University of North Carolina Athletics
First Rain Delay
January 18, 2019 | Baseball
By: TJ Scholl
Photo day happens every year for every team. It becomes routine and maybe even mundane. For some coaches and players, it's more of a nuisance than anything else in an already busy week of practice and school.
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While that certainly could have been the case on a cold, wet night of dodging rain drops in Chapel Hill, this one seemed different.
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Different in a couple ways.
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For some, it was the first time they were able to put on that Carolina Blue uniform. The ones they have seen on TV or social media for years.
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For others, it was the reminder that their time was running out in Chapel Hill and this could be their last, first time putting on the uniform to start the season.
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But for all, it was the first time they walked out to Boshamer Stadium as a team with a College World Series patch secured to their left sleeve.
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A team that has the veterans who know how to get to Omaha and a handful of young, eager freshman who want to get there.
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While waiting out the rain you could see some of the veteran guys looking at each other's sleeves, touching the patch and reminiscing about last year's run to Omaha while the new guys listened in to glean what they could.
Â
It's also a team that had 10 players drafted from the 2018 squad and added over 15 newcomers in 2019. Yet, they were already in mid-season form for the first rain delay of the season.
Â
There was a mix of serious baseball conversations about pitching mindsets and tactics, the absolute bomb that Aaron Sabato hit in practice that was referred to as "the hardest hit ball I've seen at this stadium" by several players, the wide-open Joey Lancellotti excitedly talking about interest in starting a vlog for the season and newcomer Dylan Harris telling Ike Freeman he couldn't wear the white jerseys in a photo shoot because people wouldn't be able to tell where the jersey ended and his arm started.
Â
With a 55-game regular season schedule you need all of the above.
Â
You need the baseball junkies mixed in with the guys who know how to enjoy a little rain delay.
Â
Although we are still four weeks away from opening the season, the 2019 Diamond Heels seem to have figured that part out.
Â
Photo day happens every year for every team. It becomes routine and maybe even mundane. For some coaches and players, it's more of a nuisance than anything else in an already busy week of practice and school.
Â
While that certainly could have been the case on a cold, wet night of dodging rain drops in Chapel Hill, this one seemed different.
Â
Different in a couple ways.
Â
For some, it was the first time they were able to put on that Carolina Blue uniform. The ones they have seen on TV or social media for years.
Â
For others, it was the reminder that their time was running out in Chapel Hill and this could be their last, first time putting on the uniform to start the season.
Â
But for all, it was the first time they walked out to Boshamer Stadium as a team with a College World Series patch secured to their left sleeve.
Â
A team that has the veterans who know how to get to Omaha and a handful of young, eager freshman who want to get there.
Â
While waiting out the rain you could see some of the veteran guys looking at each other's sleeves, touching the patch and reminiscing about last year's run to Omaha while the new guys listened in to glean what they could.
Â
It's also a team that had 10 players drafted from the 2018 squad and added over 15 newcomers in 2019. Yet, they were already in mid-season form for the first rain delay of the season.
Â
There was a mix of serious baseball conversations about pitching mindsets and tactics, the absolute bomb that Aaron Sabato hit in practice that was referred to as "the hardest hit ball I've seen at this stadium" by several players, the wide-open Joey Lancellotti excitedly talking about interest in starting a vlog for the season and newcomer Dylan Harris telling Ike Freeman he couldn't wear the white jerseys in a photo shoot because people wouldn't be able to tell where the jersey ended and his arm started.
Â
With a 55-game regular season schedule you need all of the above.
Â
You need the baseball junkies mixed in with the guys who know how to enjoy a little rain delay.
Â
Although we are still four weeks away from opening the season, the 2019 Diamond Heels seem to have figured that part out.
Â
Players Mentioned
SS/2B
/ Baseball
RHP/OF
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