May 30, 2003

Wilson Regional Capsules

1. North Carolina State Wolfpack
Raleigh, N.C.
At-large bid from the ACC
2003 record - 15-9, 42-15 (third in the ACC)
Coach: Elliott Avent (VCU, 1983)
Record at school: 258-166, seven years
Overall record: 483-379, 15 years
Assistant coaches - Bill Kernen, Billy Jones, Matt Briggs
Team offense: .283 BA, 396 R, 69 HR, .466 SLG%, .378 OBA%, 74-98 SB
Team pitching: 4.20 ERA, 512 IP, 523 H, 249 BB, 392 K
Top players - Matt Camp (.342/0/24/12 SB), Jeremy Dutton (.317/11/48/10), Marc Maynor (.316/0/28/17 SB), Chad Orvella (.309/5/30/10), Chad Hicks (.299/3/28), Justin Riley (.277/16/44), Joe Gaetti (.267/13/46/12), Colt Morton (.266/16/47), Adam Hargrave (.236/1/25).
Top pitchers - Joey Devine (5-2, 13 saves, 2.14, 59 IP, 46 H, 13 BB, 73 K), Michael Rogers (11-3, 2.83, 111.1 IP, 110 H, 31 BB, 101 K), Vern Sterry (11-0, 3.02, 104.1 IP, 90 H, 31 BB, 107 K), Phillip Davidson (4-2, 4.46, 68.2 IP, 62 H, 24 BB, 40 K), Nate Cretarolo (5-3, 5.00, 72 IP, 84 H, 35 BB, 62 K).
Last NCAA appearance - 1999 (0-2)
Notes - The Wolfpack makes its first trip back to the NCAA field since 1999 after reaching 12 of 14 tournaments up to that point. The Wolfpack is one of the top stories of 2003, moving to the top tier of the ACC after going 7-17 in the league and 33-26 overall a year ago. NCSU made the NCAA tournament every year in the 1990s except for 1995. State features two of the ACC's top starters in redshirt-freshman Michael Rogers and junior Vern Sterry, who have tied the school mark for the winningest pair of pitchers in school history (22-4 before Sterry). And freshman closer Joey Devine has been lights out. NCSU tied the school record for conference wins with 15. State is 9-1 in one-run games and is 14-7 on the road. State had a 16-game winning streak from Feb. 28-March 22. State reached the final game of the ACC Tournament, losing a heartbreaker to Georgia Tech 6-5. Chad Orvella had a fantastic series in the field and at the bat, going 9 for 17. Nate Cretarolo shut out the Yellow Jackets 6-0 earlier in the tournament. Jeremy Dutton injured his hamstring on the Saturday of the tournament, and pinch-hit once in the Pack’s final two games. NCSU didn’t have a home field for much of the season, as its field was undergoing renovations. State played 48 games off-campus this year. It will be hosting a regional for the first time.

2. Virginia Commonwealth Rams
Richmond, Va.
Automatic bid - won Colonial Athletic Association Tournament
2003 record - 17-3, 45-11 (first in the CAA)
Coach: Paul Keyes (Old Dominion, 1984)
Record at school: 339-194, nine years
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Mark McQueen, Ryan Morris, Tim Haynes
Team offense: .296 BA, 371 R, 33 HR, .426 SLG%, .387 OB%, 98/123 SB
Team pitching: 2.60 ERA, 480.1 IP, 391 H, 160 BB, 521 K
Top hitters: Justin Mattison (.368/6/40), Nick Jones (.365/7/49), Eric Latura (.345/1/37), Jeff Parrish (.324/5/45), Anthony Granato (.284/5/38), Jose Pabon (.274/6/31), Joe Meador (.259/1/18), Robbie Gragnani (.253/0/12), Danny Lopaze (.250/1/21), Paul Swack (.242/0/11).
Top pitchers: Cla Meredith (6-0, 8 saves, 1.08, 58.1 IP, 41 H, 15 BB, 68 K), Justin Orenduff (8-3, 2.43, 89 IP, 69 H, 25 BB, 113 K), Michael Leishman (5-1, 2.66, 61 IP, 45 H, 15 BB, 55 K), Sean Marshall (7-2, 2.69, 80.1 IP, 73 H, 25 BB, 90 K), Matt Prendergast (8-0, 2.73, 66 IP, 50 H, 23 BB, 57 K), Brian Marshall (5-4, 11 saves, 2.85, 47.1 IP, 35 H, 21 BB, 71 K).
Last NCAA appearance: 2002 (0-2 at Columbia Regional)
Notes: The Rams are back in the field of 64 for the fifth time after winning both the regular season and the CAA tourney. And they’re red-hot, winning 11 in a row and 19 of 20. It starts with pitching for VCU, where the Rams lead the nation in ERA at 2.60. The Rams feature one of the best starting rotations in the nation in Justin Orenduff, Sean Marshall and Matt Prendergast, who have combined to go 23-5. The bully is just as tough, where Sean Marshall’s twin brother Brian has 11 saves. None of the Rams’ top six pitches have allowed more hits than innings. Nick Jones was a CAA first-teamer, and Anthony Granato and Jose Pabon have a little pop. Justin Mattison was a CAA second-teamer. The Rams, who play in a roomy minor-league park, should find the dimensions Fleming Field in Wilson, N.C., favorable. Five of the Rams’ losses came to Auburn and Richmond.

