North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State Receives Bid to NCAA Baseball Tourney
5/31/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 31, 2004
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By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - Things rarely came easy for the NC State baseball team this season, so it shouldn't be a total surprise that players and coaches were a little anxious as they gathered to watch selections for this year's NCAA Tournament regionals on Monday. After waiting through several pairings, the words "NC State" finally appeared about 15 minutes into the show, aired on ESPN2. The Wolfpack (34-20) is on its way back to Miami, where it will open against Florida Atlantic (45-15) on Friday afternoon at 3:30 p.m.
"You never know because you have so many teams and you can only take 64," said NC State head coach Elliott Avent, who will be sending his team back to the tournament for the second straight year and for the fifth time in his seven year tenure. "I haven't even looked to see which teams were left out, but I'm sure there are some teams sitting there right now wondering what else do they have to do. But we were confident going in with the way we played down the stretch and being in a great conference like the ACC. How you play down the stretch is very important to the committee."
The way NC State played down the stretch during the regular season certainly had to catch the committee's eye. Sweeping a doubleheader at No. 1 Texas set the stage for a frantic finish that also included a two out of three series win at nationally ranked North Carolina. And though it dropped two of three at last week's ACC Tournament, the Pack's lone win came over another nationally ranked club in Virginia.
"We're definitely playing our best baseball right now," said senior first baseman David Hicks, who leads the Wolfpack in homers (8) and RBIs (44). "All year we've stressed that it's not how you play at the beginning of the year but how you play at the end of the year. We're really excited; our pitching is doing well and we're starting to hit the ball, so I think we've got as good a chance as anyone at doing well."
NC State was one of six ACC teams to make the 64-team field, although the Wolfpack did finish with a losing mark in conference play. The saving grace for the Wolfpack was a difficult schedule that included non-league games against the likes of Texas and highly-rated East Carolina. As of Monday, the Pack's RPI was 21.
"I've been anxious since I woke up this morning," said pitcher Michael Rogers (9-3, 2.14 ERA), who will likely get the start in game one on Friday. "Everything worked out they way we wanted it to, so it's great."
The other teams in NC State's mini-regional are No. 1 seed Miami and No. 4 St. Bonaventure. Florida Atlantic, champions of the Atlantic Sun Conference, drew a No. 3, while the Wolfpack will be the No. 2 seed in Coral Gables.
The surroundings in Miami will certainly be familiar for NC State's veteran players, who met the Hurricanes in last year's super regional.
"Since we went there for the super regionals last year, I was a little surprised at that," Avent said about his team's placement. "I actually thought we might go to Georgia. We're a 2 seed, which really does show how much we were in [the tournament]."
Avent hopes the Wolfpack will be at full-strength by Friday, but that wish could be a stretch. Switch-hitting outfielder Jason St. Julien missed all three games of the ACC tournament with a hyperextended big toe, while Hicks (pinched nerve in neck), outfielder Bryan Kinneberg (shoulder) and starting catcher Jake Muyco (finger) are also ailing.
"Jason St. Julien said he felt better today," Avent said. "He's not 100 percent by any means but just having him be able to play would be a big plus for us. Kinneberg has a shoulder that's going to continue to give him problems. Muyco is close to 100 percent now. David Hicks with a pinched nerve is a concern. I don't know how long that's going to take."
All of NC State's games in the NCAA Tournament can be heard on WKNC 88.1 FM and through Yahoo's subscription service on Gopack.com. Airtime on Friday will be 3:25 p.m.
