UNC Baseball: Heels Get Out The Brooms As They Dominate Wright State.
After rain played a major part in the first few days of UNC’s second home-stand, fortunately for the Diamond Heels and fans alike it would not stop the beating they would still put on Wright State in all 3 Games. Maybe the rain prolonged the eventual onslaught of runs the UNC lineup put up Games 1 and 2.
Though I was one of the few in attendance on Friday night due to the rain, it was a game most would enjoy watching as the Heels tallied 17 runs and allowed merely 3. Final score resembled a great defensive struggle you may see across the street at Keenan.
Opening Day starter Kent Emanuel continued to look the part as UNC’s ace in the rotation as he went 6 innings and only gave up 3 hits while striking out 5 Wright State Raiders. When Kent left the game it was 13-0 and it seemed well out of range when you know how talented this 2012 UNC bullpen is.
Freshman lefty George Carter would give up the only 3 runs in the top half of the seventh after coming in for Emanuel who would get his second win of the season. Final of Game 1 was 17-3.
After leaving Game 1 all i could think on behalf of Wright State was its gonna be a long weekend in this crappy NC weather.
And it sure was.
Sophomore Colin Moran would go on to fuel UNCs’ second straight rout by hitting for the cycle.
Moran did something that hasn’t been done by a Tar Heel since 2008. Tim Fedroff did it just under four years ago April 15TH against UNC-Greensboro.
Along with his career high 6 RBIs, Moran capped off his magical game with a three run homer in the seventh. UNC would total 14 runs on 15 hits in the game. Once again it seemed as though every Heel that stepped to the plate got on base and scored. In fact Junior Chaz Frank did exactly that at the one spot of the lineup for UNC. Frank would get on base all 4 plate appearances and score all four as well.
To add to the runs put up was the great pitching by starter and fellow upper upperclassmen, Junior Chris Munnelly.
In his first start of the season he went 7 innings giving up just 3 hits and not a single run. Something that should make Diamond Heels fans very happy adding another upper class-men to the starting rotation that is now taking full form.
Game 2 finished very similar to Game one as UNC won 14-0. Heading into Game 3 Sunday everything pointed to UNC sweeping the Raiders from small town Ohio.
Overall the final score of Game three was a contrast of the previous two. Though UNC would go on to win, the combination of the two senior pitchers Wright State would throw out to start and follow had a good outing compared to what the Heels have been doing to opposing pitchers too start the season.
UNC would eventually get to starting right-hander Lee Valencheck in the 3rd as he would go 4 and a third innings and give up only 3 runs on four hits. Not too bad considering. The Heels would not put up any more runs after the bottom half of the fifth. It then turned into a bullpen showdown to finish the game.
Wright State Senior lefty Jordan Marker would make a valiant effort facing 12 Diamond Heel batters giving up only 2 hits and zero runs.
The three scored mid way threw the game would go on to be the deciding factor as UNC’s bullpen would win the battle.
Junior left-handed pitcher R.C. Orlan would come in and get his second win of the season in Game 3. Orlan pitched 4 innings in relief of Freshman Chris O’Brien. He faced 12 batters total in relief and retired everyone of them giving up not a single hit or walk.
Closer Michael Morin would get his first save opportunity of the series and season. Morin did what was expected of him coming into the season getting save number one and finishing the sweep of Wright State winning Game three 3-0.
Once again UNC showed they are well worth of their Number 4 ranking nationally. Totaling over 30 runs in three games for the second straight series is flat out amazing. They are just hitting the cover of the ball at home. Not only are they scoring runs, but now they are pitching just as well. Heading into their Game Tuesday at home against St. Johns, the pitching for the Diamond Heels looks to continue a 20 scoreless inning streak they started Saturday vs. Wright State.
Well see how long that streak will last. St. Johns visits The Bosh on Tuesday at 3 PM when Freshman flame thrower Benton Moss takes the mound for the Heels.
UNC (5-1) No. 4 ESPN/USA Today College Baseball ranking.
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