ACC Weekend Preview for May 17th-May 19th

Florida State at Georgia Tech

The Florida State Seminoles head to Atlanta GA for a weekend series with the Yellow Jackets. Florida State has already wrapped up the Atlantic Division title and at worst will be the number 2 seed in the upcoming ACC Tournament. The Seminoles offense is still led by All-American candidate Tony Thomas Jr who is hitting .449 in the first 52 games of the season. Bryan Henry has continued his role of being the number 1 starter as he leads the team in wins with 13 and has the lowest ERA among the Seminoles starting pitchers at 2.47. Florida State has been having troubles with their third weekend starter role which has become unsettled recently. The Seminoles have the spot listed as TBA right now and they could go with anyone from Danny Rosen to Ryan Strauss.

Georgia Tech enters the weekend as the fourth seed for the upcoming ACC Tournament but could miss the tourney if some crazy scenarios come true. Georgia Tech is led by Matt Wieters (.376 BA, 10 home runs) and Danny Payne (.393 BA) who have been thorns in the side of every team that faces the Jackets. David Duncan has become the ace of the squad as he has a 6-3 record and a respectable ERA of 3.34.

The CBB predicts that GT takes two out of three games.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Thursday: David Duncan (6-3, 3.34 ERA) vs Bryan Henry (13-0, 2.47 ERA)
Friday: Eddie Burns (3-2, 2.89 ERA) vs Michael Hyde (9-2, 3.37 ERA)
Saturday: Ryan Turner (5-3, 4.65 ERA) vs TBA

FSU Game Notes
GT Game Notes

Virginia at Boston College

The Virginia Cavaliers enter the weekend series in Chestnut Hill looking to break a short three game losing streak as they lost the final two games of last weekend's series with NC State and lost a mid-week game to Coastal Carolina. UVA also is only a half-game back of North Carolina for the Atlantic Division title. The Cavaliers are dealing with the loss of their top hitter Greg Miclat who leads the team in hitting at .376. He will be visiting Dr. James Andrews this weekend and will likely miss the rest of the season with arm surgery. The Cavs are led by Jacob Thompson who has a perfect 10-0 record and a microscopic 1.48 ERA. Sean Doolittle is also a player that should be watched as he is hitting at .311 and is 7-3 on the mound.

Boston College enters this weekend in a tie with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons for the final spot in the ACC Tournament. BC holds the tiebreaker over the Deacons by way of the three game sweep by the Eagles earlier in the year. BC is led by Eric Campbell who has come around recently to get his average up to .356 as he leads the team in hitting. Johnny Ayers has also recently returned to the lineup after some shoulder issues and he is hitting .345 on the year. Kevin Boggan has been the Eagles top starter throughout the year as he made the transition to the starting rotation where he has a 5-5 record and a 3.84 ERA.

The CBB predicts that UVA takes all three games from the Eagles. The College Baseball Blog will be in attendance on Thursday and potentially Saturday if the game has any impact on the ACC race.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Thursday: Kevin Boggan (5-5, 3.84 ERA) vs Jacob Thompson (10-0, 1.48 ERA)
Friday: Terry Doyle (4-4, 5.24 ERA) vs Matt Packer (3-3, 3.75 ERA)
Saturday: Nate Jeanes (2-4, 4.61 ERA) vs Sean Doolittle (7-3, 2.67 ERA)

UVA Game Notes
Richmond Times-Dispatch Article on Brian O'Connor
Charlottesville Daily Progress Preview of BC series
BC Season Stats

Clemson at NC State

Clemson enters the weekend series with an overall record of 35-18 and 17-10 in the ACC. The Tigers are entering the series coming off a 19-7 victory over the College of Charleston on Tuesday. The Tigers have been led on offense recently by Doug Hogan who leads the starters with a .328 average. He also has ten homers on the season. The Tiger pitching staff has been up and down throughout the year as they have moved All-American closer Daniel Moskos to the starting rotation. He currently has a record of 3-4 with an ERA of 2.63. D.J. Mitchell has taken over the final spot in the rotation he picked up a big 11-6 victory on Sunday over FSU.

NC State still has not clinched a spot in the ACC Tournament but is likely going to get into the tournament barring a disastrous weekend. NC State took two out of three games over last weekend from Virginia and picked up a 7-4 victory over UNC-Asheville this week in non-conference action. The Wolfpack have been led by Eric Surkamp who has been having tough luck picking up wins as he is only 4-3 with a 2.73 ERA. Andrew Brackman is a potential first round pick but is very raw in his pitching as he only has a 6-4 record with a 3.81 ERA. He is not listed to pitch this weekend though as two out of the three games NC State has listed as TBA.

The College Baseball Blog predicts that NC State takes two out of the three games.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Thursday: Daniel Moskos (3-4, 2.63 ERA) vs TBA
Friday: David Kopp (5-2, 3.69 ERA) vs Eric Surkamp (4-3, 2.71 ERA)
Saturday: D.J. Mitchell (4-0, 3.16 ERA) vs TBA

Clemson Game Notes
Clemson Series Preview from Scout.com
NC State Game Notes
Brackman talks about the Draft

Duke at Miami

The Duke Blue Devils are heading down to Coral Gables to end their season as they no chance of making the ACC Tournament or get an NCAA berth this season. They have a respectable 29-22 overall record but have struggled in the ACC all year as they are only 8-19. The leading hitter for the Blue Devils has been Jimmy Gallagher who is hitting .369 on the year. Tony Bajoczky is the leading pitcher for the Devils as he has an impressive 9-2 record with a 2.92 ERA.

The Miami Hurricanes come into the series in a tie with NC State for the sixth spot in the upcoming ACC Tournament. The Canes picked up a series victory over Wake Forest last weekend by taking two out of three games. The biggest issue that came out of that series was the lack of a bullpen the Hurricanes have. They blew two leads of over five runs in two separate games but were able to win the series. Yonder Alonso (.360 BA, 17 home runs) and Mark Sobolewski (.344 BA, 6 home runs) are the main catalysts of the offensive attack. Eric Erickson is the ace of the pitching staff with a 8-3 record and a 1.93 ERA.

The College Baseball Blog predicts that Miami takes two out of three. Tony Bajoczky will win the only game for the Devils with a strong pitching performance.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: Jonathan Anderson (3-3, 2.49 ERA) vs. Scott Maine (4-5, 2.95 ERA)
Saturday: Tony Bajoczky (9-2, 2.92 ERA) vs. Eric Erickson (8-3, 1.93 ERA)
Sunday: Alexander Hassan (2-5, 5.19 ERA) vs Enrique Garcia (6-3, 2.87 ERA)

Duke Game Notes
Miami Game Notes

Wake Forest at Virginia Tech

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons head to Blacksburg VA to take on the Virgina Tech Hokies. The Deacons are in a battle with Boston College for the final spot in the ACC Tournament. Both teams are tied with a conference record of 12-15 but BC holds the tiebreaker with a sweep of the Deacons earlier this season. Wake Forest is led by Allan Dykstra who is hitting .333 with 16 home runs. Willy Fox has also returned to the lineup after a leg injury which was caused by an intruder in his apartment. He is hitting .348 on the season in 38 games. Wake Forest top starting pitcher is Garrett Bullock who is 3-1 with a 4.62 ERA.

