The Wolfpacker

72 ■ THE WOLFPACKER fill out the weekend rotation coming out of fall practice were junior right-handers Joe O'Donnell (7-3, 2.08) and Johnny Pied- monte (1-2, 3.26). O'Donnell had an excel- lent 2015 campaign coming out the bull- pen, then — like Deatherage — enjoyed a breakout summer in the Cape Cod League. Piedmonte made 12 starts a year ago, including the ACC championship game versus Florida State and the NCAA re- gional final against TCU. Junior right- hander Cory Wilder (2-5, 3.50) and lefty Ryan Williamson (4-4, 5.17) have experi- ence as starters, but both sat out the fall nursing minor ailments. Avent will build his bullpen around senior left-hander Will Gilbert (3-1, 2.47, three saves, plus a staff-high 29 appearances) and DeJuneas (3-3, 1.82, six saves). Gilbert is an unflappable jack- of-all trades who can fill any role in the pen. DeJuneas is a flame-throwing right- hander who struck out 57 in just 39 2 ⁄3 innings. The remainder of the pitching staff will likely be a work in progress when pre- Dry Clean Your Carpets! commercial residential Since 1987 www.bmsdry.com Environmentally safe "green" system No soapy residue common to steam cleaning systems Fully bonded and insured Safe for children and pets • • • • No waiting on carpets to dry Proven system – millions of square feet cleaned in the Triangle since 1987 Wolfpack family owned and operated • • • Phone: 919-834-1990 • Fax: 919-834-1998 bms12@nc.rr.com – commercial jed.barbour@bmsdry.com – residential Ask about our Sure Step non-slip floor treatment! Players To Watch Sophomore left-hander Brian Brown Brown began his freshman season fighting for a rotation spot. He finished the season as argu- ably the best pitcher in the pitching-rich Atlantic Coast Conference. He posted a 7-3 record and a 2.03 ERA, good for Freshman All-America honors, but in nine starts beginning March 28 versus Pitt and running through a May 21 victory over Notre Dame in the ACC Championship, Brown was 5-2 with a 0.88 ERA, striking out 51 and walking 17 in 51 innings and holding opposing hitters to a .183 batting average. For the year, he led the Wolfpack in innings pitched with 79 2 ⁄3 and struck out 78, one shy of the team lead. Junior catcher Andrew Knizner Knizner switched from third base to catcher a year ago, and from the get-go looked as though he was born behind the plate. Playing nearly every day, Knizner threw out a third of potential base stealers, handled the pitching staff flawlessly and still man - aged to hit .313 with 10 doubles, five home runs and 42 RBI. The 2016 Wolfpack should draw a horde of scouts to Doak Field at Dail Park, and Knizner will be one of the main attractions. He figures to be a high-round draft pick next June. Junior first baseman Preston Palmeiro Palmeiro came off a solid freshman season to have a breakout 2015. Only departed shortstop Logan Ratledge, one of the ACC's top players, had a better season for the Wolfpack, and when the chips were on the table, no one was more reliable in the clutch than Palmeiro. He led the team with 49 RBI and finished second in doubles (13), home runs (seven, tied with Joe Dunand), extra-base hits (21), on-base percentage (.381) and slugging percentage (.456). In ACC games, he led the team in hitting (.319) and on-base percentage (.409) while slugging a robust .466.

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