Baseball: Late hitting woes doom Tar Heels

Down two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning the top three batters of North Carolina's order prepared to face High Point closer Jeremy Berg.

But none of the Tar Heels was prepared for what came next.

Strikeout looking Ben Bunting.

Strikeout swinging Ryan Graepel.

Strikeout looking" Dustin Ackley.

""That never happens to us" third baseman Kyle Seager said after the game. Especially with the three that struck out there" at the top of the order.""

That three-and-out eighth inning put a quick end to UNC's hopes of a response to the Panthers' big frame — and just added to High Point's confidence.

""I mean" we just had momentum going for us Berg said after the game.

Playing well" just trying to keep that rolling and do our jobs every time we got the chance.""

So facing UNC's top three — with a combined batting average of .333 — didn't faze him.

""I mean" I was just concentrating on the next pitch hitting the glove every pitch I got" and I got my job done.""

In the end" it was the play of Berg (two and two-thirds innings pitched one hit" three strikeouts) and the other High Point relievers that thwarted the Tar Heels.

After totalling eight hits in the first five innings — and four in the first two — UNC recorded only two more for the rest of the game.

""Looking back" that's probably where we lost the game. We had their left-hander (starter Brian Jones) off the hook way too many times" coach Mike Fox said.

I thought we should have scored a few more runs earlier in the game and put a bit more pressure on them.""

After Jones came out after the fourth inning"" High Point's three relievers combined to allow only two hits and two runs.

""Those middle innings" those couple guys made some good pitches Seager said. We stalled for a little while" but I felt like we got a few runs across when we needed to.

""And then we just couldn't get anything there at the end.""

Thanks in large part to Berg" who threw 19 of his 27 pitches as strikes and dropped his season ERA to 1.82" the lowest on the team.

""That kid has a good arm. He was pretty tough. You're not used to seeing a guy throw that hard from down that low"" Seager said. He was good.""

As seen in the eighth inning — Berg's first full frame on the mound.

""Ben looks at a close pitch" which he has a tendency to do" Fox said.

And (Berg's) tough on righties — you don't see Dusty do that too many times.

""That gave them some momentum"" certainly. It was a big inning for him. He pitched well.""

And as his defense backed him up in the eighth"" Berg held his team to the lead it had been guarding so fervently since the seventh inning.

""I just wanted to throw the ball as hard as I can in the right spot" pretty much" he said. And it worked. It definitely did.""



Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.