Sometimes you wonder why things go the way they do, this can be said when North Carolina and Vanderbilt played the first game of the 2011 College World Series at the new stadium, TD Ameritrade. The Diamond Heels left sixteen players on the base path, and that, combined with the fact that Carolina gave up five runs with two outs in the frame, made it so that Vandy would take the game by the final of 7-3. What does all of this mean? Easy enough, North Carolina is now in the loser bracket of the tournament and that means one more loss and Mike Fox’ squad will once again go back to Chapel Hill without the title in hand for the fifth time in six years.

However, while it was not pretty what we saw Saturday afternoon, with just a couple of things going the Heels’ way and they would have won the game, and that means that coach Fox can still put this team in gear to win today against Texas (first pitch set for 2:10 pm EST – televised on ESPN). The Longhorns lost to Florida 8-4 after taking an early lead of 3-0 against the Gators which then vanished in the middle innings. This will be the first time the two programs play each other, as Cole Green (Texas ~ 8-3 3.03) and Kent Emanuel (UNC ~ 8-1 2.55) will face each other with the winner staying for at least another game and the loser going home as the season just ended.

This game, while Texas (49-18) is no pushover, is more about which North Carolina (50-15) will show up. We have seen the Diamond Heels play as good as any team in the nation, beating the best one in the nation, Virginia, and we have seen them playing below par, as they did in the Atlantic Coast Conference post season tournament. The one difference for these two squads seems to be that Texas has been with its back against the wall, having to come out of both the Regional and Super Regional from the loser brackets, while for Carolina this is the first time in the NCAA Tournament that it’s win or go home. One thing that makes you feel somewhat better is what the starting pitcher for the Diamond Heels said of this game…

“I think all year one of our greatest strengths is how we’ve responded to stuff”

And this seems to be true as Carolina did make a great come back in the NCAA’s after having a very bad ACC Tournament. Junior shortstop Michael Levi said this about the game ahead of his team…

“Nobody’s panicking yet,” Michael said. “I think we’re going to continue to play loose, play like we have all season and we’ll be just fine.”

I have to say this, in the end, this team knows how to win and if that is the way they think they will win then who is anyone to tell them differently. I have to say I am looking forward to this game as both of these teams are 27 outs from going home or 27 outs from still being part of the tournament and that alone makes this a special game!

As I told you a couple of days ago, the Diamond Heels are headed to the CWS, making it its fifth trip in six years to Omaha. Yesterday the schedule came out for the first round games, as North Carolina will play against Vanderbilt in the first game of the tournament, Saturday, June 18, 2001 at 2:00 p.m. EST. The game will be televised on ESPN/ESPN3.com, and it’s the first of two games on Saturday, with Texas vs Florida being the night time game (starting time of 7 p.m.). Sunday’s pair of games will be Cal vs UVa, the other ACC squad, at 2:00 p.m. EST and Texas A&M vs S. Carolina as the night cap, and the only game to go on the duece and not ESPN.

This is the first year that the College World Series is switched to the TD Ameritrade Park, which is a new park in Ohama, Nebraska. Not sure what that might do to the game themselves, but it should make it for a better fan affair as the park looks a lot nicer than the old one. On the other hand, in this article it talks about how the NCAA is going to be able to control a lot of things there, which I am not too sure I like that! And if you are looking for something to do while we wait for the World Series to begin you can go to the official web site for UNC Athletics and check out the highlights of the Super Regional against Stanford. The World Leader in Sports also has a video about North Carolina heading to the CWS.

In other news for the Diamond Heels is that Colin Moran was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Freshman All-America team, making him the second ever UNC player to get this honor. The first one being Colin Bates. Moran is one run batted in from getting seventy in his first season in Chapel Hill, the only one that has ever done this feat as a frosh is Dustin Ackley.

