Living Up To Expectations

This college baseball season is in full swing and in the preseason much of the speculation was how could State be the preseason pick to win the ACC baseball title when Carolina was picked #1 in the country? Good question.

State baseball like almost all sports for State this year (football,Basketball) were highly thought of but turned disappointing during the season.  Baseball started the season and at one point was 5-7 in conference play.  Don't look now but the Pack is playing the last three weeks like the team everyone predicted or hoped they be.  Starting today they have swept their last two weekend series and only need a win today to sweep Georgia Tech in Atlanta. This is the Pack everyone thought they saw in preseason.  They have won 13 IN  row and their RPI which has been in the thirties as of this morning is 10th.

North Carolin has started out winning 16 in a row and after they finally lost a game have slumped to only win 20 of 21.  Carolina has played from the beginning like the #1 team in country and have continued to do so all year.  The Rocky Mount duo of Benton Moss (7-0) and Hobbs Johnson (1-0)continue to give Carolina two thirds of the starting weekend pitching rotation.

Next weekend Carolina and State will meet in Raleigh combined together as of Saturday night's results they are 69-12 on the season.  In the long history of playing against each other I don't know whether next weekends series at any time  both been playing this well as they both are now.  Carolina leads their division by a mile and as of today State is tied at the top with Florida State and Clemson in theirs.

The series is sold out so I hope you have your tickets or know someone who can get you one but I would suspect next weekend series will be the highest attended games in a weekend series ever in Raleigh. Who wins next week only matters in the regular season standings because both will then have to turn around and try to win the ACC Tournament in late May.  I would then suspect that  the ACC Tournament with both State and Carolina expecting to win it will be the most attended ACC Tournament ever.

If you saw the Carolina game last night on ESPN3 during the broadcast they talked about how talented Benton Moss was.  If you have not  seen it yet Benton played the National Anthem on a piano behind the pitcher mound yesterday afternoon.  I don't know after what has gone on this week in this country his Anthem could have been more timely. then he pitched the second game and won his 7th game on the year without a loss.

I just don't know who I will pull for next Saturday night when Benton pitches for Carolina.  I just may sit and enjoy the good times,  Then we will have to do it all over again Sunday when Hobbs pitches. Can't wait till next weekend.