Tar Heels miss crucial chances in seventh inning

At the hands of the St. John’s Red Storm baseball team, North Carolina’s season ended at Boshamer Stadium Sunday night 9-5.

But the Tar Heels had their chances, plenty of chances, and none better than the bottom of the seventh.

Parks Jordan sparked the rally by bunting for a single leading off the inning and Chaz Frank followed that up by drawing a walk. After Tommy Coyle flew out Colin Moran dropped in a bloop single to load up the bases.

St. John’s coach responded by bringing in James Lomangino.

Jacob Stallings was the first batter that Lomangino faced and with 2296 fans on their feet Stallings drove the count full and fouled off five pitches before drawing a walk. That walk scored Parks Jordan.

The lead was cut to 7-5, but the Tar Heels couldn’t bring any of the other three runners home in the frame.

“We got some guys on,” Stallings said with reddened eyes after the game. “I was able to draw a walk. You just felt like Cody (Stubbs) was going to get a big hit for us. It felt the momentum was in our favor a little bit there but Cody just missed one and Shell (McCain) couldn’t get the barrel on one.”

Cody Stubbs popped one up that was caught by the catcher and Shell McCain struck out swinging on three pitches.

That seventh inning stall made all the difference in the ball game and Blankmeyer knew it.

“I thought that was the key inning,” Blankmeyer said. “To keep them off us after we scored a couple runs. You just want to keep your distance because when it becomes a one-run game it gets tighter in this type of a setting. I thought James did a great job getting those two key outs for us.”

The Tar Heels wouldn’t scratch another run across thanks to the efforts of Lomangino and Stephen Rivera who closed out the game from the mound.

“Steve Rivera has been outstanding the entire season for us,” Blankmeyer said. “He’s been the glue. We have him and Kevin Kilpatrick that really bridge the gap, and we have James – we have basically three bullets to shoot.”

While all season long it has been the North Carolina bullpen that has been winning ballgames it was those three Red Storm bullets that closed the book on UNC’s season.

“Yeah, they did a nice job,” UNC coach Mike Fox said. “Again, we had our opportunities. You know we have guys on and it’s about who makes pitches and who doesn’t, who puts the bat on the ball – who finds a hole. It’s part of the game and you have to give them credit.”