Three Elon errors in the top of the first inning gave the UNC baseball team the good fortune they’ve been seeking recently, as the Tar Heels made the most of the opportunity by scoring four runs in the frame without the benefit of a hit, on their way to a 10-5 road victory over the Phoenix on Tuesday.
Coach Mike Fox’s team improves its record to 17-11 overall with the non-conference victory, while Elon falls to 12-15 after dropping their third straight game.
Had the ball bounced just a little bit differently on a couple occasions this past weekend, its entirely possible that the UNC baseball team could be riding a four game winning streak, but that’s not what happened.
On Tuesday, though, it seemed like victory was handed to the Tar Heels on a silver platter, especially after the big first inning.
First baseman Joe Dudek stayed hot with a home run in the fourth inning, after hitting two doubles on Sunday. (UNC Athletics)
Ryan Cooper, the Phoenix center-fielder, drove in a run off UNC’s Hunter Williams (2-1) in the bottom of the first, but the team never seriously threatened at any point during the game.
Elon starting pitcher Mike Krill (1-1) threw 90 pitches in just four innings, walking six batters and throwing two wild pitches, while giving up five runs (three of them earned).
Seven UNC players had at least one RBI, including a fourth inning solo shot by sophomore first baseman Joe Dudek, to lead a balanced offensive attack.
Providing the bright spot of the night for Elon fans was catcher Austin Leeney, who matched Dudek with a solo shot of his own in the bottom of the fifth.
In the top of the sixth, the Tar Heels tacked on their second four-run inning of the night, thanks again to mistakes by Elon. Brian Miller and Skye Bolt each drew walks with the bases loaded off the Elon bullpen for the first two tallies of the frame, then Landon Lassiter hit a sacrifice fly, before finally, another wild pitch by the Phoenix allowed Miller to come home and score run number four.
Freshman Brian Miller continues to produce from the lead-off spot. (UNC Athletics)
Coach Fox’s decision to start freshman left-hander Hunter Williams for the second straight Tuesday paid off dearly. The big 6’3″ pitcher again threw six innings and allowed only two hits, matching his output from last week’s home game against Appalachian State. Williams surrendered a pair of runs in this one,as opposed to none last Tuesday, but nonetheless seems to have solidified his hold on the mid-week starting role for the Tar Heels.
Bullpen struggles continue to hover over UNC, however, as the Phoenix scored three runs over the last three innings against a combination of – Carolina relievers, with Trent Thornton pitching the final 2.1 innings to close it out.
Up Next:
It’s off to Clemson, South Carolina this weekend for the Tar Heels, as they travel to take on the Tigers in a three-game weekend series, with first pitch on Friday night set for 6:30 P.M.
Game Notes:
- Despite reaching double digits in the run category, the Tar Heels hit just 1-13 with runners in scoring position (.077)
- UNC lead-off man Brian Miller, along with center-fielder Skye Bolt, set the table all night long as the top two hitters in the Carolina batting order, combining for two RBI on five walk, despite neither man recording a hit.
- Preseason first team All-American left-fielder Casey Jones went 0-3 with a strikeout and a walk for Elon.
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