Having lost five of its last seven games after starting 2016 with an 18-2 record, the No. 13 UNC baseball team needed a win to get momentum back on its side.
With an 8-1 victory at Boshamer Stadium over the tough High Point Panthers on Tuesday night, the Tar Heels hope to be headed back in the right direction.
UNC gave up leads in all three of its games against No. 3 Miami this past weekend, falling victim to its first sweep of the season.
However, the Tar Heels jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning on Tuesday and made sure to hold on to it this time–improving to 21-7 in 2016.
Zack Gahagan started at third base for UNC against High Point–finishing 1-for-2 at the plate with an RBI. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/ UNC Athletics)
The first-inning spurt was kicked off by a one-out RBI triple from center fielder Tyler Ramirez, who finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate.
“It was definitely good to get those five in the first just to relax and kinda go out there and play,” Ramirez said after the game. “Because I think after getting swept in Miami it was difficult.”
Sophomore shortstop Logan Warmoth–hitting in the clean-up spot for the first time this year–drove Ramirez home following the first-inning triple, and was the only other Tar Heel to have multiple hits. The Florida native went 2-for-3 and also walked twice.
Seven straight hitters ended up reaching base against High Point starting pitcher Cooper Jeffers (2-1) in the first inning and control problems were a big reason why. Jeffers handed the Tar Heels their third and fourth runs of the game with a pair of bases loaded walks–which ended his day after recording just one out.
Throughout the entire game, High Point’s pitchers walked UNC 13 times. The Tar Heels pounded out just eight hits but were able to score eight runs because of this.
Not only that, the first two innings took nearly an hour to complete.
“It was one of those games where we were kinda in there laughing that this is why people don’t like baseball,” UNC head coach Mike Fox said, chuckling. “We were on pace for a four-and-a-half hour game through two innings.
“Nobody slept last night after the basketball game,” Fox added, referencing the Tar Heels’ loss to Villanova in the men’s basketball National Championship game. “So everybody was tired wanting a quick game.”
Hunter Williams struggled on the mound against High Point, but the UNC bullpen held strong. (Jeffrey A. Camarati/ UNC Athletics)
Although High Point doesn’t necessarily present the same challenges as the top-tier ACC opponents that UNC has struggled with lately, the Panthers have quietly put together the best start in school history—even after falling to 20-9 with the loss.
High Point was able to break through for a run in the fifth against UNC lefty Hunter Williams, who struggled with his control as well–walking five batters in his own right.
However, the Tar Heel bullpen continued their early-season dominance–holding the Panthers to just two hits over the final 4 1/3 innings.
These mid-week games against feisty opponents are where the Tar Heels sometimes didn’t bring the necessary effort a year ago–which ultimately cost them a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001.
UNC is now 7-0 against mid-week competition this year after going 12-3 a season ago–with losses to Coastal Carolina, Davidson, and UNC-Greensboro.
As important as it was to get back to winning in general, this game was also part of a season-long initiative Fox has set for his team.
“That’s been a big goal of ours is to run the table mid-week,” the coach said. “That’s gonna be a big challenge–especially at home–but I thought [High Point] was a huge challenge for us–[especially] coming off of a loss, then last night with basketball.”
Up Next:
The Tar Heels will have another chance to win a mid-week game on Wednesday as they host UNC-Asheville on what’s being billed as “Wing Wednesday,” with 50-cent wings on sale at Boshamer Stadium.
Game Notes:
- Ramirez’ two-hit day brought his team-leading average back above .400–.402 to be exact.
- Junior reliever Spencer Trayner was credited with the win for UNC after taking over for Williams late in the fifth.
- High Point needed seven pitchers to get through the game, and none recorded more than six outs.
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