The baseball team will begin its 2009 campaign this afternoon at Doak Field at Dail Park when it takes on Rhode Island at 3 p.m. in the first game of the Summit Hospitality Invitational, a round-robin style tournament featuring N.C. State, Rhode Island, Xavier and Santa Clara.

After suffering a heart breaking defeat in the NCAA Super Regional at the hands of the University of Georgia last June, this year’s team is looking to improve and get to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb.

“We were there last year and it just didn’t happen,” head coach Elliot Avent said Tuesday. “We felt so good about that third game against Georgia, but it just didn’t happen. It is a motivating factor for those guys on the team who were here lst year.”

When the Wolfpack open play Friday against the Rams from Rhode Island, the lineup will most definitely have many different faces for fans to get to know.

State lost its entire starting outfield, half of its infield and arguably its top three pitchers from the 2008 club which finished 42-22 and fell one win short of reaching the College World Series.

Dallas Poulk, junior second basemen and a pre-season All-American selection, said this year’s club is going to take the season one game at a time as it tries to repeat the successes of 2008.

“Last year left a bad taste in all of our mouths,” Poulk said. “We’re going to play one game at a time. You win some, you lose some. Hopefully at the end of the year you have more wins than losses.”

The collection of players charged with replacing what the Pack lost will be mixed, especially early in the season. Despite the relative inexperience of many players who will be key for the team’s success, Avent said he feels good about where the team is heading into the season.

“To lose that many key guys and feel so good about this team and this season is kind of shocking,” he said. “It’s a nice blend right now. We’re excited about this group.”

Perhaps the new player who has produced the most pre-season excitement is Drew Poulk, the cousin of Dallas.

Drew, who transferred to N.C. State from St. Petersburg Community College, attended UNC-Chapel Hill in 2007 before leaving for Florida. He enters play Friday as the right fielder and is expected to be one of the Pack’s best hitters.

“I didn’t play on the team last year but I’ve played at two other schools so maybe I can give some insight on my experiences so far,” Poulk said. “Hopefully I can come in and do what is needed for the team.”

Avent said Poulk won’t be the only new face Wolfpack fans will get to know early in the year.

“There are several guys who could have their names known very quickly,’ he said.

Other players to watch, Avent said, include freshman first baseman Harold Riggins, freshman third baseman Andrew Ciencin and junior shortstop Kyle Wilson. Another Wilson to keep an eye on, once he is medically cleared to play, will be standout quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson is still nursing the knee he injured during the PapaJohns.com bowl in late December. 

Senior third baseman Drew Martin said it will be crucial for every member of this year’s team to remember its role.

“We’ve been working hard since we got back a it’s going to take a team concept,” Martin said. “Everyone is going to have to understand their roles and just do what we did last year. Know your role and play hard.”

After its game today against Rhode Island, the Pack will matchup with Xavier on Saturday and Santa Clara on Sunday. Both games are scheduled for 3 p.m.

As for what the 2009 version of the baseball team can accomplish, Avent said the key will be coming to the field everyday and competing.

“I don’t have expectations,” Avent said. “We try to go out and play hard everyday and represent N.C. State and ourselves the way we should. Expectations are for other people to make decisions on. All I know is this is a team that could win a national championship.”

Some players, Dallas Poulk, acknowledged that the team has set some expectations for itself.

“We kind of have higher expectations for ourselves [this year],” Poulk said. “We’re not really letting leave the locker room right now.”

No matter the goals the 2009 baseball team has set, it begins its efforts to reach them this afternoon at 3 p.m.