CARR: Poulks Keep It All In The Family

By A.J. CARR

RALEIGH, NC – NC State’s hitting cousins – Drew Poulk and Dallas Poulk – had a batting battle going on during last weekend’s series against Duke.

When informed they were tied for the ACC lead in base hits, it fueled a little family competition and both players came out swinging.
 
“When he got a hit, I tipped my cap, let him know there was competition,’’ Drew said with an impish grin.

In the final regular-season game, Drew went 3-for-3 to finish with a league-leading 87 hits, one more than Dallas, who was 2-for-4. More importantly, they helped NC State sweep the Blue Devils and qualify for this week’s ACC Tournament in Greensboro, where the cousins aim to keep their “Hokie Poulk” act going.

Not only are they blood relatives, their statistical kinship is downright uncanny.

Drew is batting .367 with a team-top 13 homers, 67 runs batted in and 20 doubles going into Wednesday’s 8 p.m. opening-round game with Clemson.

Dallas is batting .363 with 10 homers, 55 runs batted in, 20 doubles and a conference-leading 74 runs scored.

“They are totally different, different players, have different personalities; you wouldn’t know they were cousins,” coach Elliott Avent said. “But look at their stats and they’re like identical twins.”

Drew is a righthanded swinging, sinewy 6-3, 196-pound senior right fielder who made second-team All-ACC despite a bout with food poisoning and a lingering sinus infection.

Dallas is a lefthanded swinging, sinewy 6-0, 188-pound senior second baseman who made first-team all-conference.

Dallas, a technology major, is chatty. Drew, a science, technology and society major, is quieter. Yet at the plate, both unleash loud bats on a Wolfpack team that has slammed 90 home runs, the program’s biggest long-ball display since 1994.

“Drew has uncanny ability, great ability,’’ Avent said, adding he may also “be the best right fielder we’ve ever had. Dallas has power, does amazing things in batting practice, keeps us loose and is a good leader.”

Both players are on hot streaks. Drew has hit safely in 15 consecutive games, batting .460 during that span. Dallas has collected at least one hit in 24 of the last 27 outings.

The cousins grew up about four hours apart, Drew in Morehead City and Dallas in Fayetteville. Except when playing on the same summer league teams a couple of years and getting together at Thanksgiving, they seldom saw each other.

At NC State, they have bonded, becoming more like brothers. They confide in each other, hang out, eat together – and hit together.

“This has definitely been exciting for our families (as well),” said Dallas, reflecting on how his and Drew’s folks have enjoyed visiting at games.

The Poulks didn’t set out to attend the same school. Drew took a winding, most unusual route from West Carteret High to NC State.

He first went to rival North Carolina, played in 38 games as a freshman and hit .275 on the Tar Heels 2007 College World Series team. Then he transferred to St. Petersburg (Fla.) Junior College before joining the Wolfpack last year – and making an immediate impact by hitting a team-leading nine homers.

“I didn’t feel I was getting enough playing time (at UNC) and was told I would not get playing time,’’ said Drew, explaining why he left the Tar Heels after one season.

“St. Petersburg was a beautiful place (and) I had a pretty good season. I wasn’t drafted and coach Avent offered me an opportunity to play. My years here have been nothing but good times.”

Dallas came directly to NC State from Fayetteville’s Pine Forest High and quickly achieved star status, batting .394 as a rookie and earning Freshman All-America honors.

“My family was Wolfpack,’’ Dallas said. “When I visited, it felt right. I felt right at home.”

With the arrival of Drew, the family atmosphere got better. Last summer the Poulks worked out together at NC State, where both focused on sharpening their mindset at the plate.

In the batter’s box, Drew admits to thinking “home run.” He also worked on curbing his emotions. No more helmet tossing or glove throwing after making outs.

“This was my last season and I wanted to enjoy it,’’ he said.

So far, Drew has had a blast. So has Dallas. And they’ll be swinging for the fences again this week, trying to help put the Pack on track toward the NCAA playoffs.

North Carolina State University Athletics

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