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So for the Diamond Heels, it all comes down to this.
Playing a non-contact sport, baseball teams are not generally measured by their toughness. But, clearly, the toughest team is going to win the NCAA Chapel Hill regional in the win-or-go-home final Monday night.
Carolina and LSU are two ballclubs with pedigree from the best baseball leagues in the country, the ACC and SEC.
The Tar Heels have shown their resolve throughout a record-breaking campaign, going 34-3 at home and winning their regular-season conference championship to earn the top four NCAA seed. They rallied from three runs down in the ninth inning against LIU in the first game of the tournament. They certainly toughed out a 6-2 win over LSU in the second game Saturday night.
In April, the Baton Rouge Bengal Tigers were considered a longshot to even make the tournament they won last year, showing their mettle since then to get an at-large bid and on the verge of going home several times this weekend here. They rallied to win their first game over Wofford with a walk-off home run. They survived a losers’ bracket rematch after falling behind 5-0 in the first inning and then coming alive to win 13-6.
And with only a three-hour break before the elimination game against UNC Sunday night, LSU blew out to an 8-1 lead against the weak-hitting Heels, who finally shut down and outscored the Tigers 3-0 over the last four innings that should provide fuel and help regain some momentum for the do-or-die third meeting.
Both teams have to feel good about their chances to advance to the Super Regional, which for Carolina would be back at Boshamer Stadium this coming weekend. The Tar Heels need to get their big boppers in the groove, as home run heroes Gavin Gallaher and Vance Honeycutt went hitless on Sunday night.
And they will need their weary pitching staff to turn into stoppers like LSU’s Thatcher Hurd, who had not pitched more than three innings since April but came back to go 5 2/3 innings while giving up only 6 hits, striking out 6 and walking no one as his team built its big lead. Neither starter was announced after the game, but the Diamond Heels’ late pitching and defense has to make them feel better after being outscored so badly.
So, yes, baseball is a game of toughness, maybe as much mental as physical. And the team that gets ready to play and gets off to a better start will have the best chance to win and move on. For both, it will be to save a season that had decidedly different goals two months ago.
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.
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When will North Carolina ever figure out how to manage a pitching staff in the tournament. Look at LSU, more games, managed to perfection. UNC starting freshmen twice when he clearly wasn’t ready in the acc tourney, nor the ncaas. Reminds me of the previous manager. Out thinking himself in the biggest moments.
You may not know that the Heels lost two of their best pitchers this year. Boaz, another freshmen is out with injury after starting 9 games. This after our #1 pitcher and a senior, Knapp, went out for the season.
Quite a remarkable run for a pitching staff with two of it’s very best out for the year. Maybe we have a coach that knows something about baseball.
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.
When will North Carolina ever figure out how to manage a pitching staff in the tournament. Look at LSU, more games, managed to perfection. UNC starting freshmen twice when he clearly wasn’t ready in the acc tourney, nor the ncaas. Reminds me of the previous manager. Out thinking himself in the biggest moments.
“Look at LSU”
Back home, season over. Heels continue. Always a critic…
Any freshmen playing game 2 against WV?
You may not know that the Heels lost two of their best pitchers this year. Boaz, another freshmen is out with injury after starting 9 games. This after our #1 pitcher and a senior, Knapp, went out for the season.
Quite a remarkable run for a pitching staff with two of it’s very best out for the year. Maybe we have a coach that knows something about baseball.
Glorious evening at the Bosh…
Just a fantastic team led by a fantastic coach. LSU is not an easy team to defeat.
Go Heels!