North Carolina State University Athletics
Pack Limps into ACC Tourney
5/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 25, 2004
By Tony Haynes
Salem, Va. - An NC State team that has struggled to score runs all season could be without one of its top offensive players for at least the first few games of this week's ACC Baseball Tournament in Salem, Virginia. Junior outfielder Jason St. Julien, who batted .284 with four homers and 32 RBIs during the regular season, is listed as very doubtful for Wednesday night's tourney opener against Florida State (8:30 p.m.) with a hyperextended big toe.
A starter in 53 of 54 games, St. Julien was not in the line-up in Saturday's regular season finale at North Carolina after sustaining the injury while crossing the bag on a close play at first base late in the second game of the UNC series on Friday night. St. Julien did pinch hit later in Saturday's contest, reaching on an error by the shortstop. He then limped back to the dugout after being lifted for a pinch runner.
With St. Julien not available for defensive duties on Saturday, Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent started freshman Eric Taylor in left field. Taylor, normally a third baseman, was replaced in the infield by Dustin Knight.
NC State also got another scare on the final out of Saturday's game against the Tar Heels when leading hitter Matt Camp turned an ankle as he crossed the bag at first after hitting into a double play. Camp, a .339 hitter this season, is not expected to miss any action in Salem.
The Pack has already been without one key member of its starting line-up ever since March 28th when center fielder Marc Maynor fractured two bones in his left ankle while shagging fly balls in batting practice.
For all of its ups and down this season, however, NC State is ranked 19th in this week's new Boyd's World RPI rankings, a fact that bodes well for the Pack's chances to land a second straight NCAA regional berth regardless of what happens in Salem. Heading into a season-ending stretch of six games against nationally ranked foes East Carolina, Texas and North Carolina, the Wolfpack had dropped six of eight games. Remarkably, NC State recovered to take four of those last six, including four out of five on the road against Texas and UNC.
Given its recent stretch of games against nationally ranked opponents, the Wolfpack should feel right at home when it squares off against the Seminoles, who are ranked 19th in this week's new Collegiate Baseball poll.
In early April, NC State traveled to Tallahassee and dropped two of three to the Seminoles. The Wolfpack's only win in the series - an 11-0 drubbing in game one - was paced by Michael Rogers, who pitched eight innings of three-hit baseball. Rogers is slated to get another start against the 'Noles on Wednesday.
The biggest offensive obstacle the righthander will face in the Florida State line-up could be Eddie Martinez-Esteve, who batted .571 (8-for-14) in FSU's three-game sweep at Wake Forest last weekend. Martinez-Esteve is the ACC's leading hitter with a .389 batting average to go along with 17 homers and 69 RBIs.
