We're back in action this weekend for a non-conference series with UNCG

Saturday Alumni Day
Sunday College Study Break Day https://t.co/0gXHAs5AAo

Sunday game
Greensboro leads 12-0
end of 3
11 runs in top of first

Dang, Coach! A 24-2 butt kicking by a school in G'boro! I don't know what you did to them, but that'll leave a very ugly mark on your season.

ScoobyWolf said:

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dj5377 said:

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PackFansXL said:

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Didn't we lose a key assistant to ECU? It seems like that loss, coupled with the graduation of our pitching, has cost us dearly. The past couple of years have been terrible with the softball program. I trust Debbie is watching.

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Yes, after our Super Regional, we lost our pitching coach to ECU as a head coach. Then our 2016 ace transferred after the season (plus a hot shot freshman recruit), and then our freshman 2017 ace transferred after the season.

I hate to say hot seat because he took us to the only super regional in school history. Something UNC has never done. But 3 straight subpar seasons makes me wonder if there is any way that we can get that momentum back. Missing the ACC tournament 2 of 3 years is bad. And it doesn't help that Duke just created a program and already passed us.

I hope that he can get the momentum back, but I'm sure that Debbie is watching closely

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If you are referring to Mirabella and Silverman as aces, I think you are exaggerating a little there. They aren't doing much better at the schools they transferred to. (NC Central and Central Connecticut State).

The talent level on our team needs to improve across the board.

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I fully agree with that. When I call them "aces" I just mean they were our top pitcher that year. It was clear that Mirabella didn't have it as the top pitcher, so probably better that she moved on. I thought Silverman showed flashes, and could have developed into a top pitcher.

But no matter how you slice it, our top pitchers left when playing time wasn't an issue since they were the #1, so it's disconcerting that they left. I guess Mirabella could have been told that she wasn't going to be an ace as the senior, who knows.

I know that UNCG is good this year. (#47 in the RPI going into the weekend), but I just don't see how you can have three down years, and then top it off by giving up 24 runs to an in-state non power 5 school. That's a tough pill to swallow.

With that said, he still has a chance to save/solidify his job with a series this weekend. We host FSU, and if we win 2 of 3, we clinch a spot in the ACC tournament as the 10 seed. If that happens, then there is something to think about. A sweep this weekend, and I think it's time.

For what it's worth, FSU hasn't lost a conference series since 2012 (against Maryland). So that just means they are due.

ACC tournament: 9 teams clinched.
Race to 10
VT 7-16 (done for season)
NCSU 5-15 (3 vs FSU left)

NCSU would hold the tiebreaker over VT. They didn't meet in the regular season, and second tiebreaker, NCSU would have 2 wins over FSU, VT would have none.

FYI, rain doesn't help this weekend. Only combinations that help NCSU are 2-1 or 2-0. If it's 1-0 or 1-1 or 0-0, then VT gets the 10 seed. We have to get two wins.

PREVIEW | Softball Closes Out Home Slate This Weekend With Florida State Series https://t.co/DzoZb6txXc

The NC State softball team dropped its series opener with No. 11/9 Florida State 9-1 (5) on Friday evening at Dail Stadium.

The Seminoles improve to 42-10 (19-3 ACC) and the Wolfpack moves to 23-29 (5-16 ACC) on the season

Up Next

The teams will meet Saturday for game two of the series. First pitch is 2 p.m. at Dail Stadium and the game will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.

The second loss to FSU officially eliminates us from ACC Tournament contention. And with a losing record clinched, officially eliminated from any post season. Thus Sunday will be the last game of the season.

The Pack goes in order on a fly out and pair of strikeouts

FINAL | FSU 3, NC State 0

Our season comes to a close, thank you #WPN for your continued support throughout the season

The NC State softball team's 2018 season came to a close on Sunday afternoon at Dail Stadium with a 3-0 loss to No. 11/9 Florida State.

The Wolfpack finishes the year with a 23-31 (5-18 ACC) record while the Seminoles improve to 44-10 (21-3 ACC) on their season.

gopack link

The peak of our season was after the middle game at Louisville. After 34 games we were:

(numbers are based on RPI rankings as of today)
20-14, with an RPI around 50
4-6 in the ACC
vs top 25 (0-0)
vs 26-50 (6-8)
vs 51-100 (4-3)
vs 100+ (10-3)

So at that point, we had 6 top 50 wins, and we were right on the bubble. We had 20 games to play, and a chance to finish in the top half of the ACC. Reasonable goals were in front of us with only 5 of the remaining 20 games against top 50 competition.

However, in those last 20 games we went:
3-17
1-12 in the ACC
vs top 25 (0-3)
vs 26-50 (0-2)
vs 51-100 (2-12)
vs 100+ (1-0)

That's a horrible closing stretch. The competition wasn't significantly different other than Florida State (#6 RPI). But we were 10-11 vs teams ranked 26-100, and then we went 2-14 vs that same group. That's just a bad finish to the season. Not the kind of finish that you want with a young team that you would have expected improvement from instead of regression.

Just looking at the program as a whole, the head coach has been here 6 years.

First 3 years: 109-60-1
Last 3 years: 64-102

dj, the last three years were after losing a key assistant to the head coaching position at ECU, correct?

PackFansXL said:

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dj, the last three years were after losing a key assistant to the head coaching position at ECU, correct?

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Yes, looks like the original staff (head coach and 2 assistants) were in tact the first three years. Pitching coach left after 3 years, hitting coach left after 4.

2013: Rychick, Oliver, Grimes
2014: Rychick, Oliver, Grimes
2015: Rychick, Oliver, Grimes

Oliver leaves to be head coach at ECU

2016: Rychick, Adix-Zins, Grimes

Grimes leaves to be head coach at Eckerd (D2)

2017: Rychick, Adix-Zins, Kumar
2018: Rychick, Adix-Zins, Kumar


That said, the biggest departure in 2015 was All-Americans Emily Weiman and Renada Davis.

Home runs aren't everything by any means, but a quick look at season totals:
2013: 88
2014: 67
2015: 75
2016: 72

2017: 39
2018: 36

Coach Rychick let go. His tenure as a whole was very solid. 3 NCAA appearances, 1 ACC title, 1 Super regional. But the trend of the last 3 years was too much to ignore.

He brought the program up to that #26-50 level that consistently could get NCAA at-large bids. But in the last three years, it's been more of a #75-100 type program.

Hopefully an aspiring coach can see that you can win here. That super regionals are possible, and they they are inspired to make that happen again.