Weekend Preview: UM vs NCST

This article was written by Mephistopheles for Canespace...

 

Our Baseball 'Canes are riding a five game conference winning streak, and find themselves tied for first in the Coastal Division.  So far, and it's real early, the Coastal is shaping up as the class of the conference with UVA and the Jackets tied with UM at 5 - 1, and UNC lurking after a slow start. 

 

College Baseball Insider has declared the Cavaliers as the cream of the ACC, but there's a lot of ball to be played.  If the order remains as it is, the last two weeks of the season will decide the division with Miami visiting Georgia Tech, and UVA visiting the the Hurricanes in the last two weeks of the Conference regular season.

 

This week Miami travels to North Carolina to face the Wolfpack for a three game series beginning on Friday night. 

 

NC State enters this week as the Conference's most productive offensive team leading the ACC in batting average and runs scored.  However, much of their production this season came against less than stellar teams, including 7 games against LaSalle, Quinnipiac and NC Central. 

 

Against good teams, the Pack's offense has had more bark than bite, although they are a streaky team that if they get going early they can plate some runs. 

 

Fortunately for the Canes, UM's pitching has been a strength all season long with just a few exceptions.  They are ranked 5th in the pitching heavy ACC with a solid 3.58/9 innings, but are at the top in opponent's batting average, strike-outs and strike-out to walk ratio.  All three of UM's starters have been steady all year and all have a wealth of experience. 

 

The pen has been good overall, but the late innings have been this bullpen's strength.  Although Gut is the named closer, no one in the pen has really established themselves as "The Guy," unless you count Iden Nazario as the guy opponents love to see.  Sorry Naz.

 

On the mound, the Pack has not distinguished itself at all.  Their team ERA is more than two runs/game higher than The U, and they lead the conference in walks.  Their only reliable starter is Buchanan, who will likely go Friday against Hernandez.  If Erickson stays as the Sunday starter, UM should have a huge pitching edge in game 3. 

 

The Pack's pitching staff has struggled with walks, and their battery has only caught only 2 of 31 base-stealers.  This should set up a nice match-up advantage for the Canes who are 2nd in the ACC with 37 steals, and although Miami's fielding has been its achilles heal this season, N. C. State has fared even worse, ranking 10th in the conference. 

 

Football fans who go to the game may recognize the Pack's shortstop and occasional relief pitcher, Russell Wilson who doubles as the football team's QB.  Wilson is obviously athletic being able to start at such a high level in 2 sports, but he will not likely be the difference this week.  He has a nice average and some occasional power, but is also succeptible to strike out.  He throws hard, but has average stuff and walks as many as he K's. 

 

This series should set up well for the Canes to keep pace in the Coastal division.  If Miami can get to Buchanan in Game 1, they should put up some nice numbers this weekend against the balance of NCST's vulnerable pitching staff. 

 

As you may have noticed, all season long I have encouraged the Canes to be aggressive on the bases, and this game should give the rabbits a chance to run, baby, run.  

 

This is a series that UM must take advantage of if they hope to contend for the conference title, and a national seed in the post-season.  The second half of the conference season is a gauntlet, so they need to get as many wins as possible in the next three weeks.

 

I think they will.  

 

Comments

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

Sharpton believes he's one of the best LBs in the nation and expects to get drafted accordingly.

he's been reading Canespace too much.

wish the best for him though. for all of his faults he was tough as nails and never complained. Good luck Daryl.

Posted by: Daytoncane | March 27, 2010 at 01:49 PM

>>>>

Actually, it shows he, like his fellow senior, have NEVER read Canespace because if he had, he's shut that shyt up before it even entered his brain.

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

ALL BOW THE PROPHET, YOUR KING CANESAWMASSACRE IS BACK.
--------------------------------

>>>>

CSM, bro, you must not know much about Roma. The word king could get you strung up or exiled, especially if you said it to one of the LEGIONS.

[Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer]

And Americans make it a point to bully kings and similar folk, like Roma used to do.

Haha, just kidding with you bro'.

[Daytoncane]

Actually, it shows he, like his fellow senior, have NEVER read Canespace because if he had, he's shut that shyt up before it even entered his brain.

Posted by: Captain Optimist aka Cavaleer | March 27, 2010 at 01:57 PM

but he's Cane and that automatically makes him better lol.

[Aqua]

Not if they played under Coker..

[Jesse]

Sooo whose gona come through in the cluth with ice in there veins and post a link to watch the game online???

[CGNC]

anyone else find it disturbing that there are gator fans in Kiev?

[Daytoncane]

these LSU boys are huge.

anybody who thinks that all they're taking is muscle milk is crazy.

[CaniaK aka True Canes]

the receivers were the story, I like how AJ is developing.

[Cane Since 1982]

anyone got any info on the spring game?

[CaniaK aka True Canes]

AJ threw for 5 TD or so, the running backs had big runs for TD. Ray Ray intercepted AJ twice.

[CaniaK aka True Canes]

it is quiet here, very very quiet that is strange

[usagainstheworld]

it is quiet here, very very quiet that is strange

Posted by: CaniaK aka True Canes | March 27, 2010 at 08:11 PM

i'm with you caniak-- tumbleweed. . .

[SOUP]

82...what's up? Good to see U around!

It'll get noisy soon, just wait...

