The Tarheels staked themselves to an 8-0 lead by the fourth inning against Fairfield and the bottom end of the batting order came up huge. Designated hitter Brandon Riley went four for four with two doubles, a triple, three RBI's, and three runs scored. Second baseman Eli Sutherland went two for two including his second homerun, three RBI's and two runs scored. Leadoff man and first baseman Brian Miller went three for four, drove in a run, scored two runs, and stole four bases including a steal of home on the back end of a double steal with right fielder Adam Pate. The Tarheels stole six bases on the day. Cole Gibbs got into his first game with the Tarheels and struck out in his only at bat.
J.B. Bukauskas got the start and the win going 5 1/3 innings and giving up two runs. The Tarheels relievers pitched lights out baseball once again as Chris McCue and Brett Daniels made their first appearances of the season. Zach Rice struck out the only three batters he faced. The three relievers combined to pitch 3 2/3 hitless innings.
Sunday, March 6, 2016
The Statistics
"Tell your statistics to shut up." Charlie Brown
The statistics in the North Carolina-Duke game do not tell the story. North Carolina was outshot but just barely. Duke hit 13 three pointers to North Carolina's 4. Duke hit more three pointers than they did two point field goals (13-12). Duke only turned the ball over 6 times to North Carolina's 11. The two advantages that North Carolina did have was in rebounding (64-29) and free throws. North Carolina had 20 second chance points on 27 offensive rebounds to Duke's 8 offensive rebounds and 8 second chance points. North Carolina shot 20-23 from the free throw line and Duke went 9-15. North Carolina also had a big advantage in the paint, 42 points to 20 for Duke. The only advantage that matters at the end of the game is the final score. North Carolina 76, Duke 72.
The statistics in the North Carolina-Duke game do not tell the story. North Carolina was outshot but just barely. Duke hit 13 three pointers to North Carolina's 4. Duke hit more three pointers than they did two point field goals (13-12). Duke only turned the ball over 6 times to North Carolina's 11. The two advantages that North Carolina did have was in rebounding (64-29) and free throws. North Carolina had 20 second chance points on 27 offensive rebounds to Duke's 8 offensive rebounds and 8 second chance points. North Carolina shot 20-23 from the free throw line and Duke went 9-15. North Carolina also had a big advantage in the paint, 42 points to 20 for Duke. The only advantage that matters at the end of the game is the final score. North Carolina 76, Duke 72.
Regular Season Champions
Seniors Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige finished off their final regular season at North Carolina in style as they accomplished a first in their careers- beating Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium and winning the ACC regular season championship. It did not come easy. North Carolina built up an eight point halftime lead and had to hold on to win 76-72. At one point, North Carolina missed 11 shots in a row and Duke got hot from the three point line and tied the game at 49. The Tarheels were able to maintain a sleep lead after that and Paige sealed the win at the free throw line.
North Carolina owned the boards against Duke. They held a 64-29 advantage with 27 offensive rebounds. Johnson had 21 rebounds and Kennedy Meeks had 14. There were plenty of missed shots to rebound. The Tarheels only shot 28.2% in the second half. Duke hit more three pointers than they did regular field goals and shot better from the three point line. All of North Carolina's starters scored in double figures led by Johnson's 18 points. Grayson "Trip" Allen led Duke with 29. North Carolina beat Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Period. North Carolina won the ACC regular season championship. Period.
North Carolina owned the boards against Duke. They held a 64-29 advantage with 27 offensive rebounds. Johnson had 21 rebounds and Kennedy Meeks had 14. There were plenty of missed shots to rebound. The Tarheels only shot 28.2% in the second half. Duke hit more three pointers than they did regular field goals and shot better from the three point line. All of North Carolina's starters scored in double figures led by Johnson's 18 points. Grayson "Trip" Allen led Duke with 29. North Carolina beat Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Period. North Carolina won the ACC regular season championship. Period.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
A Walk Off Walk
The North Carolina Tarheels got another walk off win, this time against Fairfield, their fourth walk off win of the season in their seven wins. Eli Sutherland drew a bases loaded walk in the bottom of the 13th inning to force in Tyler Lynn with the winning run. Lynn lead off the inning getting hit by a pitch, Cody Roberts singled and Ryder Ryan was intentionally walked to load the bases. The Tarheels tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning at three. Brian Miller hit a leadoff triple and scored on an RBI groundout by Adam Pate. Miller's head first slide to the outside of the plate barely got under the tag of Fairfield catcher Kevin Radziewicz.