The Virginia Tech Hokies will close out the season under first-year head coach Peter Hughes as they try to spoil the Deacons ACC Tournament hopes. The Hokies have struggled throughout the year as they have a 22-29 overall record and 6-21 in the ACC. The Hokies top offensive player throughout the season has been Sean O'Brien who has a batting average of .327 BA. The Hokie pitching staff has been horrible all year with former closer Adam Redd leading the team with a 3-5 record and 3.84 ERA.

The College Baseball Blog believes that the Hokies will take two out of three games from the Deacons as the Hokies will play hard under Peter Hughes.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Thursday: Garrett Bullock (3-1, 4.62 ERA) vs. Greg Fryman (2-9, 8.05 ERA)
Friday: Brad Kledzik (4-3, 5.09 ERA) vs. Andrew Wells (3-4, 4.82 ERA)
Saturday: Ben Hunter (5-6, 4.76 ERA) vs. Adam Redd (3-5, 3.84 ERA)

Wake Forest Game Notes
Virginia Tech Game Notes

North Carolina at Maryland

The North Carolina Tar Heels enter their final series of the year at Maryland with slight half game lead over the Virginia Cavaliers. North Carolina has been led all year by strong pitching from Robert Woodard who has an 8-2 record and a 2.91 ERA. The offensive star throughout the year has been freshman sensation Dustin Ackley who is hitting an outstanding batting average of .441.

Maryland enters their final series of the year with no hopes of making the ACC or NCAA Tournaments. The best they can do is to ruin North Carolina's chances of winning the Atlantic Division. The Terps have been led by All-American closer Brett Cecil (5-5, 2.88 ERA) who made a start last weekend against Florida State. The leading hitter is Mike Murphy who is hitting .317 on the season.

The College Baseball Blog predicts that UNC sweeps the Terps.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: Robert Woodard (8-2, 2.91 ERA) vs TBA
Saturday Game 1: Alex White (4-4, 3.63 ERA) vs TBA
Saturday Game 2: Luke Putkonen (6-1, 4.80 ERA) vs TBA

North Carolina Game Notes
Maryland Game Notes

ACC Weekend Preview for May 11th-May 13th

Clemson at Florida State

The Clemson Tigers head down to Tallahassee, FL to take on the FSU Seminoles in a key ACC matchup for the upcoming ACC Championship in two weeks. Clemson enters the series with an overall record of 32-17 and an ACC record of 15-9. The Tigers are coming off a split of their mid-week out of conference games picking up a victory over Wofford 12-3 and lost to Furman 6-3. The Tigers survived a scare from Boston College last weekend as they took two out of three games. Doug Hogan is the active hitting leader for the Tigers with his .326 average while Brad Chaulk leads the team with a .407 average and might be back for the weekend series. Florida State enters with a 42-7 overall record and an outstanding 20-4 in the ACC. Florida State is coming off a three game sweep last weekend over Maryland in College Park. Florida State is led by number 1 starter Bryan Henry who enters the weekend with a perfect 12-0 with a 2.59 ERA. Tony Thomas Jr. leads the team in hitting with a .439 average. The CBB predicts that FSU sweeps the Tigers.

Probable Starters

Friday: Bryan Henry (12-0, 2.59 ERA) vs Daniel Moskos (3-3, 2.20 ERA)
Saturday: Danny Rosen (2-1, 3.50 ERA) vs David Kopp (5-2, 3.30 ERA)
Sunday: Ryan Strauss (8-1, 3.03 ERA) vs TBA

Clemson Game Notes
FSU Game Notes
Tallahassee Democrat Article on Local Talent

Georgia Tech at North Carolina

The Yellow Jackets head to Chapel Hill to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. Georgia Tech is coming off a loss to Georgia on Wednesday to drop their overall record to 30-18 (14-9 ACC). GT is led by All-American candidates Matt Wieters (.370 BA, 9 HR) and Danny Payne (.379 BA). North Carolina enters the weekend on a hot streak as they have won seven out of their last eight games overall. North Carolina's overall record is 39-10 and 16-8 in the ACC. They are led by senior pitcher Robert Woodard who is an impressive 7-2 with a 2.82 ERA. Dustin Ackley leads the team in average at .444. The CBB predicts UNC to win two out of three games.

Probable Starters

Friday: David Duncan (6-2, 2.77) vs. Robert Woodard (7-2, 2.82)
Saturday: Eddie Burns (3-2, 3.09) vs. Alex White (4-3, 3.29)
Sunday: Ryan Turner (5-3, 4.24) vs. Luke Putkonen (6-1, 4.10)

GT Game Notes
UNC Game Notes

NC State at Virginia

The NC State Wolfpack head to Virginia this weekend in a key series for the Wolfpack in terms of getting into the ACC and NCAA tourneys. The Cavs are looking to secure hosting a regional in the NCAA Tournament. NC State has recently been led by Ryan Pond who is hitting .429 over the last eight games. Virginia has continued to receive outstanding pitching from Jacob Thompson who is a perfect 10-0 record and an 1.38 ERA. The CBB predicts that UVA sweeps the Wolfpack behind strong pitching.

Probable Starters

Friday: Eric Surkamp (4-2, 2.72) vs Jacob Thompson (10-0, 1.38)
Saturday: Andrew Brackman (6-4, 3.65) vs Matt Packer (3-2, 3.39)
Sunday: TBA vs Sean Doolittle (7-3, 2.11)

NC State Game Notes
UVA Game Notes

Miami at Wake Forest

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons and Miami Hurricanes meet in Winston-Salem as both schools are trying to secure spots in the ACC Tournament. The Boston College Eagles are right on the heel of the Deacons as they are only 1/2 game back while Miami could miss the ACC Tournament also if they fall off the map these next two weekends. Miami is led by Yonder Alonso (.371 BA, 16 HR, 60 RBI) and Mark Sobolewski (.357 BA) give the Hurricanes two potent bats. Wake Forest is led Brett Linenkohl who is hitting .418 over the last 17 games. The CBB predicts Miami to sweep the Deacons.

Probable Starters

Friday: Garrett Bullock (3-1, 4.44) vs Scott Maine (4-5, 3.19)
Saturday: Brad Kledzik (4-3, 4.79) vs Eric Erickson (7-3, 2.03)
Sunday: Ben Hunter (5-5, 4.97) vs Enrique Garcia (5-3, 3.12)

Wake Forest Game Notes
Miami Game Notes

Virginia Tech at Duke

The Virginia Tech Hokies head down to Duke in a series with very little impact on any postseason baseball. The CBB predicts VT takes two out of three games.

