With recent injuries testing its infield depth, the 17-11 UNC baseball team heads to Clemson this weekend for a three-game ACC series against the Tigers in search of some crucial conference wins.

Clemson currently sits right at .500 with a 14-14 record, but only trails the Tar Heels in ACC play by one game, sporting a 5-7 league mark, while Carolina is 6-6.

Mix-and-match infields have become the norm for head coach Mike Fox in 2015, as injuries to opening day starters Wood Myers and Adrian Chacon have forced the Tar Heels to move some guys around, and give bigger roles to others.

Joe Dudek has been a key contributor since being re-inserted to the starting line-up. (UNC Athletics)

Joe Dudek has been a key contributor since being re-inserted to the starting line-up. (UNC Athletics)

Myers started the first 14 games of the year at shortstop before fracturing his left fibula on March 10 at Coastal Carolina, and was replaced by freshman Logan Warmoth, who began the year at third. Chacon split time over those same 14 games between first base and catcher, allowing Korey Dunbar to take some breaks from crouching behind the plate every game, while also providing a consistent bat in the middle of the lineup (hitting .319), before going out with hip and back injuries.

Junior college transfer Eli Sutherland has also gotten a chance in the starting nine recently, spending the last 11 outings as the Tar Heels’ second baseman.

However, Coach Fox is not making any excuses for his team.

“We wanna play well right now, so we’ve sort of addressed that a little bit. Let’s quit worrying about guys that are hurt, and when they’re gonna come back, cause we’ve gotta go play now,” Fox says.

“[Our] season can be determined right now if [we’re] not careful. So it will be nice to get all those guys back, but it doesn’t mean they’re gonna, all of a sudden, save our season.”

Sophomore first baseman Joe Dudek has started in just nine games this season, but given the opportunity in the last two (Sunday vs Miami and Tuesday at Elon), the New Jersey native has produced a home run and a pair of clutch doubles, not to mention the Tar Heels won each time.

He credits his mental approach with helping him to stay focused.

Zack Gahagan has shown great versatility, performing well at both first and third base. (UNC Athletics)

Zack Gahagan has shown great versatility, performing well at both first and third base. (UNC Athletics)

“Baseball’s a big mental game,” says Dudek, “So for me, it’s just staying ready and locked in the whole time, and whenever [my] number’s called, just being ready to go.”

The struggles of junior utility infielder Alex Raburn, who’s seen his average fall to .195 after starting in every one of UNC’s first 23 games, and spent time at both second and third, have led Coach Fox to move freshman Zack Gahagan across the diamond, from first base over to third, while inserting the power-hitting Dudek at first.

After coming out on the wrong end of a pair of heartbreakers last weekend at home against Miami, the Tar Heels have now won two in a row entering this month. Part of that success stems from Gahagan’s ability play both first and third, allowing the coaches more line-up flexibility.

The freshman says it’s the love of the game that matters most though, not where he plays in the field.

UNC will face a stiff test on Friday against Clemson lefty Matthew Crownover. (Clemson Athletics)

UNC will face a stiff test on Friday against Clemson lefty Matthew Crownover. (Clemson Athletics)

“I just like being out there, so anywhere I can be, it’s a good feeling to be out there. Wherever the coaches put me in the lineup, that’s where I’ll stick,” says Gahagan.

The expected starting pitcher for Clemson on Friday is junior left-hander Matthew Crownover, who has been lights out this season, on his way to a 4-1 record, while posting a 1.53 ERA. That fact has not been lost on Coach Fox, as he says that once upon a time, he tried to get Crownover to come wear Carolina blue.

“Clemson, we’ve historically played well down there. I hope that continues, but you never know. I know they’ve got a pretty good Friday night guy,” says Coach Fox, “We recruited the heck out of Crownover, so I know he’s been good.”

“It’s another week for us, and hopefully the month of April will be a good one for us,” adds Fox.

Game One of the series is set to begin Friday at 6:30 P.M. with UNC’s Zac Gallen (1-1, 3.48 ERA) facing off with the aforementioned Matt Crownover.