In something that many, including myself, did not think we would be saying, North Carolina Baseball is headed to the College World Series, and it’s the fifth time ins six years that head coach Mike Fox leads his squad to Omaha. And while it is true that the Diamond Heels have not won it yet, sooner or later the national commentator are going to start saying that UNC and the post season trip to the double elimination tournament go hand in hand. This time the Heels did it by having a great season, a not so good ACC Tournament, running through the Regional and then taking Stanford down in a best of three series, that meant facing mother nature’s rain delay that lasted over three hours. For a good recap of the game you can check out the article by Tar Heel Fan.

Now, this team, which a lot would say isn’t as good as the others that have gone to the baseball’s version of the big dance, has a chance to make its own history in the days to come. It also has a chance to make sure that one of the team’s greatest fans, Earl Passwaters, the father in law of the team’s pitching coach, Scott Forbes, who passed away last week gets to experience some more Carolina baseball from up in the sky. For more on this a must read is Adam Lucas’ article posted on UNC Athletic web page. Very touching, to say the least, including a quote by coach Fox.

As for this old Heel, it’s fun to be to get out of the slump that I have been in as far as real life is concerned and talk about the thing I love, the University of North Carolina! Hopefully, in the days to come, with the Diamond Heels going towards what could be their first title, I have the honor to talk about them some more!

Well, remember what I said about the Tar Heels bringing the momentum from last weekend into the post season? Well, forget it! Yesterday, even with a lot of mishaps by #6 North Carolina Mike Fox’ squad was shutting out Miami by the score of 5-0 with over half the game in the books. Then, somehow, due to more mistakes, maybe a bit of an over-reaction by the coach, the Diamond Heels let it all slide by and lost the game by the final of 7-5. Not the way that anyone that is a fan of the program saw it happening, but the way that it went down. Like it or not, with Wake Forest tonight and Virginia tomorrow, the Heels have a real tough road in order to make it to the next phase of the tournament. In other words, the team who just gave away a win now has to win two in a row in order to continue playing in the post season tournament.

I guess one of the most annoying thing in this loss was the fact that the `Canes won the game thanks to two unearned runs! Yes, the same amount of runs that Miami won the game by. The again, the fact that the Heels had bases loaded and could not score from it, or that they had a pair of players picked off, didn’t help much either. In all, had either of those scenarios not happened the score could have been a lot better for UNC and the Miami comeback would not have happened. For the complete play by play you can check this post from Tar Heel Blue (the official site for UNC Athletics). On the moung Greg Holt had a tough first inning, having thrown 25 pitches, before having a great second frame, as well as decent third and fourth ones. Then, came the problems. And the rest, as they say, is history!

Well, seems like it’s the time of the year, where the hardwoods are dormant, the gridiron is in waiting mode, so it must mean that it’s time for us to give a good look at another program for the Tar Heels, the Diamond Heesl. After a weekend where North Carolina swept top ranked Virginia, the first time that it was done this season, the Atlantic Coast Conference has come out with the schedule for their post season tournament. How the tournament goes will gives up where Carolina will be placed in the NCAA Tournament, the beginning to the road to the College World Series. From what I have read around the internet Carolina is ranked fourth in the ACC Tourney, and will be grouped with UVa once again, along with Miami and Wake Forest. On the other side it’s going to be FSU, as the top team, followed by Georgia Tech, Clemson and NC State.

But, first off let’s talk about the weekend, that head coach Mike Fox’ squad used to dismantle the top team in the nation by taking three out of three from them. Something, I would venture, not many thought would be happening. Hopefully, with a team that does have talent on it, this could be the spark needed going into the next part of the year, the post season. The Heels won the games by the finals of 6-0, 3-2 and 2-1, showing that they can score runs, but can also hold a small lead when needed. While for the upcoming season, one that should be a good one for Carolina baseball, coach Mike Fox has his rotation set, going with two veterans rightis and a freshman lefty. Between Greg Holt (SR), who will start on Thursday, Patrick Johnson (SR), will take to the mound on Friday and Kent Emanuel FR) will hit the rubber on Saturday, UNC is bringing three players that have a combined record of 23-3, with all three starters just having one loss, Johnson having double digit wins (10).

