine for no fewer than 27 school re- cords, and they have played a crucial role in establishing the new era of NCSU softball. The Pack has gone 71-38-1 under Ry- chcik and claimed an ACC title, but the senior duo won't have to do it alone this spring. They will simply serve as the an- chors that will be counted on for consistent performances. "It's a stability thing where you know you're going to get production because they've done it all three years here," the coach said. "You can kind of bet on it, and that's what should happen from seniors." The lineup — which set a school record with a team batting average of .275 and blasted 67 home runs, a tally that is second on the all-time single-season list to the in- credible total of 88 in 2013 — is solid from top to bottom and should provide plenty of protection for the powerful Davis. "I feel pretty strong about where we're at offensively," Rychcik noted. "I like our depth. We've hit over 150 home runs the last two years, but I want to be more offen- sive minded, and I think this team has that potential." The defense must replace the right side of the infield, but it should be comparable to last year when it ranked 16th nationally and set a school record with a .973 fielding percentage. Freshman Alyssa Compton has taken the reins at second base after a stellar fall, and first base might feature a platoon of play- ers. However, the coach likes his available combination there, led by junior transfer Maggie Hawkins, who hit at least .335 in both of her campaigns at Hofstra and will step right into the heart of the batting order. "At first base, I feel pretty comfortable," he said. "I knew it would be covered pretty well, but second was the question at the beginning of the year. I feel like we've got a good answer, and I'd like to think we are going to get better at each position as we continue to mature as a program. "I am really pleased with where Alyssa is at, I think she is very seasoned for a freshman. Not a lot has baffled her. I see a lot of upside for her, and she's a really good defensive player." The most important difference comes in the pitching circle, which is always a key factor in the postseason. The Pack won't have to rely solely on the workhorse Wei- man thanks to sophomore Courtney Mira- bella, who proved in the fall she was ready for the freshman-to-sophomore year jump. When Mirabella went down with a minor injury, rookie Harli Hubbard earned some valuable experience. "I know what Emily can do, I've seen ■ PREVIEW SOFTBALL SUPER SENIORS All-ACC Selections Renada Davis And Emily Weiman Lead The Pack In Their Quest For History Last year, Davis batted a single-season school- record .375 and broke the school's all-time career home run mark with her 50th round- tripper, which she belted against No. 4 national seed Georgia in the NCAA Tournament. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS Key Players To Watch Senior shortstop Renada Davis The school's all-time home run leader has been named All-ACC each season with a pair of first-team laurels and a second-team mention last year. In addition to her 50 career round-trippers, she has led the team in batting each season, including a school-record .375 batting average and .798 slugging percentage last year. She has ranked among the nation's top 11 in homers each of the past two years. Senior pitcher Emily Weiman The 2013 ACC Pitcher of the Year added her second consecutive first-team all-conference honor last season after she went 30-15 in the circle for the second-most wins in the league and program history. The workhorse righty has led the ACC in innings pitched each of the last two years, and she has struck out 734 batters in 801 1 ⁄3 career innings. Junior third baseman Lana Van Dyken She has started all but one game since arriving from Puyallup, Wash., prior to the 2013 campaign. After batting .232 as a rookie, she improved to a .361 clip at the plate, which ranked third in program annals and second on last year's squad to Davis. ■ Key Games To Watch • NC State Hyatt Place Invitational, March 13‑15 — Four of the five teams NCSU will play have qualified for the NCAA Tournament in at least one of the last two seasons, and the weekend should provide plenty of NCAA résumé-building opportunities. • Vs. Florida State, April 3‑4 — Not many ACC teams have been able to break through to Super Regionals, but the Seminoles went all the way to the College World Series last season. State hosts just four ACC series this year, and this is the biggest. • Vs. North Carolina, April 18‑19 — The team's goal is to set the attendance record at Dail Softball Stadium this weekend. The squad has an 89-51 all-time record at the park, which opened in 2008, and is 30-10 there under Rychcik. NCSU won the series against UNC last year, but was eliminated from the ACC Tournament by its rivals.