UNC baseball braves winter storm, beats Rhode Island

As recent winter storms tucked Boshamer Stadium in with a blanket of snow, the No. 14 North Carolina baseball team woke up to the cold reality of playing on the road yet again.

Facing last-minute cancellations and rescheduling, UNC (6-3) played host to Rhode Island (1-5) at the site of Francis Marion University for a three-game series — with the Tar Heels winning the first two and the Rams claiming their first win of the season Saturday night.

“Coach always tells us just prepare to play,” said junior Trent Thornton. “If you wake up, just think you’re playing so that way your mind’s focused.

“We’re checking the wire the same as everybody else.”

But while many students embraced the snow, the players were left to weather the storm.

“Not having the home-field advantage is a big deal, but also not having to play with snowballs rather than baseballs is also good too,” said senior Benton Moss. “I think most of us were just happy to be playing in a little bit better conditions.”

But conditions were better by just that: a little bit.

Freezing temperatures and precipitation followed the Tar Heels southward, and UNC found itself playing in 30-degree weather just an hour before midnight Saturday night.

“It’s cold and rainy and you have both teams playing in it, and we just couldn’t generate any offense,” said Coach Mike Fox of his team’s 6-3 loss. “I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that that’s just not a lot of fun.”

Fox’s senior starter echoed his sentiments.

“Anytime we don’t have to play with snow on the field it’s nice, although the end game was as close to that as you could possibly get,” said Moss, laughing.

As difficult as the playing conditions were, the preparation was even more so.

Fox and his staff scrambled Thursday afternoon — calling bus companies, making hotel reservations and even trekking through the snow to Harris Teeter to keep the players fed — all in a matter of hours, preparing for the games on Friday.

“It’s a lot of logistics,” Fox said. “Francis Marion was incredible just letting us play down there. If they hadn’t have let us, I’m not sure what we would have done.”

One positive for Fox was the strength of his pitching staff, headlined by the dominate play of Moss and Thornton.

Moss had 10 strikeouts in seven shutout innings, earning the 4-3 win in Friday’s opener. And Thornton — who started 14 games in the 2014 season — had back-to-back saves in Friday’s doubleheader, striking out four in the ninth to close the team’s 5-3 victory.

“That’s the luxury of us having a young man on our staff who’s both started and closed games,” Fox said of Thornton. “His versatility is amazing.”

As the season ensues, the Tar Heels are relieved by the prospect of showcasing their skills for the North Carolina crowd, something they’ve done only three times this year.

“With home crowds and a little warmer weather, these freshmen are going to finally get to experience what a real game at the Bosh is like,” Moss said. “It’s a pretty awesome feeling.”

The Tar Heels will make their home return to Boshamer Stadium on Tuesday to face VCU — that is, if the weather allows.

“We’re looking forward to some spring weather,” Moss said with a chuckle. “That’s for sure.”

sports@dailytarheel.com