Having said all of that they will face stiff competition in the three game tournament, and the team must work as one in order to make this weekend a positive when it comes to their season. In its history the Tar Heels aren’t that more than average at this tournament, having a 65-61 record, but have claimed it as theirs five times, the last time being in `07, and have played for all the marbles nine times in all. If you support your school, this is the time to stop thinking about the football and basketball team for a while and focus on this group of young men that could really have a great next month if the cards fall in place!

UNC BaseBald (TarHeelBlue.com)

In something that hits close to home, so I hope as many people as possible participate, the Diamond Heels have announced the date for the 2010 UNC BaseBald for the Cure, and it will be held after the April 11 game, when Carolina will host N.C. State at Boshamer Stadium. Organized by the bullpen catcher for UNC, Chase Jones, for each $ 100 donation one of the players will shave his head, with the all the money raised going to Linberger Center and Children’s Hospital. From the official site it says that there are 35 players, meaning that up to $ 3,500 could be raised, but it also hints that if all the players are shaved the attention will go to the coaches and trying to get them to shave their heads as well. Check out the link above to see how you can donate to this event or you can call the Carolina Baseball office at (919) 962-2351.

I have to say, with a wife having gone through the fight of her life against leukemia, I hope that they find the people to get everyone shaved (including the coaching staff), and selfishly wish that all the football players were doing this as well (as well as all the male athletes at Carolina) just so that more money can be raised to fight this evil/cruel disease. All I can say is this: thanks head coach Mike Fox and all of your staff and players for doing this. And while I am not in the business of telling what people what to do on this site, if you can not afford the one hundred dollars here is an idea: get together with others that also can’t afford that number.

UNC vs FSU (GoogleSearch)

Let’s get back to checking up on what is going on with the Diamond Heels. Last weekend 17th ranked North Carolina (15-6 & 2-4 in the ACC) hosted 4th ranked Florida State (15-4 & 3-3 in the ACC) for a three game series at Boshamer. Carolina lost the series 2 to 1, dropping the first and third game by the finals of 4 to 3 and 5 to 3 and winning the middle one 10 to 4. And once again what has to worry head coach Mike Fox is that his club left 27 men on the base paths in these three games (10 in the first and second game and 7 in the last one). This to me is becoming a repeating pattern that has to stop if the Heels want to get back to the College World Series in 2010. The other thing that might be worrysome is that in both losses the Heels lost their lead late in the game. Maybe the only bright side of last weekend’s game is the fact that Sunday match up was played in front of a crowd of 2,651. (While I am just going to give you some tid bits you can get the complete run down at TarHeelBlue).

In game one UNC was winning 3-0 going into the top of the eight and then FSU scored two runs in both the eighth and ninth to win the game. In all the batters just had seven hits, with junior 1B/C Jesse Wierzbicki being the only one with multiple hits (2) and RBIs (2). On the mound Junior righty Matt Harvey went seven innings, allowing no runs on 2 hits and four walks while striking out 11. Unfortunately the pitchers behind him didn’t do the rest and down went Carolina. The 3-5 batters went 4 for 13 in this one, driving in 2 and scoring 2.

In the second game of the series UNC won 10-4 but only had nine hits, with again Wierzbicki being the only one with multiple hits (2) and one of three Heels with multiple RBIs (3), the others being RS senior outfielder Mike Cavasini (2) and sophomore utility player Jacob Stallings (2). The Heels did manage seven walks in this one and only struck out five times. However the meat of the order, 3 to 5, that had been hitting hard in the past only went 3 for 10 (3 RBIs by Wierzbicki).

