Baseball: Rookies help UNC baseball team sweep Boshamer Stadium inaugural series

With his team down by two runs and the bases loaded Jacob Stallings stepped to the plate for the first time in a North Carolina uniform. And at first" he looked every bit a rookie.

Strike one whizzed by. Then strike two. It was all Stallings could do just to foul off the third pitch.

But then Stallings showed some poise at the plate and drove a sacrifice fly into left field to score a UNC run Sunday in the Tar Heels' final game against VMI.

""I was nervous as all get-out"" Stallings said after the game. I swung at a curve ball in the dirt and took a fastball right down the middle. But I was just trying to put it in play — I was not going to strike out.""

It was a weekend full of contributions from Tar Heels making their first start as UNC swept the Keydets in its inaugural series in Boshamer Stadium.

Stallings" who got the start at catcher in the final game of the series also drove a hit into right field and recorded his second RBI on a squeeze bunt. And all of that came from the ninth spot in the order.

Another UNC freshman started all three games but his best performance came Friday in his initial game with the Tar Heels. Levi Michael who graduated from high school early to enroll before the season" scored three runs in his first appearance with North Carolina.

Michael had two hits during the weekend and was sound defensively at second base.

""The good part was he looked relaxed and comfortable and kind of played within himself" coach Mike Fox said.

You just never know the first career start first career games at-bats but he played terrific defensively" had some big hits.""

The biggest pop of the weekend for UNC came off the bat of Tarron Robinson" a redshirt freshman who made his first start Saturday.

Robinson son of men's basketball assistant coach Steve Robinson squared one up in the bottom of the seventh. The ball nearly left the yard before bouncing off the base of the left field wall" and Robinson wound up on third base.

""Honestly" off the bat I didn't think I hit it that well but I just kept seeing the left fielder keep going back and going back Robinson said. And then I saw it bounce off the wall" and I just put my head down and started running.""

Robinson finished 1-for-3 with an RBI as the designated hitter. And if Dustin Ackley eventually moves to the outfield"" Robinson could contribute with some power from first base.

""You've got to get those jitters out of the way and get in there and get comfortable"" Fox said. I was pleased with all of our young guys.""



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.