NC State Baseball Ranked No. 28 Preseason By Baseball America

Courtesy: Peyton Williams/NC State Baseball America has Ramon Corona and the Wolfpack ranked preseason No. 28.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Anchored by a strong pitching staff, NC State will begin the college baseball season on February 9 ranked No. 28 nationally by Baseball America, which released its preseason poll January 4.

The Wolfpack, 40-23 a year ago, ranked third nationally in runs scored in 2006, lost considerable firepower from its everyday lineup. The Pack will enter 2007 with only three everyday starters back — third-team All-America second baseman Ramon Corona (.353 average, 19 doubles, 5 triples, 6 home runs, 57 RBIs and 9 steals in 2006), catcher Caleb Mangum (.354, 8 doubles, 4 home runs, 34 RBIs) and left fielder Ryan Pond (.288, 9 doubles, 3 home runs, 36 RBIs).

Instead of relying on offense, NC State will turn to a loaded pitching staff in 2007, led by 6-9 junior righthander Andrew Brackman (1-3, 6.35 in an injury-plagued 2006, but 4-0, 2.09 in 2005). Brackman, who played forward on the Wolfpack basketball team the last two years, is eligible for the MLB draft this June and has foregone hoops to concentrate on baseball. He was focused and dominant in the fall.

Brackman will be backed by a strong cast of returning hurlers, led by sophomore lefthander Eric Surkamp (2-3, 5.10), junior righthander Jeff Stallings (injured in 2006, but 5-3, 3.48 as a sophomore in 2005), junior righthander Eryk McConnell (7-6, 4.50), junior righthander Joel Brookens (1-1, 3.41), sophomore righthander Joey Cutler (1-2, 1.93) and sophomore righthander Kyle Rutter (2-0, 2.18). Sophomore lefthander Andrew Taylor was 2-0, but struggled with a 9.64 a year ago. He appears to have turned things around and was one of the best pitchers on a strong staff in the fall.

Joining the holdovers is a strong cast of newcomers, led by freshman righthanders Sam Brown and Nate Karns, and freshman lefthander Jimmy Gillheeney. Brown (7th round by the Nationals) and Karns (10th round by the Astros) both were drafted highly a year ago, while Gillheeney was a high school All-American and perhaps the top pitcher in New England. Sophomore righthander Clayton Shunick went 5-7 with a 4.94 ERA at Georgia State, pacing the staff with 94 2/3 innings pitched. He earned a berth on the Cape Cod League All-Star team this summer while pitching at Orleans.