Raiders pitcher Mazzoni chooses to play at N.C. State
EVANS CITY — It had already been quite a year for Cory Mazzoni.
But it just got even better.
The Seneca Valley senior pitcher, who led the Raiders to the PIAA Quad A state title last spring, decided last week to play baseball at North Carolina State University.
Many schools showed interest in the 6-foot-1, 175-pound resident of Evans City, but it came down to two schools.
"It was either N.C. State or Penn State," said Mazzoni, who will be receiving a partial scholarship. "But the weather is a lot nicer in North Carolina. It's warmer and easier to pitch."
SV coach Eric Semega has seen the maturation of Mazzoni since making his first start as a freshman in 2005.
"I think we've been able to instill in Cory the importance of getting ahead in the count and being able to notice weaknesses of batters during the course of a game," said Semega. "But the mechanics were already there.
"Cory's done a lot of it on his own," Semega added. "He is where he is right now because of his own abilities."
North Carolina State compiled a 38-23 record in 2007, including a 16-14 mark in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
The Wolfpack have landed one of the best pitchers in the state of Pennsylvania — and he still has his senior season of high school to play.
Mazzoni ended last season with a perfect 11-0 record, 96 strikeouts and an ERA just over one.
He was voted the WPIAL Quad A pitcher of the year and was invited to play for the New York Yankees Area Code Team over the summer.
"The only thing that we worked extensively on last year that really didn't develop the way we had hoped was Cory's changeup," said Semega. "We wanted to develop it into a pitch he could go to. Obviously, he still had a lot of success with his fastball and curve.
"But we will focus on his changeup again this spring," Semega added.
Mazzoni, who will major in either business or sports management, visited the Raleigh, N.C., campus earlier this month.
"Their facilities are second to none," he said. "The surrounding area is really nice.
"The team's head coach is Elliott Avent, but I had more interaction with pitching coach Tom Holliday. He said I should get about one start per week my freshman season."
Which is over a year away. In the meantime, he'll take care of business.
"Right now I'm just working out, but no throwing," said Mazzoni. "I'm just looking to get stronger this season and add a few miles per hour to my fastball."
Mazzoni's average fastball is 90 mph, but it has been clocked at as high as 94.
"We lost a couple of outfielders from last year, but pretty much everybody else is coming back," Mazzoni said about SV's upcoming season. "We've got a very good chance of making another run at states and, hopefully, we can win the WPIAL title this year."
