Photo courtesy of The News & Observer, Robert Willet / AP
After surprising many at the Chapel Hill Regional yesterday afternoon by challenging the #6 UNC Tar Heels through the final out in a 7-4 loss, the Big Red will bring their success against the Tar Heels out to Boshamer Stadium this afternoon against the East Carolina Pirates. For both teams it is a win or go home situation, as ECU fell to St. John’s in the first game of the regional yesterday morning 11-3. The Big Red will send Brian McAfee and his 3.19 ERA and 6-0 record to the mound while the Pirates counter with their ace Kevin Brandt at 7-6 with a 1.85 ERA.
The Big Red started out neck and neck with the Tar Heels, and the score was 1-0 UNC through three innings with starters Rick Marks and Hobbs Johnson dealing zeroes. In the fourth, Marks ran into some trouble and the Tar Heels were able to tack on four runs making it a 5-0 ballgame in favor of the Tar Heels. In a spot where most teams would have withered away, the Big Red stormed back in the top of the 6th inning with a two run shot off the bat of Brian Billigen making it a three run ballgame. After an hour and eleven minute rain delay, the game resumed action with reliever RC Orlan on the mound and the Big Red were able to score once more to make it 5-3. The Tar Heels would reapply the pressure in the bottom of the inning making it 7-3. After a run scored for Cornell in the 8th, they put two men on base with nobody out in the top of the 9th with the tying run at the plate against UNC’s closer Michael Morin. Morin was able to slam the door shut assuring a Tar Heel victory.The Big Red saw some outstanding defensive plays by shortstop Marshall Yanzick who made two of the best plays you will ever see out of a shortstop. Cornell also out hit the Tar Heels 13-11 in route to the loss and the Big Red pitchers did a good job of handling a tough ACC batting order.
As the Big Red get set to take the field this afternoon the key to their success will ride on the arm of freshman starter Brian McAfee who has been masterful this season going more than five innings in all ten of his starts up to this point. The Big Red will need to get the bats going in the middle of the order after Chris Cruz and Frank Hager struggled yesterday going 1-10. They will also need to come up with more timely hits after stranding 12 runners on base.
ECU is a team that tends to lose focus when they are trailing early in a ballgame, so if the Big Red can score early and Brian McAfee can shut the door on the mound, they should on the right track towards playing on Sunday against the loser of tonight’s matchup between UNC and St. John’s.
For radio coverage of this game follow this link, game time is tentatively scheduled for 1:00 PM EST.