The last game it was more of the same, with the Diamond Heels going 4 for 29 as a squad, 0 for 9 in the meat of the order. Only bright point as far as batting was concerned was Junior infielder Dillon Hazlett (a JUCO transfer) who had two hits and three RBIs in this one. In this game as well the starting pitcher didn’t give the game up, as junior righty Patrick Johnson went five innings, giving up a run (earned) on seven hits and two walks while striking out six. But just like in the first game it was the closers that could just not finish the game up.

Today North Carolina will take on UNC-Greensboro on the road in a one game series with the first pitch set for 6:00 p.m. EST. The Heels will then return to ACC action this weekend with a three game set at Boshamer Stadium against Georgia Tech. Game times are: Fri at 7:00 p.m., Sat at 6:00 p.m. and Sun at 1:00 p.m..

Asher Lucas (TarHeelBluecom

After losing a game 5 to 3 to archrival Duke the Tar Heels probably decided that they were going to score as much as possible against their next opponents. And did #17 Carolina (13-4) ever do that as they destroyed Princenton (1-7) by the final score of 25-1. Redshirt sophomore Garrett Davis (2-1) got the win the Diamond Heels, pitching 5 innings, giving up one run (earned) on two hits and three walks while striking out six while facing 17 batters in all. But in this one it was all about the bats, as the 25 runs scored and the 22 hits are season’s high for Carolina, with the 25 runs being the highest total for the Heels since they scored 28 in 2007. From what I read on TarHeelBlue.com very pitcher except one that the Tigers sent to the mound had one run scored against them.

The 3-5 slots in the game went 10 for 18 with 2 walks, no strike outs. Had nine RBIs and scored nine runs and leaving no batters on the base paths. In all 11 batters had hits in this game, six of them multiple, four of them 3 or more. As I said, in this one it was all about the bats, and they began to go off early, scoring eight runs in the first, as the Heels went through the line up and some. The second and sixth inning were the only time that Carolina didn’t score in this game (they didn’t bat in the ninth). The third inning the Heels scored another one, to go up 9-0, then after the only run scored by Princenton in the top of the fourth (9-1) UNC scored six more against to go up 15-1 and two more the next inning (17-1). In the seventh Carolina scored once and the following inning finished off the game with a seven run out burst (25-1).

In all three Tar Heels hit homers in this game. Both freshman outfield Brian Goodwin and senior infielder Ryan Graepel both extended their hitting steak, with Goodwin reaching 12 and Graepel one less. If I want to nit pick there is still a lot of people being left on base, fifteen overall, and that just scares me when this squad has low scoring games (as they did against Duke). Today, at Boshamer Stadium, the two teams will wrap up this two game series, with the first pitch scheduled for 6:00 p.m. EST.

Jesse Wierzbicki (TarHeelBlue.com)

Tied up at one a piece with the rubber game deciding who was going to win the series and the point for the Carlyle Cup I was hoping to give better news. However, 11th ranked North Carolina (12-4 & 1-2 in the ACC) fell to host Duke (11-4 & 2-1 in the ACC) by the final of 5 to 3 at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. With the point earned the Blue Devils move a bit closer as the score in the Cup is now 11 to 7.5 for the Tar Heels. Junior right hander Greg Holt (0-1) got the loss for Carolina, as he pitched the final 1.1 innings of the game and gave up three runs (all earned) on three hits and a walk. Before him red shirt junior Colin Bates had held Duke to just two runs in 6.2 IP giving up seven hits and a walk while striking out three.

On the offensive side the Heels didn’t have the regular out put either as the batters only had eight hits and a walk against six K’s. Only sophomore infielder Levi Michael and freshman outfielder Chaz Frank had multiple hits in the game with two a piece, while Jesse Wierzbicki (2) and senior short stop Ryan Graepel (1) had the RBI’s in the game. Frosh center fielder Brian Goodwin and Graepel both keep their hitting streak alive with one a piece. Having said all of this, the Tar Heels took the lead in this game when Wierzbicki took a pitch and sent it over the right field wall with a man on base in the top of the third (2-0). The score stayed the same until Duke scored two back in the bottom of the fifth to tie it up (2-2), but another run by UNC in the next frame put the score at 3 to 2 for Carolina. That score held until the bottom of the eighth when the home squad scored two more to take the lead for good (5-3).

