The Virginia baseball team will host No. 8 N.C. State at Davenport field at 7p.m. tonight. This game will be the first of a three game set. Virginia (22-13, 6-5 ACC) comes off a heartbreaking loss to Virginia Tech on Wednesday while NC State (31-8, 9-3) comes to Charlottesville riding a three-game winning streak.
Virginia will have to bring all its strengths to bare if the team hopes to topple the Wolfpack. Virginia's 18-2 home record will be tested against NC State's 11-4 road record, which seems even more significant when one considers they have been able to use their home field for only two games as it undergoes renovations.
"Mentally, we know the crowd is behind us," senior infielder Eric Christensen said. "We know we're in a comfortable setting. We feel like we can't lose at home."
NC State's power has been felt by other strong ACC teams including Florida State and Clemson.
"They've taken two of three from some top notch programs," Christensen said. "We just want to keep our momentum going at home."
For Christensen and company to do that, they will have to deal with NC State's pitching staff, which has gotten by with a 3.82 team ERA and .252 opposing batting average. NC State's staff is lead by junior right-hander Vern Sterry, who is undefeated at 9-0 with a 2.74 ERA. He is complimented by tonight's starter, a redshirt freshmen right-hander Michael Rogers (8-1, 2.39 ERA).
"They're loaded down with pitching," coach Dennis Womack said.
On the other side of the plate, the Wolfpack will take on Virginia pitchers sporting a team batting average of .290. Some of N.C. State's best hitters include senior third-basemen Jeremy Dutton (.336 BA, 10 HRs, 39 RBIs), junior outfielder Joe Gaetti (.271 BA, 12 HRs, 38 RBIs) and sophomore outfielder Marc Maynor (.348 BA, 46 hits, 32 runs).
Virginia will answer the Wolfpack's challenging squad with a 3.06 team ERA that has held opponents to a .253 batting average. Virginia will have sophomore lefty Andrew Dobies (6-0, 3.26 ERA) on the rubber to face the Wolfpack.
But the biggest improvement the Cavaliers will need to make is to strengthen their hitting. Virginia squeezed out four hits in the 5-3 loss to the Hokies.
"We've got to go up a pretty considerable step offensively," Womack said.
For the season, Virginia hitters have put out a .308 batting average. The Cavalier offense has been supported by players including sophomore infielder Mark Reynolds (.319 BA, 33 RBIs, 36 runs), senior outfielder Chris Sweet (.350 BA, 21 RBIs) and freshmen infielder Ryan Zimmerman (.314 BA, 27 RBIs).
Virginia's history with N.C. State has not been good. Last season, the Wolfpack swept the regular season series in Raleigh, N.C. and knocked Virginia out of the ACC tournament in the first round. But the last time the two teams met in Charlottesville, in March 2001, the Cavaliers defeated the Wolfpack two games to one.
"They're going to be a formidable foe," Womack said.
After this three-game series, N.C. State will host UNC-Wilmington while Virginia will get another shot at in-state rival Virginia Tech.
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