RALEIGH N.C. State second baseman Matt Bergquist has been reluctant to talk about losing his father, who died in Afghanistan, but Memorial Day seemed like an appropriate time.

Randy Bergquist was a former U.S. Marine who served multiple tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. Retiring in 2007, he worked as a civilian contractor for Avenge Inc., a private subcontractor of Lockheed Martin based in Sterling, Va., that specializes in military flight operations.

For Matt, Randy and Pam Bergquist's only child, the inherent danger of his father's line of work - and of what could happen - always was there. Not that Matt dwelled on it or endlessly worried about it.

"He has been doing it for so long that you kind of don't think about it on a daily basis and just try to have a normal lifestyle," Bergquist said Monday at the Wolfpack's Doak Field.

Randy Bergquist, 53, had told his family he would soon retire. There were plans to move from Orange Park, Fla., to just outside Asheville, all the better for the Bergquists to come to Raleigh and see their son play for N.C. State.

But during October 2009, Randy Bergquist was reported missing. He had been flying a surveillance plane in southeastern Afghanistan, supporting NATO forces, with two other private contractors.

Matt Bergquist was a freshman at N.C. State. For six days, he nervously awaited news on his father's whereabouts, praying for his safety, hoping for the best.

Finally, it was up to Wolfpack coach Elliott Avent to tell him the wreckage of the plane had been found and his father was gone.

"We had some fall scrimmages going on then," Matt Bergquist said. "Coach (Avent) told me one-on-one, but when I left the office from finding out, the whole team was there. I got hugs from every single one of them. That was pretty special."

Avent had been through something similar, yet, he said, different. During 2007, just before the ACC tournament, senior shortstop Tommy Foschi's father died of a heart attack, leaving everyone in shock and mourning.

"I would say it was tougher for Matt in that it happened at the beginning of his career," Avent said. "You have someone 18 years old, an only child, just in college, as opposed to someone (Foschi) who had a brother and family and it was the end of his career.

"Matt went through a tough time last year and at the beginning of this year - a really, really tough time. But since he has gotten at peace with all he has had to deal with, he has been lights-out. He plays really, really hard and is so well-respected and well-liked by everyone."

Bergquist, who was shifted to second from shortstop this year, entered last week's ACC tournament in Durham with a nine-game hitting streak and batted .377 over the final 18 games of the regular season. He's hitting .289, with four homers and a team-leading 45 RBIs, as the Wolfpack (34-25) heads to Columbia for the NCAA regional.

"It can make you stronger, if you can get through something like that," Avent said of Bergquist. "Everyone can give you advice on what to do, but you have to do it for yourself, and I think it makes a better person, a better man."

Bergquist is able to smile more these days. He's able to talk about dealing with the loss of his father. At the same time, he also enjoys talking about his mother and how he believes he got some of his athletic ability from her.

"My dad was gone a lot when I was younger, and me and my mom have a special bond," he said.