North Carolina State University Athletics
Tony Haynes: Wolfpack Hopes to Beat the Heat
6/3/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 3, 2004
By Tony Haynes
Coral Gables, Fla. - Michael Rogers and his teammates remember the muggy air and the dripping sweat that made their NC State baseball uniforms feel like dish rags that had just been dipped into a bowl of lukewarm water. As much as they wanted to avoid making excuses in the immediate aftermath of their gut-wrenching super regional loss to Miami last year, the Wolfpack's returning players who were a part of that steamy series in Coral Gables now admit that the heat was indeed a factor. One-year later, the Pack is back at the sweltering scene of its disappointing exit from the NCAA Baseball Tournament.
It was in the oppressive heat 12 months ago that NC State's saw its hopes for a berth in the College World Series go up in smoke...make that steam. Two narrow, last gasp comebacks by the home standing Hurricanes sent the Pack packing back to Raleigh instead of Omaha.
In both of its defeats in the best two of three series, NC State faltered at the end after carrying leads into the late innings. To say the Wolfpack choked would be an inaccurate characterization of a team that had come through in the clutch all season. But admittedly, it would be safe to say that the Pack suffered through a collective physical meltdown brought on by the oppressive south Florida soup.
"It was a factor," said Rogers, the redshirt sophomore right-hander who will likely get the call for game two this weekend. "We weren't used to that kind of heat. We have a lot of guys that were on last year's team, so maybe we'll be more used to the heat. I don't think it will be as big a factor this year."
By now, the Wolfpack's veteran players are well aware of Mark Light Field and the Miami mystique, but familiarity with the ballpark and its surroundings could take a backseat to the heat and NC State's advanced preparations for a long weekend of baseball that could conceivably include a doubleheader.
"I think the biggest thing is not so much familiarity with the ballpark, but with the heat," said Pack coach Elliott Avent. "The heat just zapped us last year. It's just unbelievable. I'm not saying it cost us from beating Miami, but I think it sort of hampered our chances. We're going to have to deal with that much better this year."
The weather isn't the only thing that has Avent's attention. When Friday's first round match-up with Florida Atlantic came up on the TV screen during the pairings show earlier in the week, the skipper had an unpleasant flashback to 1997, his first year as NC State's head coach. In the opening series of that season, the Wolfpack got spanked three straight days by the FAU.
"I don't have real good memories of Florida Atlantic," Avent said, giggling.
He can laugh about it now since his first Wolfpack club regrouped and went on to post a 40-win season that included a 15-7 mark in the ACC.
No laughing matter for NC State is the fact that the Florida Atlantic team of 2004 is on a roll, having won seven in a row and 12 of its last 14. Ranked No. 25 in the RPI, the Owls captured their first Atlantic Sun Tournament title by winning four straight games last weekend. This will mark the fourth time in its last five trips to the tournament that Florida Atlantic has been placed in the Coral Gables Regional. FAU is a strong offensive squad that hits .323 as a team and has pounded out a total of 63 homers this season. The pitching staff has accumulated a very respectable .375 ERA.
NC State, which led the ACC in pitching, will once again rely heavily on pitching, defense and execution as its formulas for success.
A formula Avent hopes will help his team beat the heat.