Probable Starters

Friday: Greg Fryman (2-8, 7.83 ERA) vs TBA
Saturday: Andrew Wells (3-4, 5.10 ERA) vs TBA
Sunday: Adam Redd (2-5, 3.91 ERA) vs TBA

Out of Conference ACC Preview for May 4th-May 6th

Campbell at NC State

The NC State Wolfpack welcome the struggling Campbell Camels to Raleigh for a weekend series. NC State enters with a 29-16 record overall while Campbell has been struggling throughout the season with a 10-35 record.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: Sam Brown (0-0, 5.29 ERA) vs Blake Herring (3-7, 6.11 ERA)
Saturday: Nate Karns (2-2, 2.86 ERA) vs Quinn LeSage (1-7, 5.78 ERA)

NC State Game Notes

Wright State at Miami

The Miami Hurricanes also go out of conference this weekend when they welcome Wright State to Coral Gables. Miami enters with a 27-19 record while Wright State is 27-15.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: Scott Maine (3-5, 3.44 ERA) vs TBA
Saturday: Enrique Garcia (4-3, 3.34 ERA) vs TBA
Sunday: Eric Erickson (6-3, 2.21 ERA) vs TBA

Miami Game Notes

Georgia Tech at USF

Georgia Tech enters the Saturday-Monday series with USF with a 27-17 record while USF has a 28-18 record.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Saturday: Danny Otero (7-5, 2.91 ERA) vs David Duncan (5-2, 2.76 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs Eddie Burns (3-2, 3.46 ERA)
Monday: TBA vs Ryan Turner (4-3, 3.92 ERA)

GT Game Notes
USF Game Notes

ACC Weekend Preview for May 4th-May 6th

Florida State at Maryland

The Florida State Seminoles head to College Park this weekend to take on the Terrapins in a battle between the first place and last place in the ACC Atlantic Division. FSU heads to UMD with an all-time record of 48-3 and 20-1 in College Park. Maryland picked up their only victory in College Park on May 2, 1993. FSU last loss to Maryland was on March 26th 1998. Florida State enters with a 39-7 overall record and 17-4 in the ACC. Florida State has been led by number 1 pitcher Bryan Henry who has a perfect 11-0 record and a solid ERA of 2.45. Michael Hyde has been holding down the number 2 starter role with an 8-2 record and a 2.79 ERA. Hyde picked up a loss earlier this season against Duke ace Tony Bajoczky. The Seminoles have made a change in their rotation with Danny Rosen taking over the Sunday starter role with a 1-1 record and a marginal ERA of 3.77. Rosen started his first game for the Seminoles last weekend against the Miami Hurricanes and gave up four runs (three earned) on four hits. Maryland enters with a 25-24 overall record but are struggling in the ACC at 7-17 and are virtually out of the ACC Tournament hunt. Brett Cecil is the team's best pitcher with a 5-4 record and eight saves. His ERA is 3.12 but should be lower since he had some rough outings at the beginning of the season. The CBB predicts FSU to sweep the Terps.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: Bryan Henry (11-0, 2.45 ERA) vs. Casey Baron (4-3, 3.56 ERA)
Saturday: Michael Hyde (8-2, 2.79 ERA) vs Ryan Moorer (3-4, 4.45 ERA)
Sunday: Danny Rosen (1-1 3.77 ERA) vs TBA

FSU Recap
Maryland Recap

Boston College at Clemson

The Boston College Eagles head down to Clemson for the first time as an ACC opponent. Boston College has been on a recent hot streak winning eight of their last ten games. BC enters in a tie for the eighth spot in the ACC with Wake Forest with identical conference records of 11-13. BC's overall record is 20-23-1 after picking up two non-conference wins over Quinnipiac and Dartmouth. Boston College has been getting solid pitching from both Kevin Boggan (4-4, 4.01 ERA) and Terry Doyle (3-3, 4.83 ERA) the last few weeks. The other starting spot has been going to Nate Jeanes (1-4, 5.09 ERA) who has been up and down throughout the season. Johnny Ayers has been the Eagles top hitter and returned to the lineup last weekend series with Virginia Tech. He leads the team with a .380 BA. Clemson enters as the 14th ranked team in the country and have an overall record of 29-15 and 13-8 record. Doug Hogan picked up player of the week from the ACC this week after batting .500 in four games. All-American closer candidate Daniel Moskos has made the move to the starting rotation and enters with a 3-3 record and a 1.94 ERA in four starts and 21 appearances. Brad Chalk is the leading hitter for the Tigers with a .407 batting average but is nursing an injury so is questionable for the weekend series. The CBB predicts that Clemson takes two out of three from the Eagles.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Saturday: Kevin Boggan (4-4, 4.01 ERA) vs Daniel Moskos (3-3, 1.94 ERA)
Sunday Game 1: Terry Doyle (3-3, 4.83 ERA) vs David Kopp (5-2, 3.16 ERA)
Sunday Game 2: Nate Jeanes (1-4, 5.09 ERA) vs Ryan Hinson (4-2, 2.05 ERA)

Clemson Game Notes

I will be posting an Out of Conference preview for the other teams that are in action outside of the ACC.

ACC Weekend Preview for 4/27-4/29

Florida State at Miami

The Florida State Seminoles head down to Miami in a big conference showdown this weekend. FSU enters the series with a 37-6 overall record and are in first place in the Atlantic Division with a 15-3 conference record. Florida State is coming off a tough series with North Carolina last weekend in which the Noles took two out of the three games. Miami enters with a 26-17 record and only 11-10 in the ACC. The Miami program is in a rebuilding mood and they took a three game series up in Blacksburg VA last weekend. The CBB predicts that FSU takes two out of three games.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday: Scott Maine (3-5, 3.43 ERA) vs Bryan Henry (10-0, 2.24 ERA)
Saturday: Enrique Garcia (4-2, 2.67 ERA) vs Ryan Strauss (8-1, 2.98 ERA)
Sunday: Eric Erickson (5-3, 2.29 ERA) vs TBA

FSU Game Notes
Miami Game Notes

North Carolina at NC State

The North Carolina Tar Heels head to Raleigh to take on their arch rival NC State in a key ACC series. North Carolina enters with a 35-9 overall record and 14-7 in the ACC. UNC is led by All-American candidate Robert Woodard who leads the team with a 7-1 record and has a very solid ERA of 2.05. Dustin Ackley leads the offense with .451 batting average which is second in the ACC and fourth overall in the country. NC State enters with a 28-14 record and 11-10 in the ACC. NC State was swept last weekend by Georgia Tech but picked up a non-conference win over UNC-Wilmington on Wednesday. Mike Roskopf over his last 15 games has six homers to lead the Pack attack. The CBB predicts UNC to take 2 out of 3 games.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday: Robert Woodard (7-1, 2.05 ERA) vs Eric Surkamp (3-2, 2.88 ERA)
Saturday: Alex White (4-3, 3.26 ERA) vs Andrew Brackman (6-4, 3.90 ERA)
Sunday: Luke Putkonen (6-1, 3.78 ERA) vs Jimmy Gillheeney (3-2, 4.32 ERA)

UNC Game Notes
NC State Game Notes

Maryland at Virginia

The Virginia Cavaliers will welcome the Maryland Terrapins for an ACC series this weekend. The Cavaliers are in second place only a half game back of North Carolina while Maryland is in last place in the Atlantic Division where they are a whooping eleven games back in the loss column behind Florida State. The Cavaliers are currently on a two game losing streak by losing the final game of their series with Clemson last weekend and picking up a non-conference loss to James Madison on Wednesday in 14 innings. That loss dropped the Cavaliers overall record to 34-10 and they have a 13-7 record in the ACC. Maryland enters with a 23-21 record but 7-14 in the ACC. They lost to West Virginia on Tuesday 13-2 and lost two out of three to Duke last weekend. The CBB predicts UVA to sweep Maryland.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday: Jacob Thompson (9-0, 1.54 ERA) vs Casey Baron (4-3, 3.66 ERA)
Saturday: Matt Packer (3-2, 3.38 ERA) vs Ryan Moorer (3-3, 4.97 ERA)
Sunday: Sean Doolittle (6-3, 2.33 ERA) vs Kevin Biringer (3-8, 5.98 ERA)

