BASEBALL NOTEBOOK: James Madison

No. 16 NC State began the 2020 season with a three-game sweep over James Madison. Here are some takeaways from the Wolfpack's domination over the Dukes.

Swin It To Win It

It’s important to set the tone for the season as immediately as possible. Junior left-handed pitcher Nick Swiney got the call to start the series opener on Friday and set the tone by stifling the James Madison offense in his seven inning of work.

The Huntersville, N.C. native set a new career high in strikeouts with 11 while only throwing 90 pitches. Swiney also held the Dukes to just two hits with two walks, facing only one more batter than the minimum during his outing. With the weekend rotation subject to change as weeks progress, Swiney established his case to retain his role as State’s Friday arm.

Killer B’s

Junior catcher Patrick Bailey garnered much praise heading into the season, earning consensus Preseason All-American honors. Despite starting the season 1-for-7 at the plate against James Madison, the Greensboro, N.C. product actually leads the team in runs scored with five and is tied for the third-highest on-base percentage on the team, sitting at .538. However, he was not one of the biggest bats for the Wolfpack on opening weekend.

Junior utility player Devonte Brown and junior outfielder Jonny Butler joined Bailey in the heart of the batting order and put up huge numbers at the plate. Sitting in the cleanup role for all three games, Brown went 7-for-12 at the plate with three doubles, four runs, and five RBI. Butler, following Brown in the order, went 7-for-13 with a double, a home run, six RBI, and two runs scored. Their productivity was on full display on Sunday with the pair each finishing 3-for-4 with Brown setting a career high in RBI with four in the series finale.

Whispers and Murr-murs

With Evan Edwards graduating from NC State, the Wolfpack had a glaring hole at first base. State’s answer seems to have been filled by junior utility player Austin Murr. The former Des Moines Area CC standout led off for the Pack in all three games and finished the series with a solid .308 clip at the plate, a leadoff home run in Saturday’s contest, and a .692 slugging percentage over the weekend.

Murr was one of the biggest contributors to the Wolfpack’s offense over the weekend with head coach Elliott Avent praising him, Brown, and Butler for their respective performances. With Murr showcasing his speed in junior college and his strong showing in the series against the Dukes, he should be a key contributor moving forward, especially if Avent keeps him at the top of the batting order.

Men of Steal

One of the biggest boons the Wolfpack has on its roster is its speed. Several Wolfpack players have exhibited top-level speed, and State took advantage on the basepaths against James Madison by stealing 11 bases. Sophomore utility player Tyler McDonough capitalized the most with five swipes versus the Dukes.

Base-path burners and speed demons are nothing new for NC State, a program that’s boasted speedsters such as Brock Deatherage, Josh McLain, and record-holder Trea Turner in recent memory. This year’s team, however, has speed from top to bottom with little to no exception. The Wolfpack needs to capitalize on this strength as often as it can, as State genuinely has the capability to be the conference’s leader in the category.

Next On Deck

The Wolfpack returns to action Tuesday at 3 p.m. as Longwood comes to Doak Field. After that, NC State will host Tennessee Tech for a three-game series. First pitch on Friday is set for 3 p.m. with Saturday’s game starting at 2 p.m and Sunday’s game at 1 p.m.