No. 11 Tar Heels Open ACC Play at Virginia Tech

March 10, 2005 | Baseball

By: UNC Athletic Communications

March 10, 2005

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - No. 11-ranked North Carolina (10-3, 0-0 ACC) plays its earliest Atlantic Coast Conference opener since 1997 this weekend, as the Tar Heels travel to Blacksburg, Va., for a three-game series with conference newcomer Virginia Tech (6-4, 1-2 ACC) at English Field. Games are set for 3 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Carolina leads the all-time series, 39-22-2, but the two teams have not played since the Tar Heels won two games over the Hokies in Fresno, Calif., in 1991. After struggling at the plate at last weekend's Keith LeClair Classic, the Tar Heels scored 12 runs on 11 hits in Wednesday's win over No. 20 College of Charleston.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES
North Carolina (10-3, 0-0 ACC) at Virginia Tech (6-4, 1-2 ACC)
Fri., March 11, 3 p.m.
Sat., March 12, 2 p.m.
Sun., March 13, 2 p.m.

All-Time Series: UNC leads, 39-22-2
Last Meeting: UNC 11, VT 1, 3/16/91
Quick Hit: Hokie head coach Chuck Hartman was a three-year letterwinner at Carolina from 1955-57.

TAR HEELS AT A GLANCE
Carolina Record:
2005: 10-3, 0-0 ACC
Carolina in the National Rankings:
aseball America: 14th
Collegiate Baseball: 11th
Sports Weekly/ESPN: 17th
NCBWA: 11th

SCOUTING THE HOKIES
ACC newcomer Virginia Tech enters the weekend with a 6-4 overall mark and a 1-2 conference record. The Hokies lost two of three at Maryland last weekend and were shutout 2-0 by George Mason Monday. Sophomore infielder Bryan Thomas leads the team with a .467 average in nine starts, while freshman outfielder Jose Cueto is batting .386 with three homers and 10 RBI. On the mound, junior righty Ryan Kennedy is 2-0 with an ACC-best 0.47 ERA. He has 25 strikeouts in 19 innings. Virginia Tech has a .281 team batting average and a 4.60 staff ERA.

A LOOK AT THE TAR HEEL STARTERS
Friday: Andrew Miller (So., LHP): Sophomore preseason All-America Andrew Miller carries a 3-0 mark and a 0.71 ERA into his fifth start of the season. The 6-foot-6 lefty has a team-best 30 strikeouts in 25.1 innings and is holding opponents to a .200 batting average. Last time out, he fanned a career-best 12 batters in 6.2 innings in a no-decision versus Arizona State at the Keith LeClair Classic. Miller has a 9-3 career record with a 2.44 ERA and 118 career strikeouts.
Saturday: Daniel Bard (So., RHP): Sophomore preseason All-America Daniel Bard brings a 2-1 record and a 1.59 ERA into the weekend. Last time out, Bard took his first loss of the season against Ohio State after allowing a pair of first-inning runs. The Charlotte right-hander owns a .140 opponent batting average and has 16 strikeouts and eight walks in 17 innings. Bard has a 10-5 career record and a 3.54 ERA in 112 innings.
Sunday: To Be Announced: North Carolina's starter for Sunday's game has yet to be determined.

LAST TIME OUT: NORTH CAROLINA 12, COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON 7
Designated hitter Matt Ellington and right fielder Seth Williams each hit three-run home runs as the North Carolina offense pounded out 11 hits to lead the 11th-ranked Tar Heels to a 12-7 victory over No. 20 College of Charleston Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium. The 12 runs marked the second-highest total of the season for Carolina, which snapped a three-game losing skid and improved to 10-0 at home this season. Williams went 3-for-4 with three runs scored and three runs batted, all highs for the freshman's young career. Ellington was 2-for-5 and drove in four runs on the day, while senior Justin Webb also had two hits and scored two runs, while also driving in a run. The 11 hits marked the fourth double-digit hit day at the plate for the Tar Heels and first in five games. The 12 runs scored were the most since a 17-0 win over Seton Hall on February 18. One of seven pitchers used on the day, Carolina starter Adam Kalkhof went two innings on a predetermined staff outing and allowed one run on two hits. He struck out three and has not allowed a walk in 12.1 innings this season. Freshman Tyler Trice came on in the third to make his first collegiate appearance and went 1.1 innings and allowed two unearned runs. Senior Bryan Phillips, the fourth pitcher of the day, worked 1.1 scoreless innings to earn his first win of the season and improve to 1-1.