Maryland Game Notes
Virginia Game Notes

Georgia Tech at Clemson

Georgia Tech (26-15, 13-7 ACC) heads to Clemson University (27-14, 11-7 ACC) as both teams are trying to increase their potential seeding in the end of season ACC Tournament. Georgia Tech is led by Danny Payne (.391 BA) and Matt Wieters (.359 BA, 7 HR). Clemson has moved All-American closer candidate Daniel Moskos into the number 1 starter role and he has just been average in that role. Doug Hogan leads the Clemson offense with a with a .319 average. The CBB predicts that GT takes 2 out of 3 games.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday: David Duncan (5-2, 3.03) vs. Daniel Moskos (3-3, 2.29)
Saturday: Eddie Burns (3-0, 2.98) vs. David Kopp (4-2, 3.32)
Sunday: Ryan Turner (3-3, 3.99) vs. Ryan Hinson (4-1, 2.03)

GT Game Notes
Clemson Game Notes

Duke at Wake Forest

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons (24-22, 8-13 ACC) snapped a three game losing streak by picking up two non-conference road wins over Charlotte and Appalachian State. Duke (26-17, 6-15 ACC) took two out of three games last weekend against Maryland and also picked up a 12-0 victory over Campbell on Tuesday. The Blue Devils have been getting outstanding pitching from Tony Bajoczky who has a 8-2 record and a 2.70 ERA. The CBB predicts Duke to take two out of three games from the Deacons.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday: Alexander Hassan (2-3, 3.83 ERA) vs Brad Kledzik (3-3, 4.75 ERA)
Saturday: Tony Bajoczky (8-2, 2.70 ERA) vs Garrett Bullock (3-1. 4.91 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs Charlie Mellies (1-2, 9.00 ERA)

Wake Forest Game Notes
Duke Game Notes

Virginia Tech at Boston College

Peter Hughes leads his Virginia Tech Hokies into Chestnut Hill in a battle between old friends. Peter Hughes was the head coach of Boston College for eight seasons but left after the 2006 season for Virginia Tech to replace coaching legend Chuck Hartman. Hughes former assistant coach and former teammate at Davidson Mikio Aoki was named the new head coach and he has seen some success this season by putting the Eagles into the race for an ACC tourney spot. The Eagles enter with a 16-22-1 overall record but are in eighth place in the conference with a 9-12 mark. The CBB predicts that BC takes 2 out of 3 from the Hokies.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Friday: Kevin Boggan (3-4, 4.02 ERA) vs Greg Fryman (2-7, 7.63 ERA)
Saturday: Nate Jeanes (1-3, 4.70 ERA) vs Andrew Wells (2-4, 5.84 ERA)
Sunday: Terry Doyle (2-3, 5.40 ERA) vs Adam Redd (2-4, 4.02 ERA)

Virginia Tech Game Notes
Boston College Stats

ACC Weekend Preview for 4/20-4/22

UNC at FSU

The biggest series of the weekend in the country takes place in Tallahassee where the Seminoles take on the North Carolina Tar Heels. Each team leads their respective divisions in the ACC. Both schools also are in the top 5 in all major polls in the nation. North Carolina is led by Freshman sensation Dustin Ackley who leads the nation with a .474 batting average. Robert Woodard will take the ball on Friday night as he continues to be the ace of the staff. He leads the team with 7-0 record with an ERA of 1.98. Florida State is led by Tony Thomas Jr. who has the highest batting average on the team at .465. Bryan Henry is continuing to hold down the number 1 starter role as he is 9-0 with a 2.37 ERA. The CBB predicts that UNC sweeps the Seminoles in Tallahassee. (I am still not a fan of FSU pitching).
Probable Starters
Friday: Robert Woodard (7-0, 1.98 ERA) vs Bryan Henry (9-0, 2.37 ERA)
Saturday: Alex White (4-2, 3.04 ERA) vs Michael Hyde (8-2, 2.84 ERA)
Sunday: Luke Putkonen (5-1, 3.43 ERA) vs Ryan Strauss (8-0, 2.44 ERA)

UNC Game Notes
FSU Game Notes
Tallahassee Democrat Preview
SEBaseball Article on Woodard

Virginia at Clemson

The other big series this weekend is when Virginia heads down to Clemson for a three game set. The Cavaliers are ranked eighth in the nation and Clemson 13th by NCBWA. Virginia is led by one of the top pitchers in the country in Jacob Thompson who enters the weekend with an 8-0 record and 1.32 ERA. The Cavaliers are led by Brandon Guyer who currently has a 25 game hitting streak in which he is hitting .439 during that time. Greg Miclat also is hitting .404 on the season. The Cavs knocked off Richmond on Tuesday 12-5. The Tigers have moved closer Daniel Moskos to the starting the rotation the last two weekends where he has pitched 10 innings and only allowed two runs. Brad Chaulk leads the team with a .416 average and Marquez Smith leads the team with six homers on the season. The CBB predicts that Virginia takes 2 out of 3 games.

Probable Starters
Friday: Jacob Thompson (8-0, 1.32 ERA) vs Daniel Moskos (3-2, 2.27 ERA)
Saturday: Matt Packer (3-2, 3.75 ERA) vs David Kopp (4-2, 3.74 ERA)
Sunday: Sean Doolittle (6-2, 2.42 ERA) vs Ryan Hinson (3-1, 2.28 ERA)

Virginia Game Notes
Clemson Game Notes

NC State at Georgia Tech

The Wolfpack head down to Atlanta to take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in another key ACC showdown. NC State enters the series with a 27-11 overall record and 11-7 in the ACC. NC State is led by starting pitcher Eric Surkamp who is 3-1 with a 2.98 ERA. Andrew Brackman fills the Saturday starter role but has been up and down throughout the season as his record is 6-3 with a mediocre ERA of 3.67 ERA. Mike Roskopf continues his hot hitting as he has a .435 average over the last 12 games. NC State rolled past Davidson on Wednesday with a 14-3 victory. Georgia Tech enters with a 23-14 record and a solid 10-7 in the ACC. They have had suspect starting pitching this year with Eddie Burns leading the staff with a 3-1 record and 2.74 ERA. Matt Wieters (.336 BA) and Danny Payne (.379 BA) still are the heart and soul of the Yellow Jackets attack. The CBB predicts that NC State takes 2 out of 3 games.

Probable Starters
Friday: David Duncan (5-2, 3.29) vs Eric Surkamp (3-1, 2.98)
Saturday: Eddie Burns (3-1, 2.74) vs Andrew Brackman (6-3, 3.67)
Sunday: Ryan Turner (3-3, 3.74) vs. Jimmy Gillheeney (3-1, 3.40)

GA Tech Game Notes
NC State Game Notes

Maryland at Duke

The Maryland Terrapins and Duke Blue Devils will meet in Durham NC. Both schools will be looking to get back into the ACC Tournament hunt as Maryland is two games behind Wake Forest for the last spot while Duke is four games behind Wake Forest. Maryland is led by Dan Benick who leads the every day players with a .333 average. The top starting pitcher for the Terps has been Casey Baron who is 4-3 with a 3.64 ERA. Duke has been receiving tremendous pitching performances from Tony Bajoczky who has beaten FSU, UVA, and Georgia Tech on the season. His record is 7-2 with a solid 2.94 ERA. The CBB predicts that Duke takes 2 out of 3 games.