Zac Gallen had another quality start but did not get the win. He went 7 2/3 innings, gave up five hits and two earned runs, struck out six, and did not issue a walk. Tarheels relief pitching was once again stellar. Hunter Williams, Spencer Trayner, and A.J. Bogucki went a combined 5 1/3 innings and only gave up one unearned run. Bogucki worked out of a bases loaded jam in the 11th inning and got the win.
Zac Gallen had another quality start but did not get the win. He went 7 2/3 innings, gave up five hits and two earned runs, struck out six, and did not issue a walk. Tarheels relief pitching was once again stellar. Hunter Williams, Spencer Trayner, and A.J. Bogucki went a combined 5 1/3 innings and only gave up one unearned run. Bogucki worked out of a bases loaded jam in the 11th inning and got the win.
Thursday, March 3, 2016
The Big Inning
The North Carolina Tarheels were facing a 5-3 deficit going into the bottom of the seventh inning yesterday against Winthrop University when they erupted for eight runs in the inning and won going away 11-6. The #8 and #9 spots in the batting order had six of the Tarheels ten hits as Eli Sutherland had two hits and hit his first homerun of the season and local product (North Henderson) Zack Gahagan had four hits, including a double, and drove in a run.
Tarheel starting pitcher J.T. Rogoszewski, in his first start of the season, was chased in the top of the third inning and was charged with three runs but only one run was earned. Tarheel relievers continued their great work and only gave up two earned runs in the last seven innings. Reliever Hansen Butler picked up his second win on the season.
Tarheel starting pitcher J.T. Rogoszewski, in his first start of the season, was chased in the top of the third inning and was charged with three runs but only one run was earned. Tarheel relievers continued their great work and only gave up two earned runs in the last seven innings. Reliever Hansen Butler picked up his second win on the season.
Wednesday, March 2, 2016
A Walk Off Series
College baseball could not get any better than it did in the Oklahoma State-North Carolina series. Three games against nationally ranked Oklahoma State and three walk off wins by North Carolina. The first game in the series went extra innings and second baseman Kyle Datres won it with a double to the right centerfield gap. First baseman Brian Miller won game two with a bases loaded single. The Tarheels won game three in come-from-behind fashion when second baseman Eli Sutherland drove in two runs with a bases loaded single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth inning.
The North Carolina Tarheels relief pitching was near perfect in the three game series. Only one Tarheels starter, Zac Gallen, pitched passed the fifth inning and then the Tarheels relievers took over. The Tarheels used six relief pitchers in the series and they pitched a combined 14 2/3 innings and only allowed eight hits and one run for an ERA of 0.61.
The North Carolina Tarheels relief pitching was near perfect in the three game series. Only one Tarheels starter, Zac Gallen, pitched passed the fifth inning and then the Tarheels relievers took over. The Tarheels used six relief pitchers in the series and they pitched a combined 14 2/3 innings and only allowed eight hits and one run for an ERA of 0.61.
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Nothing Is Easy
The North Carolina Tarheels had Senior Night against Syracuse and all of the seniors on North Carolina's roster got their traditional start on Senior Night and the Tarheels were no worse for wear after the non-traditional starters left the game after the first timeout. It was also Marcus Paige and Brice Johnson's final home game. It was a tough battle. Syracuse has played much better since coach Jim Boeheim returned from his nine game suspension at the beginning of the season.
Paige's shooting slump that he has had for the last half of the season carried through his final home game and Johnson posted his usual double-double in his final appearance at the Dean E. Smith Center. The Tarheels pulled out a 75-70 win after building a 13 point lead early in the second half. The #1 seed in the ACC will still be up for grabs when the Tarheels travel to Duke for their final regular season game.
Paige's shooting slump that he has had for the last half of the season carried through his final home game and Johnson posted his usual double-double in his final appearance at the Dean E. Smith Center. The Tarheels pulled out a 75-70 win after building a 13 point lead early in the second half. The #1 seed in the ACC will still be up for grabs when the Tarheels travel to Duke for their final regular season game.
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