CAROLINA SNAPS OFFENSIVE SLUMP
With 12 runs and 11 hits Wednesday, the Tar Heels broke out a three-game offensive slump, which saw them score just four runs last weekend and just one in the final 23.1 innings at the Keith LeClair Classic. In fact, Carolina put four runs on the board versus College of Charleston in first inning, then briefly fell behind 5-4 in the fourth but rallied for the 12-7 victory. The 12 runs were more than Carolina had scored in its previous four games combined and the 11 hits were the most in six games. Three-run homers by Matt Ellington and Seth Williams gave the Tar Heels their third multi-homer game of the season.

RECENT HISTORY IN ACC OPENERS
Carolina has won its last three ACC-opening series, including a 2-1 series win at No. 19 Virginia last season. Over the last six seasons, the Tar Heels have won four conference-opening series and own a 9-9 overall record. This weekend's trip to Blacksburg marks just the third time since 1994 that Carolina has opened ACC play away from Boshamer Stadium. Carolina last lost an opening series in 2001 at home versus Wake Forest.

HEELS FACE FELLOW LETTERWINNER
Virginia Tech head coach Chuck Hartman, who has compiled 1,407 career victories, is a former Tar Heel and graduated from Carolina in 1957. He went on to coach at High Point College and is currently in his 27th season at Virginia Tech and 46th overall. While in Chapel Hill, Hartman played second base and third base from 1955-57.

TAR HEELS WELCOME HOKIES ON THE DIAMOND
This weekend marks the third time since the formation of the ACC in 1954 that the Tar Heels will welcome a new opponent into the fold, as Georgia Tech joined the league in 1980 and Florida State followed in 1992. Carolina swept the Yellow Jackets in a two-game series in their first ACC set, while the Seminoles won two of three in their first meeting with Carolina. The Tar Heels have not played Virginia Tech since 1991. UNC welcomes Miami to the league in Chapel Hill April 15-17. The Tar Heels won two of three from the Canes in a non-league series in Coral Gables last season.

RBI IN BUNCHES FOR ELLINGTON
Redshirt sophomore Matt Ellington leads the Tar Heels with three home runs and 12 RBI, and all three homers and nine of his RBI have come in two games. Most recently, Ellington went 2-for-5 with a homer and four RBI in Wednesday's win over College of Charleston. Earlier this season, he had a career game in the Tar Heels' 17-0 win over Seton Hall on February 19. Ellington was 3-for-5 with two home runs and five runs batted in. The five RBI were a career high and the two homers equalled his career total in just one game. On the season he is batting .243 (9-37) and has made 10 starts at DH.

RECORD START FOR TAR HEEL HURLERS
The Carolina pitching staff has been nothing short of brilliant this season, as the Tar Heels opened with 32 consecutive scoreless innings and did not allow an earned run for the first 43.2 innings of the season. UNC tossed three consecutive shutouts for the first time since 1922 and opened with three consecutive shutouts for the first time in program history. Quality pitching has continued, as the staff currently sports a 1.15 ERA and has allowed just 15 earned runs in 117.2 innings. The Tar Heels have struck out 107 batters against just 41 walks, and opponents are batting just .193 against Carolina.

SOPHOMORE STARTERS SHUTTING `EM DOWN
Sophomores Daniel Bard and Andrew Miller have lived up to their preseason All-America billing over the first three weeks of the season. The duo is a combined 5-1 and has allowed just five earned runs and struck out 46 batters in 42.1 innings. Miller is 3-0 and ranks second in the league with a 0.71 ERA, while Bard is 2-1 and ranks sixth in the league in ERA at 1.59 (through games of March 6). Miller is also fourth in the league in strikeouts per nine innings (10.33) and second in innings per start (6.33).