Probable Starters
Friday: Alexander Hassan (2-3, 3.43 ERA) vs Casey Baron (4-3, 3.64 ERA)
Saturday: Tony Bajoczky (7-2, 2.94 ERA) vs Ryan Moorer (3-2, 4.21 ERA)
Sunday: Jonathan Anderson (2-1, 2.05 ERA) vs Kevin Biringer (3-7, 5.95 ERA)

Maryland Game Notes
Duke Game Notes

Miami at Va Tech

This series took on special meaning this week after the tragedies at Virginia Tech this past week. The game on Friday night will be the first athletic event since the incident on Monday in which the Hokies will participate in. The Miami athletic department in a pre-game ceremony will present a check for 10,000 dollars to the fund for the victims of Monday's tragedies. The Hurricanes are led by Yonder Alonso who is hitting .373 average while the Hokies are led by Sean O'Brien at .340. The CBB predicts that Miami takes 2 out of 3 games.

Miami Game Notes
VT Game Notes

Wake Forest at Boston College

Wake Forest heads up north to take on the Boston College Eagles. Wake Forest enters the weekend with a 22-19 overall record and 8-10 ACC record. Wake Forest currently has a two game lead over Boston College who enters with a 13-21-1 record and 6-12. Boston College needs to sweep the Deacons this weekend to put themselves in position to make the ACC Tournament as the season is winding down. Wake Forest is led by All-American candidate Allan Dykstra who leads the team in average at .351 and homers at 15. The Deacons might be without their second best hitter Willy Fox who is suffering from an injury he got from confronting an intruder on April 2nd. Boston College has struggled throughout the season with the worst hitting team in the conference. They broke out last weekend against Maryland on Sunday in a 18-6 victory over the Terps. BC is led by freshman catcher Tony Sanchez who is hitting .344 average. The CBB will be in attendance for Saturday's game in Brockton and we predict that Wake Forest sweeps the Eagles.

Probable Starters
Friday: Brad Kledzik (3-3, 5.33 ERA) vs Kevin Boggan (3-4, 4.24 ERA)
Saturday: Garrett Bullock (3-1, 5.50 ERA) vs Terry Doyle (2-3, 6.50 ERA)
Sunday: Charlie Mellies (1-1, 5.40 ERA) vs Nate Jeanes (0-3, 5.13 ERA)

Wake Forest Game Notes

ACC Weekend Preview for April 13th-15th

Duke at UNC

The Duke Blue Devils head down the road to visit the Tar Heels for a Coastal Division showdown. The Tar Heels are leading the Division with an 11-4 record in the conference while Duke is pulling up the rear with a paltry 3-12. The Tar Heels swept Boston College last weekend in a fairly easy fashion behind strong pitching and solid hitting. UNC knocked off the Charlotte 49ers on Tuesday by a score of 6-3 and had their Wednesday game with Elon postponed due to rain. The Tar Heels are led by Freshman All-American candidate Dustin Ackley who is hitting an outstanding .489 on the season. Robert Woodard has continued his dominance on the mound despite last week's poor performance with his 6-0 record. Duke took one game last weekend from Virginia and had a mid-week game with Davidson postponed by rain. Duke is led by Jimmy Gallagher who is hitting .368 on the season. Tony Bajoczky has become the ace of the staff with victories over Virginia and Florida State the last two weekends. The CBB predicts that UNC takes all three games on the weekend.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Robert Woodard (6-0, 2.34 ERA) vs Alexander Hassan (2-2, 2.88 ERA)
Saturday Game 1: Alex White (4-1, 2.13 ERA) vs Tony Bajoczky (6-2, 3.04 ERA)
Saturday Game 2: Luke Putkonen (5-1, 3.43 ERA) vs TBA

UNC Game Notes
Duke Game Notes

Virginia Tech at Florida State

Peter Hughes leads his Virginia Tech Hokies into Dick Howser Stadium for an ACC series this weekend. Va Tech has an overall record of 17-17 but 4-11 in the ACC. The Hokies were swept last weekend by Clemson but picked up a victory over Richmond on Tuesday. The Hokies have been led by Sean O'Brien who has continued his strong start with a .349 average. Florida State enters with a very good record of 32-4 and 10-2 in the ACC. Florida State picked up a non-conference win over Jacksonville 7-2 on Tuesday and are coming off taking two out of three with NC State last weekend. Tony Thomas Jr. has continued hitting the ball well at a .493 average as he has become the toughest out in the ACC. The Seminoles weekend starters have only lost two games this season. The CBB predicts that FSU sweeps the Hokies.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Bryan Henry (8-0, 2.60 ERA) vs Greg Fryman (2-5, 6.84 ERA)
Saturday: Michael Hyde (8-2, 2.82 ERA) vs Andrew Wells (2-3, 5.32 ERA)
Sunday: Ryan Strauss (7-0, 2.59 ERA) vs Adam Redd (2-2-1, 2.72 ERA)

FSU Game Notes
VT Game Notes
Brandon Reichert Article in Tallahassee Democrat

Georgia Tech at Virginia

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets head to Virginia to take on the Cavaliers this weekend. This will be one of the big ACC Matchups on the season because both teams are expected to make the NCAA tournament this season. Georgia Tech has an overall record of 21-13 and 9-6 in the ACC while Virginia enters with a 30-7 overall record and 10-5 in the ACC. Georgia Tech is led by MLB prospects Matt Wieters and Danny Payne. Both players have seen time in the field and on the mound this year. Payne ended up getting his first loss of the season last Saturday against Miami by giving up a three run homer to Mark Sobolewski. Payne has an ERA of 2.79 in eight appearances this year. Payne is also leading the team in hitting at a .381 clip. Matt Wieters enters the weekend with a .336 average with seven homers. He has struggled out of the bullpen where he is 1-2 with a 6.75 ERA. Virginia has been playing good baseball with tons of excellent pitching coming from Jacob Thompson who has an earned run average of 1.49 in his nine starts. The Cavaliers offense has been led by the two headed monster of Brandon Guyer who is hitting .435 and Greg Miclat who is hitting an even .400. The CBB predicts that UVA takes two out of three games.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: Jacob Thompson (8-0, 1.49 ERA) vs David Duncan (5-2, 3.53 ERA)
Saturday: Matt Packer (3-2, 3.27 ERA) vs Eddie Burns (3-1, 2.33 ERA)
Sunday: Sean Doolittle (6-2, 2.42 ERA) vs Ryan Turner (3-3, 3.88 ERA)

