University of North Carolina Athletics
The Friday Night Guy
April 25, 2008 | Baseball
April 25, 2008
By Chris Gallo
UNC Athletic Communications
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Entering this weekend's action, the Atlantic Coast Conference features three of the top teams in the nation. The NCAA released its first edition of the Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) Tuesday, revealing Miami at No. 1, Florida State at No. 2 and North Carolina at No. 3.
Two of the nation's top three teams will face off this weekend with the Seminoles traveling to Cary to face the Diamond Heels. The Tar Heels enter the weekend series riding an 11-game win streak, their longest since 2002, due to timely hitting and spectacular pitching.
North Carolina leads the nation in ERA at 2.07 and strikeouts with 444. Headlining the dominant pitching staff is Friday night starter Alex White.
"You need that Friday guy to go out and pitch well," said head coach Mike Fox. "There is a lot of pressure on those guys because they know you are facing the other team's Friday guy."
The sophomore right-hander has responded well to the pressure every Friday night posting a 7-2 record, 1.99 ERA, and 55 strikeouts in just 49 2/3 innings. White, who has already surpassed his win total from a year ago, has matured after making 18 starts as the Saturday starter in his freshman season.
"Last year I really did not have a choice, I was forced to be thrown into the fire," White explains. "It was a great opportunity to be able to really learn from your mistakes, it is a lot easier to learn from mistakes in games than in practice."
The Greenville, N.C., native had plenty of time to learn from his mistakes in games as the Tar Heels were the runner-up in the College World Series for the second season in a row. White struggled in the 2007 postseason losing three out of four starts and allowing 23 of his 54 earned runs over that span.
"This year I am just more confident, especially with the bullpen we have," the sophomore exclaimed. "Every one of us starters has unbelievable trust in our bullpen, I live with two of those guys and I trust them like brothers."
The bullpen has performed extraordinarily well and is perhaps the biggest reason the Diamond Heels' pitching staff is tops in the nation. Entering the week of April 21, the UNC bullpen owned a 1.44 ERA, a 10-2 record and seven saves. Tar Heel relievers had fanned 219 batters in 175 1/3 innings. Featuring veterans such as Rob Wooten and Tyler Trice and newcomers Colin Bates and Brian Moran, the bullpen continues to improve under the tutelage of pitching coach Scott Forbes.
"Our bullpen has been one of the great strengths of our team," Fox praised. "You have to give credit to those guys; the veterans and the freshmen, who understand their role and are ready when we call upon them." White might have never been able to travel to a College World Series or be part of a great pitching staff if it was not for his decision to attend Carolina a little over two years ago. The eastern North Carolina product was heavily recruited by strong area baseball schools, like NC State and East Carolina.
"I grew up a huge NC State fan, my older brother went to school there," White expressed. "I have a great deal of respect for all of those guys over there, but I am happy with the decision I made."
White certainly does not shy away from facing the rival Wolfpack. In two career starts against NC State, he has struck out a career high 11 batters in both victories. Throughout his recruiting process, the sophomore was not just a highly touted pitcher, but an excellent hitter as well. White is hitless in two career at-bats, but played some second base in the fall and recently played an inning at right field in a landslide victory over Charlotte this past Tuesday.
"Well, we have talked about it, I would love to be able to play both ways because it would be a great opportunity," the sophomore said. "Now, my main focus is pitching and being our Friday night guy."
The Friday night guy is exactly what White has become and he certainly will have many big starts as the Diamond Heels face Florida State this weekend, then travel to Virginia and Miami to conclude the ACC regular season.
"You go into those games knowing that it is going to be a little bit of a pitching duel sometimes," Fox said. "The best starter, who gets the best start, gives the team the best chance to win."
White is the best starter for the Diamond Heels and will continue to give his team the best chance to win on every Friday night. Although, there is one thing you probably will not see from White on a Friday, the team's infatuation with white cleats.
"These guys love them, they are always trying to wear them on Friday," White joked. "I am not a big fan at all, so I would just rather stick to the black."