ROOKIES CONTRIBUTING AT THE PLATE
Carolina's impressive group of freshmen is starting to make an impact at the plate for the Tar Heels. First baseman Chad Flack is the only player to have started all 13 games and is currently on a four-game hitting streak. He is batting .333 (9-27) with two homers, six RBI and six runs scored over the last eight games. Outfielder Seth Williams is batting .350 (7-20) on the year and had three hits, including a three-run homer, in the win over College of Charleston Wednesday, while shortstop Josh Horton has started the last 10 games and is batting .250 (8-32) with five RBI.

WEBB SETS THE TABLE
Senior catcher Justin Webb has been outstanding in the No. 2 hole for much of the season. He is tops among regulars with a .342 average and also leads the team with 12 runs scored, 11 walks and a .510 on-base percentage. His 13 hits are second on the team and he is tied for the team lead with two homers. Webb has started nine games at catcher but has made three starts at third and has also played first base. He has hit safely in five of the last six games and has two multi-hit games to his credit.

DANFORD DOMINANT IN RETURN
Redshirt sophomore Matt Danford has claimed the closer role, finishing eight games and posting a 1-1 record with three saves. Danford, who missed all of the 2004 season following surgery on his right shoulder, struck out the side in the ninth versus Appalachian State on February 16 in his first appearance since the 2003 Columbia Super Regional. On the season, Danford has allowed just one run in 10.1 innings for a 0.87 ERA. He has struck out 12 against just four walks.

STEED COMES THROUGH IN THE CLUTCH
Sophomore infielder Bryan Steed has shown a knack for coming through with the clutch hit in the early season. He ripped the game-winning single down the left field line in the ninth in the March 2 win over Gardner-Webb, and also came up with a big two-run single in the eighth in the February 27 win 6-1 win over Birmingham Southern. Steed is batting .313 (5-16) and has driven in four runs. He is also has a team-best two hits as a pinch hitter.

BIG YEAR FOR COX
Sophomore outfielder Jay Cox is batting .333 through 13 games and is second on the team with eight RBI and nine runs scored. He hit safely in each of the first seven games of the season. After getting just one hit over the next five games, Cox came through with a pinch-hit single in Wednesday's win.

BULLPEN BRILLIANCE
With the losses of seniors Whitley Benson (115), Kevin Brower (105), Michael Gross (91) and Scott Senatore (94), who combined for 405 appearances from 2001-04, the Carolina bullpen was a question mark entering this season. Thus far, pitching coach Roger Williams' relievers have been brilliant, posting a 0.76 ERA in 47.2 innings. The group has also allowed just 25 hits. Junior Jonathan Hovis, who has made seven appearances, has a 1.12 ERA in 16 innings. Redshirt sophomore Matt Danford has nailed down the closer role and is 1-1 with three saves and a 0.87 ERA in 10.1 innings. Sophomore Robert Woodard has made three starts but has also been solid out of the pen with 19 strikeouts in 18.1 innings. Senior Bryan Phillips, redshirt freshman Rob Wooten and freshman Andrew Carignan have also not yet allowed an earned run in a combined 16.2 innings.

YOUNTS PICKS UP WHERE HE LEFT OFF
Senior center fielder Chase Younts, who closed the 2004 season on a tear, quickly regained his form of a year ago with a .412 batting average in February. He hit safely in the first eight games of the season for a career-best 10-game hitting streak, which was snapped on March 4. On the year, he is batting .333 (9-27) with a home run, a triple and three RBI. His eighth inning triple versus Seton Hall on February 19 proved to be the game-winner in Carolina's comeback victory. Younts is also 3-for-3 in stolen bases and has shown outstanding range in center field.

WOOTEN SHARP IN DEBUT
Redshirt freshman Rob Wooten, who missed all of last season following shoulder surgery, made his first career appearance in the February 18 win over Seton Hall and tossed three shutout innings. He did not allow a hit, walked two and struck out one batter. On the year, Wooten has not allowed an earned run in 6.1 innings but did give up a three-run homer versus College of Charleston Wednesday.

