University of North Carolina Athletics
Baseball In Alabama For Weekend Tournament
February 16, 2001 | Baseball
Feb. 16, 2001
The University of North Carolina baseball team is on the road for the first time this season after opening with four wins at Boshamer Stadium over the past week. The Tar Heels will face South Alabama (Friday, 6 p.m.), Auburn (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.) and Minnesota (Sunday, 11 a.m.) at the Coca-Cola Classic in Mobile, Ala. The four-team field has a combined 18-1 record entering the tournament.
Here's a look at some UNC news and notes entering Friday's game versus South Alabama.
UNC Baseball Notes (PDF Format)
Download Free Acrobat Reader
UNC FACING NEW COMPETITON IN ALABAMA
Of Carolina's three weekend opponents at the Coca-Cola Classic, the only team UNC has previously faced is Auburn. The Tar Heels hold a 1-0-1 all-time record against the Tigers, having last played against one another at the 1978 South Regional at Auburn. Carolina won that game 3-2 en route to its third College World Series appearance in school history. The only other meeting between the two schools produced a 3-3 tie in 1923.
FOX'S TAR HEELS PERFECT IN FEBRUARY
Off to a 4-0 start in 2001, the Tar Heels are a perfect 24-0 now under third-year head coach Mike Fox in the month of February. Carolina, 10-0 in both 1999 and 2000 in February, has gotten off to school-record 16-0 and 21-0 starts in each of the past two seasons.
OFF TO A GOOD START AT THE PLATE
One year after establishing a new single-season school record with a .323 team batting average in 2000, the Tar Heels are off to a stellar start at the plate in 2001 despite losing some of the most decorated players in Carolina history to graduation and the MLB Draft. Carolina is batting .366 as a team thus far in 2001 and averaging 11.75 runs per game. Jason Howell's .636 (7-for-11) average leads the team. 2000 ACC Rookie of the Year Adam Greenberg is not far behind at .529 (9-for-17). Greenberg's actually riding an 11-game hitting streak dating back to last year's ACC Tournament. The sophomore centerfielder, who had a team-best 21-game hitting streak last year as a freshman, is batting .451 (23-for-51) on this current streak.
LONE SENIOR GETTING IT DONE ON THE MOUND AND AT THE PLATE
Stocked with 15 freshmen, Carolina has just one senior on its 2001 roster, transfer Jason Howell. A three-year letterwinner at Appalachian State University, Howell enrolled at UNC in the fall and has made an immediate impact for the Tar Heels in the young season. Howell has seen time as the DH, at first base and on the mound and he leads the team with a .636 batting average (7-for-11). Howell's also pitched 5.1 scoreless innings of relief, striking out five batters and earning one win and one save in two appearances.
FRESHMEN PITCHERS MAKE IMPRESSIVE DEBUTS
Carolina may have lost its top three starters, its top two middle relievers and its ace closer from last year's pitching staff -- those six pitchers accounted for 38 of UNC's 46 wins, 14 of its 15 saves and 465.0 of 564.2 innings (82.4 percent) -- but this year's newcomers have fared well through the first week of the 2001 season. Eleven different Tar Heels have appeared on the mound through four games, nine of them making their UNC debuts. Scott Manshack and Daniel Moore were particularly impressive in mid-week wins over Coastal Carolina and William & Mary. Manshack allowed two runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings for the win over Coastal on Tuesday and Moore went 7.0 shutout innings for the win Wednesday versus W&M. Moore allowed just three hits and struck out four Tribe batters.
BLAKE MAKES HEALTHY RETURN
After losing All-ACC catcher Dan Moylan to last year's draft, it was important for Ryan Blake to make a healthy return to the lineup after missing the majority of last year recovering from surgery on his right rotator cuff. The red-shirt sophomore has not disappointed, playing solid both offensively and defensively. At the plate, Blake has hit safely in three of four games and is batting .462 (6-for-13) with a team-high three doubles. He's also scored six times.
MAPLES LEADS TEAM WITH 10 RBIs
Third baseman Chris Maples, a part-time starter in 2000, is already nearly half way to his RBI total of a year ago (21) with a team-high 10 through four games. Maples doubled his previous single-game career high with six RBIs in the season-opening win against James Madison.
