With Elon leading the top-ranked North Carolina baseball team 1-0 after the first inning, the Phoenix faithful began rumbling about a potentially historic upset for the Southern Conference team.
Unfortunately for the visitors, that dream quickly disappeared.
From that point onward, the Tar Heels outscored the visitors 14-4 on the way to a 14-5 victory to push their overall record to 36-2, improving upon the best start in program history.
UNC also continued its perfect 21-0 record against nonconference foes.
With each win, the target on UNC’s back grows bigger and bigger. But senior outfielder and Chaz Frank says his team can handle the pressure.
“Every in-state team that comes in here wants to beat us,” Frank said. “This is like the World Series for them, and we’ve had some disappointments in previous years with midweek games.
“But this team has just been really consistent — that’s the difference — and is coming out and playing its butt off every game.”
The Tar Heels only needed until the second inning to respond to Elon’s one-run advantage and build a 6-1 lead of their own.
The inning started with Cody Stubbs walking and snowballed from there. Mike Zolk lined a hit down the third base line to score Stubbs and tie the game. Two walks and an Elon error loaded the bases with the red-hot Colin Moran coming to the plate.
