Diamond Heels Defeat LSU in Game 1 in Omaha
Posted on June 2, 2008
Tar Heels slide safely into World Series. (Photo by Joe Bray ’72)
The Tar Heels (52-12) prevailed against LSU on Sunday to win 8-4. They move on to play Fresno State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. (Eastern).
With the Heels back to the College World Series, Carolina alumni are seen as the backbone of the surging support for the squad.
Of course, winning doesn’t hurt. This is the third straight year that the Heels, coached by Coach Mike Fox ’78, are in the World Series in Omaha, Neb.
Fans of the team crowded into the USA Baseball Field in Cary in 100-plus-degree weather
| Team Send-Off On Thursday, June 12, fans gathered behind the Old Kenan Field House to cheer the team as they departed for Omaha. |
to cheer as the Heels defeated Coastal Carolina in the NCAA Super Regional June 7-8.
“I love baseball and everything, but believe me, if Carolina weren’t playing today, I wouldn’t be out here in all this heat,” said Morris Stanford ’77, who plans to follow the Tar Heels to Omaha.
Even with temperatures reaching 101 on June 7, more than 3,100 people saw UNC win the first game of the series 9-4. Journalists talking an hour before the game on June 8 figured fewer fans would turn out for game 2. After all, the second game was available on ESPN and it was expected to be even hotter for that day’s game.
But even more fans – 3,255 – showed up on June 8 as the temperature reached 105 to see the Tar Heels punch their ticket for the World Series with a 14-4 victory.
“Yes, I do have ESPN at home but this is the place to be,” said Steve Ellis ’78. “Even though it’s not Boshamer, this makes me feel like I did 30 years ago. I’ve even been bringing out some of the old ‘cheers’ like ‘easy meat’ and ‘rag arm.’ ”
Nostalgia aside, it appears the alumni have really rallied behind the current Carolina baseball team.
“Right now the interest is primarily being driven by alumni,” said Milo Hoffman Jr. ’68, “along with what I call sidewalk alumni – those who follow the Tar Heels in anything and everything.”
Those fans followed the Tar Heels from their usual home at Boshamer Stadium to the USA Baseball Field in Cary while a new Boshamer is being built this season.
The players got together before the season and decided that they weren’t going to let the one-year move become an obstacle. They were prepared for it to be a different atmosphere with less fan support. That’s not what happened.
“It’s been really special out here,” Fox said after the last game his team would play at the Cary field (Boshamer is scheduled to be ready for next season). “We were able to hang on to our fans that have stayed with us, and now some new people have found us.”
He said to see energetic fans staying through two games over two days in that heat was great.
“Our fans are great,” UNC senior pitcher Rob Wooten said after his last home game. “They’ve come out and supported us all year. The people here in Cary have been terrific.”
Both Hoffman and Stanford agree that winning is the reason for the increased interest and they say that the caliber of players as athletes and people, along with superb coaching by Fox, is the reason for the winning.
Fox also has put an emphasis on recruiting North Carolina players, so some local UNC fans have been following the guys since they were in high school.
Barry Smith ’77 says that while baseball is his favorite sport anyway, the players on the team influence his strong support of the baseball program. “In college baseball, you get to know a little about the players because they stay awhile,” Smith said.
Carolina alumni and fans didn’t just jump on the bandwagon once the Heels got to the tournament, however. Nearly 11,000 fans witnessed a three-game series against Florida State in April.
Ellis said that the crowds are going to be even larger next season. “I think it’s really going to be something to see with all the improvements at Boshamer,” he said.
Smith agrees that interest is going to continue to climb. “These are hard-working kids and they deserve our support,” Smith said. “After all, they are wearing Carolina blue and Carolina blue is the color my blood runs.”
The Road to Omaha
The Tar Heels won in the first game of the best-of-three series on June 7 9-4 as sophomore pitcher Alex White kept Coastal Carolina at bay for seven innings and Seth Williams homered. The Chanticleers helped out by committing six errors.
The Heels wrapped up the series by topping Coastal Carolina 14-4 on June 8 behind a six-run second inning and six strong innings of pitching from Adam Warren.
The June 8 series clincher was an emotional one for the Heels, especially for seniors such as Wooten, who were part of two straight NCAA second-place finishes.
“It never gets old. It is a great feeling, we are very fortunate to get back, but we have some unfinished business to take care of,” said Wooten, who pitched two scoreless innings before giving way to senior pitcher Tyler Trice, who got the final out of the game.
“It is a pretty special day for our program, especially our six seniors,” Fox said. “We just played probably one of our most complete games of the year today when we really needed it.”
A sophomore and a pair of juniors were the heroes, however, on June 8. Offensively, sophomore Dustin Ackley and junior Tim Federowicz led the way with three RBI each, while defensively, junior pitcher Adam Warren (9-1) took a no-hitter into the fifth and ended up allowing only two hits.
–Clifton Barnes ’82
Related coverage is available online:
- View a photo gallery from the Super Regional. All photos by Clifton Barnes ’82
- Complete bracket including all eight teams participating
- Mike Fox: Feet on the Ground, an Eye for the Loose Ball
Profile of Coach Mike Fox ’78 from the March/April 2008 issue of the Carolina Alumni Review, available online to Carolina Alumni members. - Heels Win Their Most Ever, But the Trophy Goes West Again
Coverage of Carolina’s 2007 run in the College World Series - Fever Pitch at the Bosh:Heels Go to Omaha
Coverage of Carolina’s 2006 excitement in going to the College World Series - Visit tarheelblue.com for additional details.
