University of North Carolina Athletics
Omaha Reading List June 16
June 16, 2009 | Baseball
June 16, 2009
By Adam Lucas
It seems like there's been even more talk than usual about experience at this College World Series. That will be the theme again today. As Adam Warren said, the Tar Heels have been in this position before. Warren himself has pitched in some big elimination games, of course, including a terrific six-inning performance against powerful Rice in 2007. The word on the Tar Heels is that opponents should throw lefty pitchers. Southern Miss will start a righty, and one of the Eagles' key lefties is battling an injury suffered on Saturday. He's part of a bullpen that struggled against Texas. Head coach Corky Palmer plans to throw some of the same relievers today, and as usual in the CWS, pitching will be the key.
How much that USM bullpen is used depends on their starter, of course. It'll be righty J.R. Ballinger, who faces the biggest start of his life. Ballinger has made lots of progress since early in his career, when he was basically a one-pitch pitcher. Now he has a deeper arsenal of pitches and also produced a great quote from his head coach: "You see that big ol' light pole out there," Corky Palmer said. "If I asked Jimmy Ray Ballinger to go climb that pole right now, he'd be out there in 30 seconds shimmying up that pole." It's safe to say Palmer may be just a little bit quotable. Of course, a loss today would end his coaching career.
If you're in Omaha, keep your head on a swivel. There are flamingo bandits on the loose.