WOODARD NAMED TO NCBWA STOPPER OF THE YEAR WATCH LIST
Sophomore righty Robert Woodard was named to the 30-member watch list for the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award. The award will be given annually to the top relief pitcher in Division I. Nominations were made by each school's baseball sports information contact. A mid-season release, including the national saves leaders, will be updated during the week of April 18. At the end the regular season, the Division I leader in saves and four other relief pitching standouts will be selected as the award's first finalists. These finalists will be released on Wednesday, June 1, just prior to the beginning of NCAA regional play. From the list of finalists, the NCBWA's All-America Committee will select a winner. The first annual winner will be announced on Wednesday, June 8, two days prior to the beginning of NCAA super regional action. Woodard pitched in a variety of roles for the Tar Heels last season and posted an 8-2 record. Woodard has worked 18.1 innings this season and has 19 strikeouts.

PRESEASON HONORS FOR TAR HEEL ACES
On of the heels of outstanding rookie seasons, sophomore hurlers Daniel Bard and Andrew Miller each carry an armful of preseason honors in the 2005 campaign. The 2004 ACC Freshman of the Year and a member of Team USA, Bard was named a first-team preseason All-America by Baseball America and garnered third-team honors from Collegiate Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association. Named the top prospect in the Cape Cod League last summer, Miller was named to Baseball America's preseason second-team All-America squad and picked up third-team honors from Collegiate Baseball. Baseball America also named Miller the No. 1 prospect in the sophomore class, while bard was rated third on the 50-man list.

BARD, MILLER NAMED TO ROGER CLEMENS AWARD WATCH LIST
North Carolina sophomore preseason All-Americas Daniel Bard and Andrew Miller were each named to the 2005 Roger Clemens Award Watch List, which was released February 11. The winner of the second annual honor, designating the top pitcher in college baseball, will be announced on July 14 in Houston, Texas. The list is comprised of all Division I pitchers who were named as preseason All-Americas by either Baseball America or Collegiate Baseball, in addition to those pitchers who have been honored so far this season as National Pitchers of the Week by the National College Baseball Writers Association. Weekly winners of the writer's award will be added to the list until the start of the first round of voting at the end of April. Additional nominees will be added to the ballot based on notable performances and rankings in the NCAA statistical rankings. The second Clemens Award will be presented to the nation's top college pitcher at the conclusion of a gala dinner in Houston on July 14. All Division I head baseball coaches will take part in the voting for the honor, in addition to a selected panel of national media and all past winners of the Rotary Smith Award, which was retired after the 2003 dinner by the committee that is sponsoring the Clemens Award.

MANGUM'S IRONMAN STREAK
Senior second baseman Greg Mangum has quite an ironman streak in the works. The Charlotte native has played in 129 straight games for the Tar Heels, which is a team-best. Prior to starting all 64 games in the 2004 season, Mangum played in the final 52 games of the 2003 season. The last game he did not play in was against Ball State on March 10, 2003. Over the last four seasons, Mangum has started 158 games (105 at second, 53 at shortstop). He played 53 games at shortstop last season but has returned to second for 2005.

UNDERCLASSMEN RULE IN 2005
With only six seniors and four juniors on the 2005 edition of the Tar Heels, that leaves 23 of the 33 players on the Carolina roster as freshmen and sophomores. While inexperienced, both classes were highly-regarded entering Chapel Hill, and last year's freshman class produced on the field. Led by Daniel Bard, Andrew Miller and Jay Cox, this year's group of sophomores was the nation's consensus No. 1 class, while this crop of freshman was rated No. 11 by Baseball America and No. 18 by Collegiate Baseball. Rookies Reid Fronk, Chad Flack, Josh Horton, Benji Johnson and Seth Williams have all made multiple starts for the Tar Heels this season. The freshman class has contributed 35 base hits and 19 RBI so far this season.

FROM MURPHY TO MANTEO
With some of the nation's best college baseball being played in the Old North State, Carolina does not have to look far for top-notch opponents. The Tar Heels will play 18 games against in-state opponents this season, including eight straight against North Carolina rivals in late April and early May. In addition to three-game sets with Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Duke, NC State and Wake Forest, the Tar Heels will play home-and-home games with UNC Wilmington and East Carolina, both NCAA teams a year ago. Carolina will also play Appalachian State, Gardner-Webb, Elon, Davidson and High Point this season. Twenty-Five of the 33 players on the UNC roster this season are from North Carolina. With wins over Appalachian State, UNC Wilmington and Gardner-Webb, the Tar Heels are 3-0 versus their in-state rivals so far this season.