Tar Heels take opening series

The North Carolina baseball team opened the Boshamer Stadium doors for business and hosted an offensive explosion this weekend.

The Xavier Musketeers combined with the Tar Heels to score 52 runs on 70 hits in the three-game series.

After splitting the doubleheader Friday, North Carolina came back Saturday afternoon with 16 runs to take the series two games to one.

“It was kind of a crazy weekend,” coach Mike Fox said. “I mean, trying to start off with a doubleheader and playing so late and that game today — a lot happened … I can’t even remember yesterday’s doubleheader now with all that fiasco today.”

After giving up the early lead in the nightcap Friday, the Tar Heels couldn’t catch back up to the Musketeers and dropped the game 10-4. In response, North Carolina came out energized in the series finale and put up six runs in the first inning.

“We were definitely disappointed after the second game yesterday and we knew the momentum was on their side,” shortstop Tommy Coyle said.

“We had to come out swinging today and we did, but they came right back. We knew it was going to be a battle.”

Xavier answered right back in the second frame by rattling freshman starter Benton Moss for four earned runs on three hits before he could register an out.

Pitching coach Scott Forbes then started a parade of Tar Heel pitchers. Four pitching changes later, the Musketeers had taken the lead with an eight-run inning.

The Tar Heels had another big inning in the fourth with five runs to take the lead for good on the way to a 16-10 win. The fourth inning spark was fueled by back-to-back doubles from Tom Zengel and Mike Zolk.

“Once I got myself in a 3-2 count, I’m just trying to put the ball in play and score a run and I ended up getting a double down the line,” Zolk said.

That offensive spurt coupled with three strong innings of relief from R.C. Orlan put the Tar Heels comfortably out in front.

Orlan, a lefty, earned the win after replacing Chris Munnelly in the fourth inning and promptly striking out the first batter he faced. He went on to strike out three more batters while giving up just two hits.

“We kept saying, ‘Somebody’s got to come in and give us more than an inning or an out or two outs or we’re going to run out of pitching before the ninth inning’,” Fox said.

“R.C.’s really, really improved. He went 3-2 on a couple of guys, last year he would have walked them … I thought R.C. was the key to the game without question.”

Kent Emanuel picked up the win in the season opener on Friday afternoon going six innings and giving up just two runs. Emanuel had the longest stint on the mound of any of the 12 pitchers to take part in the series.

Freshman starters Chris O’Brien and Moss, who started games two and three respectively, ran into some hungry Xavier bats and had relatively short performances.

Despite the rough outings, Fox said he’s sticking with his young arms.

“I’d be really surprised if we changed anything. You have to be really careful, especially early, about sending the wrong message, and I don’t like to do that,” Fox said.

“You have to give ‘em a little longer leash.”

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@dailytarheel.com.