The Week The Middle Got Muddy: Last week, it appeared the top nine teams were pulling away from Virginia and Virginia Tech, setting up an in-state battle for the last spot in the ACC Tournament. Not so fast, my friends!
Virginia took its first steps towards turning its season around by winning two games against Miami in Charlottesville. Boston College swept Georgia Tech, propelling them into the postseason hunt and drawing the Yellow Jackets back into the cluster. NC State came back to the pack by losing two games at Notre Dame. Wake Forest had the distinct misfortune of facing Louisville this weekend, so they were swept.
Also of note in the chase for the playoff spot was a cancellation for Sunday’s rubber match between North Carolina and Virginia Tech. The Hokies and Heels now join the Wolfpack and Eagles to form a group of teams that have played only 20 conference games rather than 21. That will undoubtedly factor into the standings as we proceed. If one of those teams has the same number of wins as a full-schedule opponent, it means they will have one fewer loss and thus a better record.
As it stands, There are five teams with nine conference wins this season. The Hokies are the odd team odd in 12th, at 8-12, with Wake Forest and Georgia Tech tied for 10th at 9-12. It’s possible Virginia Tech would have won Sunday and joined that 9-12 group, but they also could have lost and fallen to 8-13. Time will tell if the rainout is a blessing or a curse.
Wacky Week: It was also a strange week on the field for ACC teams. For example, there was North Carolina in its midweek game against High Point. The rains came and ended the game early, but the two teams decided they hadn’t had enough fun and engaged in a fruit fight during the rain delay.
On Friday, Wake Forest opened its series at Louisville and entered the bottom of the ninth tied, five runs apiece. Then Louisville’s Corey Ray got the bright idea of stealing home for the walk-off win, and by God, he actually pulled it off.
New Rodon: Meanwhile, we can add a new name to the list of ACC products in the big leagues. The Chicago White Sox called up former NC State pitcher Carlos Rodon to their MLB roster. Rodon’s debut Wednesday was unspectacular, pitching just 2 1/3 innings and allowing two runs on three hits and three walks. However, he did introduce his mustache to MLB fans, which drew high marks from the folks at For The Win.
This Week: Florida State and Miami will meet in a battle of in-state rivals and two of the top three teams in the conference. Miami has built a sizable 4.5 game lead over North Carolina in the Coastal Division, while Florida State is five games behind Louisville in the Atlantic but 2.5 games ahead of third-place Clemson. Last year in Tallahassee, the Seminoles won the series by claiming Saturday and Sunday slugfests, 10-2 and 13-6.
In the nine-win cluster, Virginia will travel to Raleigh to face NC State. This will be the first time the Cavaliers and Wolfpack have met since 2013. That season, Virginia swept the three-game series
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