[solarcane]

"I know nobody cares about me or my issues but here is my request:"

I care the world for you brud... your issues not so much. lol

[canezilla]

,,

[canezilla]

stadium was packed for the spring game.TB had a huge day hauling in some deep passes hankerson caught like a 50 yard bomb.ray ray 2 picks c-mac had a pick..willis mcgaee was in the house.along with the 89 national champs

[canezilla]

d-line played very well.looks like bailey added 80 more pounds of muscle.This guy is a monster.#39 is not on the depth chart but damn this guy got smoked allday.horrible corner back

[solarcane]

thanks zilla

[canezilla]

TRAZ POWELL STADIUM -- If you took your eyes off the field Saturday at Traz Powell Stadium for even a second, you might have missed a lot. This year's Spring Football Game turned out to be about as action-packed as any played before it -- chock full of scoring from start to finish.

In the end, the team featuring UM's First Team Defense/Second Team Offense was able to rally for 58-53 victory over the First Team Offense/Second Team Defense. First, the stats and scoring and then few thoughts/highlights...

RUSHING: Mike James 10 carries, 64 yards; Damien Berry 15-42, 1 TD; Stephen Morris 4-24; A.J. Highsmith 3-16; Storm Johnson 4-15; Lamar Miller 8-10, 1 TD; Spencer Whipple 2-(-10).

PASSING: Stephen Morris 12-for-21 209 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT; A.J. Highsmith 11-for-20 131 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs; Spencer Whipple 7-for-16, 112 yards, 1 TD.

RECEIVING: Kendall Thompkins 8 catches for 84 yards, 1 TD; Travis Benjamin 6-171, 1 TD; Leonard Hankerson 3-61, 2 TDs; Davon Johnson 3-31, 1 TD; LaRon Byrd 3-26; Richard Gordon 2-22; Aldarius Johnson 2-20, 1 TD; Ben Bruneau 1-17; Allen Hurns 1-11; Billy Sanders 1-9.

SCORING
- Highsmith 16-yard TD pass to Hankerson (Jake Wieclaw kick)
- Highsmith 3-yard TD pass to D. Johnson (Wieclaw kick)
- Morris 75-yard TD pass to Benjamin (Wieclaw kick)
- Miller 2-yard run (Wieclaw kick)
- Highsmith 39-yard TD pass to Hankerson (Wieclaw kick)
- Whipple 9-yard TD pass to Johnson (Wieclaw kick)
- Morris 5-yard TD pass to Thompkins (Wieclaw kick)
- Berry 26-yard TD (Wieclaw kick)
- Wieclaw 33 FG

DEFENSE: Sean Spence 8 tackles; Brandon McGee 7 tackles, 2 pass break ups; Vaughn Telemaque 6 tackles; Tyrone Cornelius 4 tackles, 2 PBU; Steven Wesley 1 sack, forced fumble; Marcus Robinson 1 sack; Allen Bailey 1 sack; Ray Ray Armstrong 2 INTs; Colin McCarthy 1 INT; Adewale Ojomo fumble recovery.

> THE GOOD: Better quarterback play and pass protection. Three weeks ago in a scrimmage at Fort Lauderdale's Lockhart Stadium, A.J. Highsmith, Stephen Morris and Spence Whipple had trouble just staying off their backs (they were sacked a combined seven times). Saturday, UM's offensive line played much better (only giving up three sacks). The extra time allowed for them to have a lot more success passing. After completing just 14 of their 23 attempts for 169 yards and one touchdown three weeks ago, the trio combined to go 30 for 57 for 452 yards, 6 TDs and 3 INTS.

> THE NOT SO GOOD: Secondary got torched at times. Sophomore cornerback Brandon McGee is going to want to delete Saturday's Spring Game from his memory banks. He was beaten several times in coverage and got an earful from defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, who told him "you are better than that." For what it's worth, with All-American junior-to-be Brandon Harris out of the game, Canes quarterbacks spent a lot of time picking on walk-on Nate Gholston (listed at 5-7, 170).

> INJURIES: Looks freshman running back Lamar Miller was the only one to suffer an injury. He went down with what I was told was a separated shoulder.

> FIRST TEAM OFFENSE: QB A.J. Highsmith, RB Mike James, FB Pat Hill, TE Richard Gordon, WR LaRon Byrd, WR Leonard Hankerson, LT Jermaine Johnson, LG Harland Gunn, C Tyler Horn, RG Brandon Washington, RT Ben Jones.

> FIRST TEAM DEFENSE: RE Adewale Ojomo, DT Micanor Regis, DT Curtis Porter, LE Allen Bailey, WLB Colin McCarthy, MLB Kylan Robinson, SLB Sean Spence, CB Brandon McGee, CB Demarcus Van Dyke, FS Jamal Reid/Ray Ray Armstrong, SS Vaughn Telemaque.

> SECOND TEAM OFFENSE: QB Spencer Whipple, RB Lamar Miller and Damien Berry, WR Aldarius Johnson, WR Travis Benjamin, WR Kendall Thompkins, LT Cory White, LG Jared Wheeler, C Shane McDermott, RG Malcolm Bunche, RT Stephen Plein.

t

[Cat 5 Cane]

it is quiet here, very very quiet that is strange... Posted by: CaniaK aka True Canes
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Welcome to the DZ

it's the dead period but you're right. it is quiet. I think the boys are trying to make a statement by not making a statement at all in protest to the rules.

So, I'm guessing they've found another place to vent, because I don't see these guys dropping all blogs and going cold turkey... $10 bucks says I'm right!

[SOUP]

NEW BLOG IS UP!

[canezilla]

nate gholston.......walk on ..dog u need to walk off!!!