The road ends for the Diamond Heels

Head Coach Mike Fox

Before I talk about the game between UNC and ASU, which would be the second meeting between the two teams in this College World Series, let me just say the following about this game. Just like the commentators repeated over and over during the broadcast, I too do not believe that head coach Mike Fox needs to win the national title to show how good of a program is at Chapel Hill. Would it be nice? Sure, but let’s be realistic, this team was probably the less talented of the four that went to Omaha in back to back to back to back seasons. So, when last night North Carolina fell to Arizona State 12 to 5 in front of the largest crowd of this CWS (25,001, which included Men’s Basketball head coach Roy Williams) it was hard to swallow, but in my mind it was not a complete surprise.

What was a surprise was the fact that such a great pitching staff gave up a lot of runs on things they do not usually do. Five wild pitches, ten walks (second time in all this season that the Heels had 10 or more walks), giving up 12 runs (a season high) and Brian Moran, who in the first 62+ innings this season he gave up 2 home runs, giving up two homers in the CWS. All of that made it so that the 4-0 lead that Carolina had brought into the fifth inning disappeared and then some in the last four innings of the game, which included 18 ASU players getting on base between the fifth and eight inning. It was not what coach Fox or any of the Diamond Heels wanted to finish the season on. On the other hand, this one loss should not take away from the fact that in the last four years no team has won as many games as North Carolina has. And while the title eludes the Tar Heels once again, I do not believe it will do so forever. Head coach Mike Fox is a very knowledgeable person and a hard recruiter, the talent will be there next year at Chapel Hill and he will be able to mold it once again.

Without a doubt UNC is the cream of the crop when it comes to the ACC, as they have been the last team standing for the last four years (this season tieing with UVa as the last team from the conference to be still playing). To be noted, for Arizona State, their head coach, Pat Murphy, won his 1,000th game by defeating the Heels. Lastly, as we close the chapter on this season for the baseball team, all the best to the seniors, that for four years went to Omaha without coming home with the hardware. In my eyes that did not put any sort of blemish on your careers. To the players that will be moving on to the pro’s, all the best to you in your next step. And to the ones coming back, best of luck reloading/rebulding and on having another great season.

And to end all of this, from the official site of UNC Athletics here is what head coach Mike Fox began his press conference after the defeat to ASU:

“I’m not going to apologize for how long it took us to get up here because it was the last time for me to be in the locker room with the guys I love. Getting to Omaha four years in a row is unbelievable. Congratulations to Arizona State, they deserve to win. I’ve had the most fun this year, it’s been a great year.”

That is why I love you UNC and I am so proud to be a Tar Heel. It’s about being a family, and caring as though you are a family. As I said before, it might have been tough to swallow, but UNC won’t go away, it’s always going to be here, and always going to try to make the best teams with players that want to part of the “Carolina Family”.

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