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The Daily Tar Heel

UNC baseball improvises at Fall World Series due to injuries

Pitchers in the outfield and coaches in the infield. 

What sounds like a community league softball game is rather the state of the injury-ravaged North Carolina baseball team.

As the Blue and Navy squads resumed battle this weekend in the Fall World Series at Boshamer Stadium (with the Blue team claiming 6-2 and 7-3 victories) the two sides were fighting just to field a team.

The Tar Heels are missing many key players thanks to injury -- including sophomore Colby Barnette and juniors Korey Dunbar, Landon Lassiter, and Chris McCue -- leading to understaffed rosters.

“It’s been one of the worst falls we’ve had here as far as guys getting hurt,” coach Mike Fox said. “We only have eight healthy players on each team, so it is what it is.”

As a result, players like freshman left fielder Brian Miller and junior left-handed pitcher Henry Sisson have been forced into very unfamiliar roles. 

“Brian Miller’s not a first baseman and Henry Sisson’s not a left fielder, so that tells you where we are injury-wise,” Fox said. “It’s the first time (Miller) has ever played first base in his life.”

Other players, such as pitchers Ryder Ryan and Hunter Williams, are playing extended time at secondary positions like catcher and first baseman to compensate for the lack of healthy position players. And when Williams heads to the mound, leaving no healthy first basemen on the roster, the coaches have to get creative. 

“Fortunately (assistant coach) Jesse (Wierzbicki) is back here and not far removed from the minor leagues,” Fox said. “So I texted him and said, ‘You might have to play first base.’”

The injury woes extend to the mound as well. Fox has shut down many pitchers for the fall to ensure their health for the regular season.

The absence of their injured teammates has had a great effect on the entire team’s performance.

“We’ve got some really good players hurt right now,” said junior right fielder Michael Massardo. “Once they get back on the field, they’re gonna make all of us better.”

The return of the sidelined players could pay dividends once the season begins.

“If we can get healthy, we’re gonna be so deep with talent that we can go out and have a chance to win every single game in the spring," Massardo said.

sports@dailytarheel.com

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