GT Game Notes
UVA Game Notes

Clemson at Wake Forest

The Clemson Tigers take their 23-9 overall record and 8-4 record in the ACC up to Winston Salem to take on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons who have been struggling this season with an overall record of 20-16 and 7-8 in the ACC. The Tigers are led by Brad Chaulk who is hitting .393 on the season. Daniel Moskos is going to be making his second start of the season and his career this weekend as he is making the transition from Closer to Starter in the middle of the season. He lasted only four innings against Va Tech last weekend but the game was suspended due to snow on the field until Saturday. Wake Forest is led by All-American candidate Allan Dykstra who leads the team with 13 homers and an average of .349. The CBB predicts that Clemson Tigers will sweep the series.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday: Brad Kledzik (3-2, 5.24) vs Daniel Moskos (2-2, 2.45)
Saturday: Garrett Bullock (3-1, 5.17) vs David Kopp (4-2, 3.22)
Sunday: Charlie Mellies (1-0, 0.00) vs Ryan Hinson (2-1, 2.23)

Clemson Game Notes
Wake Forest Game Notes

NC State at Miami

The NC State Wolfpack head down to Coral Gables to take on the Miami Hurricanes in a weekend series. The Wolfpack carry a record of 24-10 and 9-6 in the ACC. NC State lost two out of three games against FSU last weekend. They are led by Mike Roskopf who is hitting .436 in his last ten games. Caleb Mangum leads the team in hitting with a .333 average. Jimmy Gilheeney has been a pleasant surprise for the Wolfpack with his 3-1 record and 2.45 ERA in his freshman campaign. The Hurricanes have been playing better baseball lately as their record has gone up to 21-14 and 7-8 in the conference. Yonder Alonso leads the Canes offense with his solid .367 average. Eric Erickson is not scheduled to pitch this weekend as he got injured in warm-ups last weekend and his status is still up in the air. The CBB predicts that Miami takes 2 out of 3 games.

Friday: Scott Maine (2-5, 4.03 ERA) vs Eric Surkamp (3-1, 2.84 ERA)
Saturday: Enrique Garcia (2-2, 3.08 ERA) vs Andrew Brackman (6-2, 3.31 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs Jimmy Gilheeney (3-1, 2.45 ERA)

NC State Game Notes
Miami Game Notes

Boston College at Maryland

Both schools are looking to pick up some big ACC wins in their hunts to get to the ACC Tournament. BC enters the series with an overall record of 10-20-1 and 4-11 in the ACC. Boston College currently is on a nine game losing streak in the ACC but picked up a non-conference win over Harvard on Wednesday. Maryland has a 19-16 record and 5-10 record. Boston College has been led by freshman Tony Sanchez who is hitting at a .336 clip. Johnny Ayers is still questionable after hurting his shoulder a few weeks ago. Maryland is currently on a five game losing streak after losing a non-conference contest on Wednesday to Old Dominion 4-2. Maryland freshman AJ Casario leads the team in batting average at .333. Maryland closer Brett Cecil has seven saves on the season with a 3.50 ERA. The CBB predicts that BC takes 2 out of 3 games in the series.

UPDATE: BOSTON COLLEGE AND MARYLAND HAVE CHANGED THE SCHEDULE TO A DOUBLEHEADER ON FRIDAY AND A SINGLE GAME ON SATURDAY.

Probable Pitching Matchups

Friday Game 1: Casey Baron (3-2, 3.86 ERA) vs Kevin Boggan (2-4, 4.89 ERA)
Friday Game 2: Ryan Moorer (3-2, 4.18 ERA) vs Nate Jeanes (0-3, 5.67 ERA)
Saturday: Kevin Biringer (2-6, 5.87 ERA) vs TBA

Maryland Game Notes

ACC Weekend Preview for April 6th-8th

FSU at NC State

The Florida State Seminoles head to Raleigh NC to take on the Wolfpack. Florida State is coming off a 16-7 loss to Florida on Wednesday. The Seminoles have a 29-3 record and 8-1 in the ACC. The Seminoles starting pitchers have been fantastic this year with Bryan Henry leading the staff with a record of 7-0 and an ERA of 2.44. Ryan Strauss and Michael Hyde complete the staff. Strauss has a 7-0 record with an ERA of 2.08. Michael Hyde got the first loss for the staff last Saturday against Duke. He has an 8-1 record and an ERA of 2.79.

The NC State Wolfpack picked up a come from behind victory over East Carolina on Wednesday by a 3-2 scoreline. They enter the series with Florida State sporting a 23-8 overall record and 8-4 record in the ACC. NC State completed a sweep over the Boston College Eagles last weekend and outscored the Eagles by a score of 40-7 over series. NC State top pitching prospect is Andrew Brackman who pitched seven innings last weekend while only allowing 1 run and four hits. He hit 97 on one of the radar guns that was around me. He has an overall record of 5-2 with a 3.42 ERA.

The College Baseball Blog predicts NC State takes two out of three games this weekend.

Probable Pitchers
Friday: Bryan Henry (7-0, 2.44 ERA) vs Eric Surkamp (3-1, 3.00 ERA)
Saturday: Michael Hyde (8-1 2.79 ERA) vs Andrew Brackman (5-2, 3.42 ERA)
Sunday: Ryan Strauss (7-0, 2.08) vs Jimmy Gillheeney (3-1, 2.06 ERA)

FSU Game Notes
NC State Game Notes

Clemson at Virginia Tech

The Clemson Tigers will head to Virginia Tech for a three game set this weekend. They have an overall record of 20-9 but an average 5-4 mark in the ACC. The Tigers picked up two big OOC victories over SEC foe Georgia. The Tigers pitching has been suspect so they will have potential All-American closer Daniel Moskos making his first career start on Friday. The top hitter for the Tigers is Brad Chalk who is hitting .408. Andy D'Alessio is questionable for the weekend with a pulled groin he suffered last weekend against Miami.

Virginia Tech enters with 16-14 overall record and 4-8 in the ACC under first year head coach Peter Hughes. The Hokies knocked off VMI on Wednesday but were swept at home by the Virginia Cavaliers. They have had some pitching problems this season as the staff has the second highest ERA in the conference at 5.94 which is only behind the BC Eagles. Adam Redd is the top pitcher with a 2-2 record and ERA of 2.89. Sean O'Brien is the top hitter for the Hokies with a .345 average while driving in 18 runs. Nate Parks has become a pest on the base paths as he has 24 stolen bases in 28 attempts.

The College Baseball Blog predicts that Clemson sweeps the Hokies.

Probable Pitchers
Friday: Daniel Moskos (2-2, 2.49 ERA) vs Greg Fryman (2-4, 6.80 ERA)
Saturday: David Kopp (3-2, 3.32 ERA) vs Andrew Wells (2-2, 5.49 ERA)
Sunday: Ryan Hinson (2-1, 2.04 ERA) vs Adam Redd (2-2, 2.89 ERA)

Clemson Game Notes
Virginia Tech Game Notes

Duke at Virginia

The Duke Blue Devils head to Charlottesville for an ACC series with the Virginia Cavaliers. The Blue Devils started the season with a 15-1 record but have struggled since then by losing 11 out of the next 17 to have an overall record of 21-11 but 2-10 in the ACC. The Blue Devils knocked off previously number 1 ranked Florida State behind top pitcher Tony Bajoczky. The Blue Devils are young and talented so the Cavaliers better take them seriously. The Cavaliers lost on Wednesday night at VMI but enter with a solid 27-6 record and tied for first place in the coastal division with an 8-4 mark. Jacob Thompson has become the ace of the staff with a 7-0 record and an ERA of 1.75. He is the leading candidate for ACC Pitcher of the Year if he can continue these numbers. The top hitter is Brandon Guyer who is hitting an outstanding .443 on the season.

