University of North Carolina Athletics
Duel at the DBAP Preview
April 15, 2014 | Baseball
North Carolina and NC State certainly opened the eyes of area sports fans to the excitement of college baseball. From Raleigh to Durham to Omaha, in the regular season, the ACC Tournament and the College World Series, the Tar Heels and Wolfpack played five thrillers. Carolina took three of the five games, outscoring NC State 20-17. After tremendous years for both teams in 2013, the stage was set for an encore this season.
But it was not to be. With two more teams adding to the already unbalanced ACC scheduling format, the Wolfpack and Tar Heels missed each other in the rotation. Thanks to new primary partner rules beginning next season, that won't happen again, but the two programs scrambled to find a non-conference matchup to capitalize on the college baseball momentum garnered in 2013. After months of planning, that game takes place tonight at Durham Bulls Athletic Park, a one-time-only event dubbed the 'Duel at the DBAP.'
To this point, neither team is having the season it expected. NC State returned much of the marquee names from its CWS run, yet the Wolfpack have been maddeningly inconsistent. They sit at 20-15 and 6-12 in conference play, with Sunday's matchup with Duke exemplary of the frustration that has plagued the team all year. The Wolfpack led 10-4 entering the bottom of the 8th inning but allowed the Blue Devils to score seven runs and win in walk-off fashion. Junior southpaw ace Carlos Rodon is 2-6 on the year after earning 10 wins in 19 starts a year ago. Brett Austin and Trea Turner continue to hit the ball well, but it's freshman third baseman Andrew Knizner who is leading the way at the plate, with a .371 average and 25 runs batted in. NC State had not named a starting pitcher at press time, but it could be junior right-hander Logan Jernigan (4-3, 3.40 ERA) who gets the nod. Rodon threw 134 pitches on Friday, so it's unlikely he (appears on the mound, at least; he has appeared in 15 games as a batter).
Carolina (21-15, 9-9), meanwhile, has taken time to figure out the winning formula. The Tar Heels are relying on youth at a number of positions, as they return just four everyday starters from the team that won 59 games a year ago. Junior shortstop Michael Russell (.341) has flourished since being moved to the leadoff spot, and freshman second baseman Wood Myers (.308) has been perhaps the team's most consistent player from Opening Day. After sputtering out of the gate, the bats are starting to come around for sophomores Landon Lassiter and Skye Bolt. Sunday afternoon, the thinking was that sophomore right-hander Taylore Cherry (0-0, 3.52) might take the ball for the Tar Heels.
Despite it being a non-conference affair, Tuesday's game is important for both teams both in terms of RPI and momentum. In NC State's case, a win would springboard the team into a 15-game homestand and a chance to turn things around. For Carolina, a win would continue the momentum gained from a key series win over Wake Forest into a tough road series at Virginia.
Last year, 11,391 fans saw (at least part of) the 18-inning extravaganza at the DBAP that saw Carolina advance to the ACC Tournament final with a 2-1 win. This year's game won't be in conference play, but the fans will be out in full force expecting a clash worthy of the rivalry. Early forecasts called for rain during the day Tuesday with periods of precipitation in the evening.
“I think it's going to be fun,” said Tar Heel head coach Mike Fox. “I think it's going to be blast. I hope the weather will cooperate. It'd be nice if it was going to be a 75-degree night and 10,000 people there. It's great for college baseball.”
Fox said he hoped his team would rise to the occasion but also appreciate the magnitude of the opportunity to play before a large college baseball crowd. “It is just one game ,but we need to go over there and hopefully play well, but more importantly I think, enjoy it.”
