The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/85079
so far," Ciencin said. "The kid loves to be on the field and he hits, so he's going to play somewhere as long as he keeps work- ing hard." Juniors Tarran Senay (.264, seven dou- bles, two home runs and 24 RBI) and junior college transfer Bryan Adametz will be in reserve in the outfield. Juco transfer Grant Clyde and freshman Jake Fincher are avail- able in the infield, and both can play the outfield in a pinch. When Williams went down with a serious injury in the season's first game, Fincher stepped in to replace him in center field. Coming out of fall practice, the big ques- tion mark about the Wolfpack was pitching depth. Injuries reduced the roster to just eight healthy pitchers by the end of the fall with senior left-hander Grant Sasser (1-3 record and 4.11 ERA in 2011), junior right- handers Ethan Ogburn (6-4, 4.52), Anthony Tzamtzis, Josh Easley (0-2, 5.96) and Ryan Wilkins, and freshman left-hander Travis Orwig down with various injuries. Sasser and Easley both had Tommy John surgery and will not be available in 2012. That makes the health of the other four that much more important. As the season drew near, all four were pitching well, and that is good news. Wilkins and Ogburn appear set to join Rodon in the weekend rotation. Tzamtzis is in the running for a starting job as well. ■ Projected Starting Lineup C — Brett Austin, Fr. (Providence HS, Charlotte, N.C., .537, 47 runs scored, 10 doubles, 12 home runs, 38 RBI, 14 steals) 1B — Andrew Ciencin, Sr. (.257 average, 12 doubles, five home runs, 35 RBI) 2B — Matt Bergquist, Jr. (.289, 15 doubles, one triple, four home runs, 46 RBI) SS — Chris Diaz, Jr. (.306, 12 doubles, two triples, two home runs, 32 RBI) 3B — Trea Turner, Fr. (Park Vista HS, Lake Worth, Fla., .478, nine doubles, five triples, one home run, 16 RBI, 43 runs scored, 28 steals) LF — Ryan Mathews, Sr. (.120, 27 plate appearances) CF — Jake Fincher, Fr. (Providence HS, Charlotte, N.C., .466, five home runs, 40 RBI) RF — John Gianis, Sr. (.289, 11 doubles, one triple, one home run, 24 RBI) DH — Danny Canela, Jr. (.260, six doubles, one triple, five home runs, 25 RBI) ■ Projected Pitching Staff RHP — Ryan Wilkins, Jr. (Palomar CC, San Diego, 4-2, 4.35 ERA, 70 1/3 innings, 50 strikeouts) LHP — Carlos Rodon, Fr. (Holly Springs HS, Holly Springs, N.C., 11-0, 1.40 ERA, 135 strike- outs) RHP — Ethan Ogburn, Jr. (6-4, 4.52 ERA, 61 2/3 innings pitched, 47 strikeouts) RHP — Vance Williams, Sr. (2-0, 3.61 ERA, 42 1/3 innings, 33 strikeouts) RHP — Anthony Tzamtzis, So. (injured) LHP — D.J. Thomas, So. (2-1, 3.92 ERA, 41 1/3 innings, 26 strikeouts) RHP — Chris Overman, Jr. (6-3, 2.39 ERA, seven saves, 49 innings, 45 strikeouts) RHP — Danny Healey, Jr. (2-4, 6.15 ERA, 52 2/3 innings, 43 strikeouts) RHP — Gary Gillheeney, Sr. (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1/3 inning) RHP — Dillon Frye, Fr. (Lee County HS, Sanford, N.C., 6-4, 1.80 ERA, 70 innings, 99 strike- outs) RHP — Logan Jernigan, Fr. (South Johnston HS, Four Oaks, N.C., 4-3, 1.02 ERA, 62 innings, 65 strikeouts) LHP — Travis Orwig, Fr. (Ponderosa HS, Parker, Colo., 7-1, 1.19 ERA, 41 1/3 innings, 60 strikeouts) RHP — Chris Williams, Fr. (Athens Drive HS, Raleigh, 9-1, 0.75 ERA, 75 innings, 67 strikeouts) 66 ■ THE WOLFPACKER The remainder of the staff was just be- ginning to come into focus as the season approached. The competition was strong, and that's always a good thing. "It seems like every year leading up to this year we had a starter coming back who'd thrown a lot the year before," senior right-hander Vance Williams said. "Last year it was Cory Mazzoni, before that Jake Buchanan, Jimmy Gillheeney, Eric Sur- "I like this ballclub. I like it a lot. I like the way they go about it. I like the way the young guys have mixed in with the old guys." ■ Head coach Elliott Avent kamp. "This year, we don't have one clear-cut starter who's thrown a lot in the past. I do think the thing we have different this year is that more guys on this staff can start and go four, five, six innings pretty easily. The depth of the starters this year is better than what it's been in the past." NC State plays five games the first five days of the season, and nine games in the first 12 days. Avent will get to extend audi- tions into the season before making final decisions on who fills which roles. "We have six guys that we're very com- fortable with starting right now, maybe seven," Avent said. "You're not going to have seven starters, so some of those guys are going to fill roles out of the bullpen." Avent said that junior right-handers Og- burn and Wilkins were separating them- selves from the pack and would begin the season in the weekend rotation with Rodon. Tzamtzis, Williams and sophomore lefty D.J. Thomas have pitched well enough to start. Thomas would bring the rotation an additional left-hander, but at the expense of the only reliable lefty in the bullpen. Rota- tion or bullpen for Thomas is a decision that should come early in the year. Freshmen right-handers Logan Jernigan and Dillon Frye could push for midweek starts. Junior right-hander Chris Overman (6-3, 2.39, 7 saves) will anchor the bullpen for the Wolfpack. A preseason All-American, Overman emerged as a dominant closer about a month into the 2011 season and got stronger as the season went on. He did not allow an earned run in his last eight appearances of the season, covering 12 2/3 innings, and finished the season by facing 66 consecutive batters without allowing a walk. Overman continued his incredible 2011 season by dominating the Cape Cod League for the champion Harwich Mariners, work- ing 33 innings without allowing an earned Senior co-captain Andrew Ciencin, who is moving from third base to first base this year, hit .257 with five home runs and 35 RBI last season. PHOTO COURTESY NC STATE MEDIA RELATIONS