NOTEBOOK: PACK9 Set To Host No. 9 Florida State
No. 23 NC State concludes regular season play this weekend against No. 9 Florida State. Here are some notes on the Wolfpack.
STARTING PITCHERS
Thursday – RHP Reid Johnston (NCSU) vs. LHP Bryce Hubbart (FSU)
Friday – RHP Sam Highfill (NCSU) vs. RHP Conor Grady (FSU)
Saturday – TBA (NCSU) vs. LHP Parker Messick (FSU)
ATTENDANCE UPDATE
With last Friday’s announcement by Governor Cooper, NC State Athletics is increasing fan attendance at Doak Field at Dail Park for the final home series versus Florida State. Ticket allotments have expanded to Wolfpack Club Members and 2020 season ticket holders to purchase, and if tickets remain available they will go on sale to the general public.
A full concessions menu on the first base side will be provided for fans. Both cash and credit card will be accepted. Fans are no longer permitted to bring in outside food but are still allowed to bring in an unopened bottle of water.
SERIES HISTORY
Heading into the series, the Wolfpack and Seminoles have met a combined 106 times on the diamond as Florida State leads the all-time series, 73-33.
The teams last met on May 24, 2019, at the ACC Championship in Durham, N.C., and the Pack suffered an 11-0 loss.
The last time the teams met in Raleigh was on March 15-17, 2019, and the Pack earned a 16-0 win in game one and a 9-8 walk-off win in game two to clinch the series. The Seminoles avoided the sweep with a 7-5 result in the finale.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wolfpack traveled to then-No. 16 Pittsburgh last weekend for its final road ACC series of the season and earned a series sweep with 3-2, 9-7 and 10-3 wins.
ON A ROLL
After a 1-8 start to ACC play this season, the Pack has managed to go 16-5 in its last 21 games and climb its way into third place among the Atlantic Division, and fourth overall among the conference. Its ACC resume is highlighted by four series sweeps, three of which were over ranked opponents.
BUTLER NAMED ACC PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior outfielder Jonny Butler was named ACC Player of the Week on Monday afternoon after playing a critical role in the team's 4-0 record last week, which was highlighted by a series sweep at then-No. 16 Pittsburgh.
He is currently the ACC's leader in batting average with a .387 clip and batted .500 on the week, going 9-for-18 with a double, triple and three home runs. He additionally compiled a 1.167 slugging percentage and .526 on-base percentage while driving in six runs and scoring seven of his own.
BACK IN THE NATIONAL POLLS
NC State returned to the national rankings this week for the first time since March. The Wolfpack is ranked No. 23 by DI Baseball, No. 24 by USA Today and Baseball America, and No. 25 by Collegiate Baseball in the latest polls.
SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE
The Seminoles have won their last four series, including a series win over Clemson last weekend at home in their last time out. Florida State was picked to finish third among the Atlantic Division in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, and currently is in third place among the league with a .576 win percentage in conference action.
FSU is nationally ranked in all six major polls, with its highest ranking coming from Perfect Game at No. 9.
Offensively, the team is batting .244 and is averaging 6.23 runs per game and 8.23 hits per game. Matheu Nelson owns a team-best .319 batting average with 52 hits, including 14 doubles and a league-best 20 homers. Elijah Campbell has also tallied double-digit homers with 14 while Logan Lacey ranks second on the team in doubles with 11.
Its starting rotation of Parker Messick, Bryce Hubbart and Conor Grady all rank among the top 14 in the ACC in earned-run average, as Messick ranks second among the league in strikeouts (109) and third in innings pitched (74.1). Out of the bullpen, Chase Haney and Jonah Scolaro lead the staff with 30 and 26 appearances, respectively, while Jack Anderson leads the pen with 43 strikeouts.
ON DECK
May 25-30 · ACC Championship · Charlotte, N.C. (Truist Field)