University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Ready For ACC Home Opener
March 24, 2011 | Baseball
March 24, 2011
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - After opening the conference season at Wake Forest and at Virginia Tech the Tar Heels finally return home for their ACC home opener against rival Duke Friday at 3 p.m. The Tar Heels bounced back after a 1-2 opening weekend in conference play with a 3-0 sweep at Virginia Tech a week ago. Carolina is looking to claim the season series with Duke for the first time in the since 2008.
National Rankings
• Carolina stayed pretty steady in every poll but moved to No. 12 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll, the highest mark of the year for UNC. The Tar Heels are at No. 13 in the NCBWA Poll, No. 18 in the Baseball America Poll and No. 19 in both the Collegiate Baseball and Perfect Game polls.
• Duke is unranked.
North Carolina-Duke Series
• The Tar Heels and Blue Devils have met 270 previous times with Carolina holding a 172-96-2 advantage in those meetings.
• Carolina and Duke met a year ago in Durham in one of the crazier meetings between the teams as the Tar Heels and Blue Devils combined for 64 runs in the three-game set which Duke claimed 2-1.
• The Tar Heels are 5-5 in their last 10 against the Blue Devils and just 1-4 in their last five having dropped the past two series 2-1.
• Prior to the 2009 series setback Carolina had won seven straight series against Duke, including four sweeps during the stretch.
Scouting The Blue Devils
• Duke comes in with a 15-8 record on the year, including a 2-4 mark in conference play.
• The Blue Devils have lost four straight after their second four game winning streak of the season the previous week. Following a three-game sweep at the hands of Clemson, the Blue Devils dropped a 6-3 decision to visiting Ohio on Tuesday.
• Duke is led at the plate by Anthony D'Alessandro who is hitting .382 on the year with 16 runs scored and 16 RBI.
• Chris Marconcini has scored a team-high 22 runs and driven in 23 more runs thanks to 14 extra base hits on the year.
• The Duke rotation is on a wait and see approach entering the weekend as traditional Friday starter Chase Bebout is looking to return from taking a line drive off his wrist two weeks ago.
• As of now senior Dennis O'Grady will make the start Friday followed by freshman Dillon Haviland on Saturday and Sophomore Marcus Stroman Sunday.
Tar Heels Allow Two Runs In Pair of Midweek Wins
• On back-to-back staff days the North Carolina bullpen showed its depth as the Tar Heels allowed two runs over 18 combined innings, both of which were unearned.
• Colin Moran turned in the biggest midweek performance as the freshman third baseman went 4-for-8 with two runs scored, eight RBI and a pair of home runs.
• The starting pitching duo of Cody Stiles and Chris Munnelly turned in solid performances and each will likely see action this weekend. Either one could get the start Sunday with the other likely getting time out of the bullpen.
• Junior shortstop Levi Michael suffered a sprained left ankle in the sixth inning of Tuesday night's game and missed just the second game of his career. Michael is expected to be back this weekend.
Battle of the Blues
The Battle of the Blues, presented by Continental Tire, is an all-sports competition between North Carolina and Duke. Carolina currently leads the competition 9-8 with the winner of this weekend's series earning one point. North Carolina needs 13.5 points to retain the title.
Projected Starters:
| Day | Time | UNC Starter | Duke Starter |
| Friday | 3 p.m. | RHP Patrick Johnson (Sr., 4-0, 1.67 ERA) |
RHP Dennis O'Grady (Sr., 4-0, 3.54 ERA) |
| Saturday | 2 p.m. | LHP Kent Emanuel (Fr., 3-1, 1.84 ERA) |
LHP Dillon Haviland (Fr., 1-1, 1.06 ERA) |
| Sunday | 1 p.m. | TBA | RHP Marcus Stroman (So., 1-1, 3.38 ERA) |