The Virginia Cavaliers will take two out of three games according to The College Baseball Blog.

Probable Pitchers
Friday: Jacob Thompson (7-0, 1.75 ERA) vs Alexander Hassan (2-1, 2.86 ERA)
Saturday: Matt Packer (3-1, 3.12 ERA) vs Tony Bajoczky (5-2, 2.63 ERA)
Sunday: Sean Doolittle (5-2, 2.74 ERA) vs TBA

Virginia Game Notes
Duke Game Notes

Georgia Tech at Miami

The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets enter Coral Gables with a very respectable 20-11 mark and tied for first place in the Coastal Division of the ACC at 8-4. The Yellow Jackets pitching is still suspect with David Duncan leading the staff with a 4-2 record and 3.54 ERA. The Yellow Jackets offense is still loaded with Danny Payne hitting .409 in the leadoff role and Matt Wieters continuing his great career with a .325 average and six homers on the season.

Miami is coming in with a 18-13 record and only 5-7 in the ACC. The Hurricanes have played some of the top teams in the ACC early in the season thus the reason for the slow start. They will start playing some easier games in the coming weeks to get themselves eligible for the conference tournament. Eric Erickson has been far the best pitcher on the staff with a solid 4-3 record and a minuscule ERA of 1.96. Yonder Alonso leads the team in batting average at a .383 clip.

The College Baseball Blog predicts that Miami wins two out of three games this weekend.

Probable Pitchers
Friday: David Duncan (4-2, 3.54 ERA) vs Erik Erickson (4-3, 1.96 ERA)
Saturday: John Goodman (1-1, 4.18 ERA) vs Scott Maine (2-5, 4.42 ERA)
Sunday: Ryan Turner (3-3, 3.57 ERA) vs Enrique Garcia (2-2, 2.91 ERA)

Miami Game Notes
GT Game Notes

Wake Forest at Maryland

Wake Forest and Maryland both enter this must win series looking to knock each other farther back from the eighth spot in the ACC standings. Wake Forest enters with an overall record of 15-16 and 4-8 in the ACC. They have had some starting pitching struggles with a staff ERA of 5.26. They are led by All-American candidate Allan Dykstra who leads the team with 12 homers. Wake Forest will be without Willy Fox who is out with a leg injury.

Maryland enters with a record of 19-12 and 5-7 in the ACC. They have been receiving great play from Freshman AJ Casario who leads the team in hitting at .327. The top pitcher in the rotation for the Terps has been Ryan Moorer who is 3-1 with a 3.43 ERA.

The College Baseball Blog predicts that Wake Forest sweeps the Terps with their powerful offense.

Probable Pitchers
Friday: Brad Kledzik (2-2, 4.81 ERA) vs Casey Baron (3-1, 3.60 ERA)
Saturday: Garrett Bullock (2-1, 5.31 ERA) vs Ryan Moorer (3-1 3.43 ERA)
Sunday: Charlie Mellies (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs Kevin Biringer (2-5, 4.75 ERA)

Maryland Game Notes
Wake Forest Game Notes

I previewed the UNC at Boston College yesterday and it can be read here.

UNC heads to Boston College

The North Carolina Tar Heels will head to Boston College for an odd Thursday and Saturday series with the Eagles. The Tar Heels are coming off a 14-2 victory over UNC-Wilmington on Tuesday while the Eagles enter the games after beating local rival Northeastern also on Tuesday.

North Carolina is led by Robert Woodard who is an outstanding 29-3 in his career. This season he is a perfect 6-0 with an ERA of 2.17. He will be pitching against Boston College on Friday which is the only ACC team he has not defeated. He faced the Eagles in 2006 but only lasted four innings while giving up a run on three hits. Freshman Dustin Ackley leads a potent UNC offense as he currently holds a 23 game hitting streak entering Game 1 on Thursday. Ackley is hitting for the season at a .479 clip. He has also hit five homers and driven in 45 runs. He is not the only offensive threat for the 2006 CWS finalist as Tim Federowicz and Chad Flack are among many that return from last year's team.

Boston College is currently on a six game ACC losing streak with consecutive sweeps at the hands of FSU and NC State. The Eagles pitching has been poor as they have a staff ERA in the ACC of 6.04. The Eagles have no pitching this year as they have moved Kevin Boggan from the closer role to the number 2 starter position. He gave up 10 runs in his last start against NC State in 4.2 innings. The Eagles will send Nate Jeanes to the mound this weekend as he went seven strong innings in relief last Saturday against NC State while giving up three earned runs. The third starter's spot is still not announced but I expect Terry Doyle will take the ball and try to regain his composure he showed this past summer in the Cape Cod League. The Eagles leading hitter is punter/outfielder Johnny Ayers who is hitting .346 on the season. Tony Sanchez has been a pleasant surprise with a .333 average.

The College Baseball Blog might attend the doubleheader on Saturday if the weather cooperates and if I can handle the cold of Massachusetts that is hitting this weekend. I predict that the BC Eagles get swept by North Carolina.

Probable Starting Pitchers
Thursday: Robert Woodard (6-0, 2.17 ERA) vs Kevin Boggan (2-3, 4.96 ERA)
Saturday Game 1: Alex White (3-1, 2.27 ERA) vs Nate Jeanes (0-2, 5.40 ERA)
Saturday Game 2: Luke Putkonen (5-1, 3.23 ERA) vs TBA

UNC Game Notes
BC Stats

ACC Weekend Preview for March 30-April 1

Florida State at Duke

The Florida State Seminoles will leave the state of Florida for the first time this season when they head to Durham NC to take on the Duke Blue Devils. Florida State enters the series with a 27-1 overall record and a perfect 6-0 record through two weekends of the ACC portion of the schedule with sweeps over Wake Forest and Boston College. Tony Thomas Jr. is the leading hitter for the Noles with a .482 batting average on the season. Bryan Henry is the considered the ace of the staff and has a 6-0 record and a 2.37 ERA which is the highest of the weekend starters for the Seminoles. Ryan Strauss with a 1.57 ERA and Michael Hyde at 1.74 have both been dominant from their spots in the weekend rotation. Duke enters with a 19-9 overall record and 1-8 in the ACC. They picked up their first victory last Saturday when they beat Georgia Tech by a 3-0 score. Jimmy Gallagher leads the Blue Devils with a .356 batting average while Nate Frieman is right behind him at .351. Freshman Alexander Hassan leads the Duke pitching staff with a 2.10 ERA in his six appearances. The College Baseball Blog predicts that Florida State continues their undefeated ACC season with a sweep of Duke.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Bryan Henry (6-0, 2.37 ERA) vs Alexander Hassan (2-0, 2.10 ERA)
Saturday: Michael Hyde (8-0, 1.74 ERA) vs Tony Bajoczky (4-2, 2.27 ERA)
Sunday: Ryan Strauss (6-0, 1.57 ERA) vs TBA

