University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina bullpen ready to heed the call
June 23, 2006 | Baseball
June 22, 2006
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) -North Carolina's bullpen is well-stocked and well-rested for the College World Series best-of-three championship round.
Tar Heel relievers have combined for 8 2-3 innings of seven-hit, scoreless relief in three games.
The bulk of their work so far was in Carolina's Omaha opener a week ago. Jonathan Hovis, Matt Danford and Andrew Carignan combined for 5 2-3 innings in relief of Andrew Miller in a 13-inning win over Cal State Fullerton.
Robert Woodard pitched a complete game in a win over Clemson on Sunday, and Hovis, Carignan and Andrew Miller went three innings in relief of Daniel Bard in Wednesday's win over Fullerton.
"This is about as good as you can hope for," Hovis said Thursday. "A complete game out of Woody, that saves relief pitching for yesterday's game."
Miller and Woodard are scheduled to start Saturday and Sunday's games against Oregon State, respectively. Bard would start Monday if a third game is necessary.
Hovis, a senior from Gastonia, N.C., has led the Tar Heels in appearances the last two years. He has pitched in 36 games this season. He hasn't allowed a run in his last 18 games, and he has an NCAA-leading 1.20 ERA.
"We have a lot of confidence in Jonathan and Matt and Andrew Carignan," coach Mike Fox said. "They've made some good pitches when they've needed to. But we've been fortunate, too."
Fox was referring to the ninth inning of Wednesday's 6-5 win over Fullerton. Center fielder Mike Cavasinni made a running catch on a fly, and left fielder Jay Cox hauled in David Cooper's shot at the wall.
"When we've made some mistakes and left some balls up," Fox said, "we've been fortunate they hit it at us and we made some plays."
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FOX'S FRIEND: While checking his e-mail after Thursday's practice, Fox found a note from the person who was on the receiving end of the home run Fox hit for the Tar Heels at the 1978 CWS.
Kevin Robertson of Topeka, Kan., found Fox in 1993 and returned the ball. Robertson said in his e-mail that he didn't know Fox was Carolina's coach until he watched a televised super-regional game two weeks ago.
Robertson, who graduated from the University of Kansas, also told Fox to pass along to basketball coach Roy Williams that not everybody in Kansas is still mad at him for leaving for Carolina in 2003.
"That's pretty cool," Fox said.
Fox hit a first-inning home run against St. John's on June 4, 1978. Robertson and his dad were about to enter Rosenblatt Stadium when Fox's homer cleared the right-field fence and rolled up to them.
Robertson held on to the ball and came across it 15 years ago while going through things at his parents' home.
"Instead of tossing it away, he took the time to track me down," Fox said. "He's found me again."
Robertson couldn't be reached for comment.
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HOMETOWN PROUD: Oregon State's Daniel Turpen and Joe Paterson did their hometown proud in pitching a five-hit shutout against Rice on Wednesday.
Turpen and Paterson were teammates at McMinnville (Ore.) High School. Paterson said he never would have imagined pitching in the CWS.
"Never in my wildest dreams," Paterson said. "I didn't even think of playing baseball beyond high school."
Paterson said he knew big things were in store for Turpen, who was Oregon high school player of the year in 2004.
"It was a good night for McMinnville," Paterson said.
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SHORT HOPS: Rice catcher Danny Lehmann is the nephew of A&E Network star "Dog" the Bounty Hunter. . . . Oregon State set a school record for wins with its victory Wednesday. Last year's team held the previous mark of 46. ... Other than during games, Fox's camcorder is rarely more than an arm's length away. "I think this is pretty cool stuff, being out here," he said. "It's maybe once-in-a-lifetime for me. I want to capture all of it I can." ... UNC football coach John Bunting will be on hand for Saturday and Sunday's games. Williams was in town for last weekend's games. "I've been to the bowl games, I've been to the Final Four. So why not them come here?" Fox said. ... Jay Cox broke Fox's school record for most RBIs in a CWS game. Cox had four Wednesday against Fullerton. "I might have to rub it in a little bit," Cox said.
