The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/73006
A Look Ahead To 2013 a glance to the future is enough to make any NC State fan smile. Based on the returning talent, the Wolfpack has a chance to be even better a year from now. Several key players must be replaced, including All-American shortstop Chris Diaz, All-ACC outfielder Ryan Mathews, While the 2012 season may have ended in the disappointment of an NCAA Super Regional loss at top-ranked Florida, first baseman Andrew Ciencin and right-hander Vance Williams, but a strong nucleus is in place and a preseason ranking in the national top 10 is likely. A trip to the College World Series will be anticipated. "With success comes expectations, and it should, " how valuable guys like Andrew Ciencin, Chris Diaz, Vance Williams and Ryan Mathews were. Our players and coaches understand what we lost. "If we're not good next year, it won't be because we rested on our laurels. That's not gonna happen with this ballclub. The returning nucleus is loaded, led by All-Americans Carlos Rodon and Trea Turner, both part of one of college " Wolfpack head coach Elliott Avent said. "But our players know baseball's greatest freshman classes. Turner batted .336 with 13 doubles, five home runs, 43 RBI and an NCAA-best and school-record 57 steals and 61 attempts. He will move from third base to shortstop, his natural position, and team with rising senior Matt Bergquist to form what should be an excellent double-play combination. Rodon-mania reached its zenith May 26 when he faced fifth-ranked North Carolina at the ACC Championship in Greensboro, N.C.. With a national television audience watching, Rodon dazzled the Tar Heels for nine shutout innings, allowing four hits and striking out 12 with just two walks. "It was kind of amazing, really," Rodon said. "It usually doesn't happen, but every pitch I threw was working." With Rodon as the staff bellwether, the Wolfpack entered every weekend series with a distinct advantage, and Avent got excellent production and development from a staff that was considered a bit thin when the season started. Ogburn (5-4, 3.38 ERA), sophomore An- thony Tzamtzis (5-5, 4.38) and freshman Logan Jernigan (5-1, 5.71) filled out the ro- tation. Overman (0-1, 2.91, six saves), Wil- liams (4-4, 3.70), Ryan Wilkins (5-2, 5.09), D.J. Thomas (2-2, 5.59), Danny Healey (4-0, 3.29), Travis Orwig (1-1, 2.19) and Dillon Frye (3-0, 2.70) made contributions out of the bullpen. The Wolfpack got considerable mileage from its pitchers, finishing with a 3.61 staff ERA and leading the ACC with 533 strike- outs and a .235 opponents' batting average. The Buzz Goes Viral Junior Danny Canela led the team in batting with a .348 average, belted 18 doubles and six home runs, and drove in 46 runs. PHOTO BY KEN MARTIN team with a .348 average and belted 18 doubles and six home runs. They give the Wolfpack a veteran tandem behind the plate. Rising sophomore speedster Jake Fincher returns in center field. There is talent at the corners as well. Rising senior Tarran Senay returns in left field, and Brett Williams, who missed Brett Austin, another rising sophomore, returns behind the plate along with rising senior Danny Canela, who led the the 2012 season with a torn ACL, will be back, either to play right field or to move back to center with Fincher moving to right. Williams, a senior, was the team's best returning player from 2011, but was lost for the season in the fifth inning of the first game of the year. New faces will man first and third base, but rising sophomore utility man Logan Ratledge could easily move to third The pitching behind him was thin, but the nucleus of that staff returns, stronger and more experienced as a result of last year's run to the Super Regional. Rising senior Ethan Ogburn (5-4, 3.38) was a dependable second starter, and rising junior Anthony Tzamtzis (5-5, 4.38) will be another year removed from Tommy John surgery. Rising sophomore Logan Jernigan (5-1, 5.71) has the raw stuff to be a dominant front-line starting pitcher. Veterans Chris Overman (0-1, 2.91, six saves), Ryan Wilkins (4-4, 3.70, one save) and D.J. Thomas (2-2, 5.59, two saves) base, and Canela, Austin and Rodon all are capable of playing first. Rodon, who was 9-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 135 strikeouts in 1142 ⁄3 innings, was arguably the best pitcher in the country. NC State won 43 games, the most since winning 45 in 2003, and won 19 in confer- ence play to set a school record. The team's longest winning streak was 12 games, in late April and early May, but more im- portant is the fact that the team's longest losing streak was just two games. Three players — Rodon, Turner and Diaz — earned All-America honors. Those three and outfielder Ryan Mathews were named All-ACC. Rodon was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Award, unheard of for a freshman. Following the season, Rodon and Turner joined the USA Collegiate Na- tional Team, which will play a 23-game schedule this summer, concluding at the Honkbal-Haarlem Baseball Week in Haar- lem, The Netherlands. While NC State fell short of the College who both sat out 2012 following Tommy John surgery. Sasser was one of the ACC's top relievers in 2010, and Easley developed into a reliable reliever in 2011 after beginning the year in the starting rotation. "I think you'll see a ballclub [next year] that'll work even harder to accomplish our goal, which is to win a champion- ship," Avent said. "The nucleus is in place. We've got some work to do, but we're excited to get out there and get it done." — Bruce Winkworth 132 ■ THE WOLFPACKER will lead the bullpen. Overman and Wilkins are rising senior right-handers. Thomas is a rising junior lefty. Rising sopho- mores Travis Orwig (1-1, 2.19) and Dillon Frye (3-0, 2.70, one save) both got tremendous experience as freshmen and should have expanded roles in 2013. The pitching staff will get a welcome boost with the return of left-hander Grant Sasser and right-hander Josh Easley, World Series, Rodon, Turner and the Wolf- pack all were a frequent topic of conversa- tion in the press box at T.D. Ameritrade Park in Omaha. The general feeling among the national media in Omaha was that NC State a) got a raw deal in being sent to Florida for the Super Regional, b) may have been the most exciting team in the country and c) will be one of the preseason favorites to make a deep run in 2013. Of course, NC State fans already knew that. ■