FSU Game Notes
Duke Game Notes

Wake Forest at UNC

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons will be taking a roadtrip this weekend when they visit the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Demon Deacons picked up a loss this week to Winthrop by a score of 15-9 to give the Deacons an overall record of 14-13 and 3-6 in the ACC. Wake Forest is led by Allan Dykstra who leads the team in average at .378 and homers with 12 on the season. The Wake Forest weekend pitching staff has been ineffective with Brad Kledzik leading them with a 4.91 ERA. UNC enters hitting the ball extremely well as they got 28 runs from their offense in a 28-3 drubbing over Davidson in their only mid-week game of the week. North Carolina's overall record is 23-4 and 6-3 in the ACC. They are lead by Dustin Ackley who is hitting an outstanding .495 on the season for the young freshman. Alex White has the lowest ERA out of the weekend starters at 1.91 but Robert Woodard is right there at 2.35 to provide a strong 1-2 punch. The College Baseball Blog predicts that UNC takes 2 out of 3 games on the weekend.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Brad Kledzik (2-1, 4.91 ERA) vs Robert Woodard (5-0, 2.35 ERA)
Saturday: Garrett Bullock (2-1, 4.96 ERA) vs Alex White (3-1, 1.91 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs Luke Putkonen (5-0, 3.51 ERA)

Wake Forest Game Notes
UNC Game Notes

Virginia at Virginia Tech

The Virginia Cavaliers will travel across the state with their 24-5 overall record and ACC record of 5-4 to take on the Virginia Tech Hokies for a big weekend series. The Cavaliers are led by the .447 average of Brandon Guyer and Greg Miclat who is hitting a hefty .433 on the season also. The Cavaliers top pitcher has been Jacob Thompson who leads the weekend staff with an ERA of 1.83 and a 6-0 record. Sean Doolittle has gotten off to a slow start on the mound with a 4-2 record and a solid ERA of 3.20. Doolittle is also hitting .300 on the season which is down from the .324 he hit in 2006. The Hokies enter the series with a 15-11 overall record and 4-5 in the ACC. They picked up a loss to James Madison on Tuesday. They are led by first year head coach Peter Hughes who bolted out of Boston College after the 2006 season. The top weekend starter for the Hokies is Adam Redd who is 2-1 with an ERA of 3.68. The top hitter for the Hokies is Nate Parks who is hitting .336 with Sean O'Brien at .323 in the second spot on the team batting average list. The Hokies are a running team as they have attempted to steal 64 bases and successful on 43 of them while their opponents have attempted 31 and only been successful on 22 of them. The College Baseball Blog predicts that Virginia sweeps the Hokies.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Jacob Thompson (6-0, 1.83 ERA) vs Greg Fryman (2-3, 7.79 ERA)
Saturday: Matt Packer (3-1, 2.97 ERA) vs Andrew Wells (2-1, 4.19 ERA)
Sunday: Sean Doolittle (4-2, 3.20 ERA) vs Adam Redd (2-1, 3.68 ERA)

UVA Game Notes
VT Game Notes

Miami at Clemson

The Miami Hurricanes enter this series against Clemson with an unheard of 15-12 overall record and 3-6 ACC record. The Hurricanes are entering the series after a week long break after losing two out of three games to Virginia last weekend. The Hurricanes are led by Yonder Alonso who leads the team in hitting with his .374 average. Freshman Eric Erickson has been the most consistent weekend starter for the Canes with a 3-3 record but a very good ERA of 1.58. Clemson enters the series coming off a 15-6 victory on Wednesday over Western Carolina and a 14-2 victory on Tuesday over Gardner-Webb to bring their overall record to 17-7 and ACC record stands at 4-2 after a weekend sweep over Duke and losing two out of three up at Maryland. Clemson is led by a strong offensive attack which is hitting on the season as a unit at a strong .293 batting average. Brad Chaulk is the leading hitter at .425. The top weekend starter has been P.J. Zocchi who is 3-0 on the season with a 2.70 ERA. The College Baseball Blog predicts that Clemson sweeps the Hurricanes out of South Carolina.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Eric Erickson (3-3, 1.58 ERA) vs P.J. Zocchi (3-0, 2.70 ERA)
Saturday: Scott Maine (2-4, 4.68 ERA) vs Ryan Hinson (1-1, 2.14 ERA)
Sunday: Enrique Garcia (2-2, 2.43 ERA) vs David Kopp (3-2, 3.58 ERA)

Miami Game Notes
Clemson Game Notes

Maryland at Georgia Tech

The Maryland Terps will travel down to Final Four country this weekend for a three game set against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Maryland is coming off two midweek victories in which they beat William & Mary on Tuesday by a score of 15-3 and then followed that on Wednesday with a no-hitter in which they beat Coppin State 12-0. The Terps have an overall record of 18-8 and 5-4 in the ACC. They are led by Freshman A.J. Casario who leads the team in batting average at .371. The top weekend starter has been Ryan Moorer who is 3-0 with a 2.29 ERA. The Yellow Jackets swept Georgia Southern in a quick two game mid-week series by scores of 10-2 and 6-2. They are led by All-American candidates Matt Wieters who leads the team with 28 RBI and Danny Payne who leads the team in batting average at .412. John Goodman has become the most consistent weekend starter for the Jackets as he enters the weekend with a 1-1 record and an ERA of 2.84. The College Baseball Blog predicts that Maryland continues their hot streak by taking two out of the three games on the weekend.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: David Duncan (4-2, 3.40) vs. Casey Baron (3-1, 3.59)
Saturday: John Goodman (1-1, 2.84) vs. Ryan Moorer (3-0, 2.29)
Sunday: Ryan Turner (2-3, 3.89) vs. Kevin Biringer (2-4, 4.65)

Maryland Game Notes
GT Game Notes

NC State at Boston College

The NC State Wolfpack will head to Boston College this weekend for a key ACC showdown. The Wolfpack enter with a 19-8 overall record but 5-4 in the ACC. They are led on offense by Joe Florio who is hitting .345 on the season. Ramon Corona is continuing to struggle at the plate with a .223 average. He struggled in teh Cape Cod League in 2006 with the Hyannis Mets where he hit .236 for the summer. The top pitcher for the Wolfpack weekend rotation has been Freshman Jimmy Gilheeney who is 2-1 with a very healthy 1.84 ERA. The biggest prospect of the season in terms of height and hype was Andrew Brackman who enters the series with a record of 4-2 and an ERA of 3.79. Brackman has been roughed up over his last four starts as he has a 1-2 record and an ERA of 6.26 over that period. Some people were talking about Brackman's fastball hitting 99 MPH this summer on the cape. Boston College enters the series coming off a 10-7 victory over Holy Cross on Thursday and a 6-5 victory over Hartford on Tuesday. Boston College has an overall record of 8-11-1 and 4-5 in the ACC. The Eagles are led by two sport athlete Johnny Ayers who leads the team with a .369 batting average. Tony Sanchez is second on the team with a .365 batting average. Kevin Boggan leads the pitching staff with a 2-2 record and an ERA of 2.57 on the season. The College Baseball Blog predicts BC to take 2 out of 3 games this weekend.

The College Baseball Blog will have staff at both Saturday's and Sunday's games. So stay tuned for full coverage of the series.

Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday: Kevin Boggan (2-2, 2.57 ERA) vs Eric Surkamp (2-1, 3.00 ERA)
Saturday: Nick Asslein (1-1, 5.85 ERA) vs Andrew Brackman (4-2, 3.79 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs Jimmy Gillheeney (2-1, 1.84 ERA)

NC State Game Notes
BC Stats
Interview with Peter Frates (BC)