North Carolina has today to re-group and get ready for two series in Chapel Hill. The first one being tomorrow and Wednesday against Princenton and then Fri/Sat/Sun versus Florida State in the second ACC series of the year. Of course I will try to give you a small recap of the game and for more info you can always check out what THB says about it.

Patrick Johnson (TarHeelBlue.com

Due to way too many things going on I been a bit lazy following the Diamond Heels, for that I apologize and promise to keep a much tighter reign on this part of UNC sports. The last time I had talked about head coach Mike Fox’ squad they were 7 and 1, having beaten Gardner-Webb. Now, as I pick up the pieces of this, the Diamond Heels are 12 and 3. How did they get here, meaning winning 5 more and losing twice in the last seven games? Well, Carolina hosted Michigan, beating them all three games by the final of 4 to 2, 7 to 6 and a third game rout of 9 to 1. That brought North Carolina to a 10-1 record, having having outscored the opposition 78-34. Then came the one game against William & Mary at Boshamer Stadium where something that hadn’t happen all year did, the Heels were shut out and lost a game where the other team scored just three runs against them. This is pretty telling since the team had averaged up to that game about seven runs scored while giving up, you guessed it, three. Meaning that the bats didn’t show up in a game where with just a couple of key hits would have won the game.

After that game came another one game series where North Carolina took on St. John’s. Here things came back to normal as the Heels outscored its opponent 8-2. This brings coach Fox’ club to a record of 11-2, with a three game series against Duke waiting for them. This is the first time the Tar Heels would play outside the friendly confine of Boshamer Stadium, but it did not see to bother them as the first game was a 21-9 shellacking. The Diamond Heels, ranked 11th in the country, were led by freshman outfielder Brian Goodwin, who had four hits (4 for 4 on the night to go with two walks) and five RBIs in this game. In this game the team had season high in runs (21) and hits (21), as junior righty Matt Harvey stayed perfect on the season with a 3 and 0 record. From what I read on the official site for UNC Athletics this was definitely a team effort with eleven players getting at least a hit (six with multiple hits) and eight bringing in runs (six with multiple RBIs). The 1-5 slots went 13 for 23, scoring 13 runs, driving in 15 to go with six walks and only striking out 3 times. With this performance the Heels go to 12 and 2 on the year (1-0 in the conference).

Today the scoring was once again pretty high, with the final score being 15 to 11, unfortunately it is the Blue Devils that had the high score. Once again it was a team effort with 10 different Heels having at least one hit (four having multiple hits), while seven at least one RBI (three with multiple RBIs) for Carolina. In all the team scored the eleven runs on a total of 16 hits and five walks, while striking out eight times. Infielders Tommy Coyle (freshman) and Levi Michael (sophomore) each posted three hits and two RBI to lead the Tar Heels. Once again the 1-5 slot did well going 11 for 23 with seven runs scored, seven RBIs, three walks and four K’s. What killed UNC in this one, as I have been saying could happen, was the number of players left on bases. The Heels left 13, while the Blue Devils only left 7. The 5th through 8th batter left nine players on the bases, and that’s just too many to win games in the long run. Freshman outfielder has now hit in 10 consecutive games, while senior infielder Ryan Graepel is one behind with a hit in nine straight game. Junior right hander Patrick Johnson took the loss and is now 2 and 2, giving up 6 runs (all earned) in 3.2 IP with six hits and two walks while striking out three.

Tomorrow is the rubber game between these two squads with the first pitch set for 1:00 p.m. EST at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Expect a recap of the game by tomorrow night.