RALEIGH - Baseball habits and routines are hard to break, and N.C. State's Tommy Foschi had one he never wanted to end. For nearly all of his baseball career, the senior shortstop could count on seeing his father at games. Home, away, it didn't matter. Pat Foschi would be there.

"On the left-field side, near third base," Tommy Foschi said Tuesday. "I'd always check him out over there every inning. He'd give me a wave or something."

Last May, Pat Foschi gave Tommy a wave. He had a plane to catch back to California and had to miss the last few innings of the Clemson game at the Pack's Doak Field. He'd see his son soon enough in Jacksonville, Fla., at the ACC tournament and later in the NCAA tournament.

He'd be there, in the left-field stands, near third base.

Like always.

Except life isn't about always. Life can blindside you, leaving you feeling helpless, badly needing others for support.

Pat Foschi, 50, died after suffering a heart seizure at the Atlanta airport that May day. Tommy got the news from a brother, Matt, who flew to Raleigh from California the next day.

Foschi would play in the ACC tournament. He would play in the NCAA regional. But between the two, he helped bury a man who was as much a best friend and confidante as a father.

"He was more a Tommy Foschi fan than a baseball fan," Tommy said. "He loved to see me play. It was a tough, tough time."

After the season, Foschi had a decision to make. A big part of him wanted to stay in La Quinta, Calif., with his mother, Patty, and his family. Maybe find another college team, play his senior season back home.

"I actually thought he would stay," NCSU coach Elliott Avent said. "I talked to Patty [Foschi], and we talked about what's best for Tommy. I even had a couple of [coaches] call me in California near his home and offer him a full scholarship and a guarantee of playing shortstop near his home to make it easier for him.

"I left it up to Tommy."

In the end, so did Patty Foschi.

"She said, 'Do what you want to do. Just live your dream,' " Tommy said.

Foschi thought about his Wolfpack teammates -- guys like first baseman Pat Ferguson, his closest friend on the team, and center fielder Marcus Jones, who likes to call him "Sunshine."

"Everyone is like my brother," Foschi said.

Soon, Avent got a call.

"He said, 'Coach, I want to be back with my family at N.C. State,' " Avent said. "Boy, you talk about a commitment. I think that showed how much he felt about this university and about the guys he played with."

Foschi did more than come back. He has been the leader of the infield, rock-solid at short. In his last seven games he has hit .591, boosting his batting average to .299 while giving the Pack -- along with third baseman Drew Martin -- some punch at the bottom of the lineup. Both were chosen to the ACC's all-tournament team last week.

"I've been getting myself in good counts, not swinging at balls and getting that 2-1 fastball, that 3-1 fastball," Foschi said.

After a tough 10-9 loss to Georgia Tech to open the ACC tournament, State needed to rebound quickly against Clemson. A long two-run homer by Foschi -- on a 3-1 fastball -- spurred a six-run, first-inning outburst in a 10-0 win.

"I hadn't hit one all year, and I think that like was all my home runs combined in that one shot," Foschi said, smiling.

While the homer -- his fourth at State -- led to some teammate teasing, so did his big "hit" against Georgia Tech. Late in the game, Foschi was ejected after barreling over Georgia Tech catcher Jason Haniger attempting to score.

"When we came back that night, I had 15 voice mails, 20 text messages, telling me I should put the football pads on," Foschi said.

But Foschi's ejection, for trying to dislodge the ball, was costly. Avent was forced to make infield changes, and three State errors in the ninth inning allowed the Yellow Jackets to rally and win.

"Tommy is without question the captain of our defense on the infield," Avent said. "He just does so many things for us. He plays the game so much under control and with so much confidence.

"He's had a great year, but right now he's putting an exclamation mark on the season."

What Foschi wants, of course, is to end his senior season in Omaha, Neb., in the College World Series. The Pack is hosting an NCAA regional this week as a No. 1 seed, and Foschi wants to keep playing as long as possible.

"I feel at home when I'm on a baseball field," he said.

Play more games and he'll keep wearing his State cap. The one with "P.F." written under the bill.

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