3. Western Carolina Catamounts
Cullowhee, N.C.
Automatic bid - won Southern Conference Tournament
2003 record - 22-8, 41-19 (first in Southern Conference)
Coach: Todd Raleigh (Western Carolina, 1991)
Record at school: 119-106, four years
Overall record: Same
Assistant coaches: Chris Roberts, Bergin Tatham, Paul Menhart
Team offense: .313 BA, 462 R, 57 HR, .473 SLG%, .396 OB%, 93/116 SB
Team pitching: 3.80 ERA, 526.1 IP, 568 H, 158 BB, 378 K
Top hitters: Rod Goldston (.353/6/57), Alan Beck (.338/18/71/15 SB), Chris Davis (.337/1/34), Wayne Kilmer (.336/3/31/25 SB), Matt Nelson (.336/2/24), Todd Buchanan (.323/11/58), Brian Sigmon (.308/3/22), Denver Edick (.292/6/35), Todd Roper (.280/0/23/15), Alex Gary (.252/1/9).
Top pitchers: Ryan Basner (8-2, 2.95, 119 IP, 116 H, 27 BB, 84 K), Brad Josey (6-2, 3.69, 95 IP, 100 H, 16 BB, 59 K), Seth Foster (3-6, 5.40, 61.2 IP, 91 H, 14 BB, 42 K), Derrick Hawk (10-1, 4 saves, 3.11, 55 IP, 46 H, 18 BB, 44 K), Ryan Foster (2-0, 7 saves, 3.30, 30 IP, 36 H, 8 BB, 32 K), Alex Obert (1-0, 3.38, 21.1 IP, 23 H, 8 BB, 11 K), Brandon McDowell (6-2, 3.94, 59 IP, 53 H, 25 BB, 38 K), Joe Camac (2-2, 4.28, 27.1 IP, 33 H, 15 BB, 27 K), Brian Barnes (3-4, 4.65, 40.2 IP, 50 H, 17 BB, 23 K).
Last NCAA appearance: 1997
Notes: The Catamounts are making their 10th appearance in the NCAA Tournament. WCU won the Southern Conference’s regular season and also the conference tourney. Brian Sigmon was named the tourney MVP. Alan Beck is the main man offensively, but watch out for Rod Goldston, who had six homers and 25 doubles. Pitching isn’t much of a problem, either, as the Catamounts set a SoCon tournament record with 29.2 straight scoreless innings. The Catamounts started the season 1-5 after dropping close games to Coastal Carolina and East Carolina. Out of conference wins included Clemson and two big wins at Oklahoma State late in the season, which probably pushed the Cowboys out of the tournament. Eighteen of the 28 players on the roster are from North Carolina.
 

4. Le Moyne Dolphins

Syracuse, N.Y.

Automatic bid - won Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament

2003 record: 22-3, 33-15 (first in MAAC)

Coach: Steve Owens (St. Lawrence, 1987)

Record at school: 124-68, four years

Overall record: 369-150-1, nine years

Assistant coaches: Pete Hoy, Bob Nandin, Scott Landers

Team offense: .322 BA, 330 R, 36 HR, .476 SLG%, .397 OBA%, 95-116 SB

Team pitching: 3.95 ERA, 364.1 IP, 364 H, 131 BB, 281 K

Top hitters: Jon Miller (.346/2/32/13 2B), B.J. Szymanski (.329/2/30/13 SB), Ryan Eldridge (.316/2/20), Steve Young (.288/0/18/11 SB), Eric Fitzgerald (.284/3/18), Andy Salini (.281/2/26), Andy Balkan (.262/3/13), Tim Lahey (.236/11/25).

Top pitchers: Thomas Pauly (6-1, 6 saves, 1.25, 50.1 IP, 30 H, 23 BB, 73 K), Ryan Quillian (6-4, 3.06, 64.2 IP, 60 H, 15 BB, 49 K), David Boehle (4-2, 3.74, 55.1 IP, 67 H, 13 BB, 43 K), Mark Siano (4-2, 1 save, 7.15, 45.1 IP, 60 H, 14 BB, 25 K).

Last NCAA appearance: 1989 (3-2 at Northeast Regional)

Notes: The Dolphins were regular-season champions as well as tourney champs in the MAAC. Le Moyne won its first 17 conference games before a loss to Marist. This is the Dolphins’ second trip to the NCAAs since becoming a Division I program.