North Carolina baseball team's bullpen struggles continue

Zac Gallen tried to keep things upbeat Friday night after the North Carolina baseball team’s 4-3 loss to No. 15 Miami, the first game of a series UNC lost 3-4, 3-4, 10-3.

The sophomore right-handed pitcher had just thrown seven strong innings against Miami (20-9, 8-4 ACC) but had to watch from the dugout in the ninth as junior Trent Thornton looked for the save.

Thornton allowed two of the first three batters to reach. Then a wild pitch to advance them. Two batters later, Miami had taken a 4-3 lead.

No. 22 UNC (16-11, 6-6 ACC) had squandered a two-run lead, and after they were unable to retain it in the bottom of the frame, many fans were left scratching their heads.

Gallen chalked it up to the nature of the game.

“The ball bounces one way one night. I mean, it’s just the way it is,” he said. “You’ve gotta have short-term memory in this game.”

And as the second game wore on Saturday, it looked like Gallen’s sentiments would ring true. UNC got another solid outing out of its starter, freshman J.B. Bukauskas, who allowed just two hits and one run in seven innings. The offense scratched across a run of its own, and it looked like the Tar Heels might win.

But again, here came the ninth inning. Here came the bullpen.

Trevor Kelley allowed a run to put Miami up 2-1. UNC wouldn’t go down quietly, though, plating a run on a Zack Gahagan single with two outs.

The next two innings would see two more UNC relievers allow a run, including Thornton, who gave Miami a 3-2 advantage in the 10th. UNC would tie the score again in the bottom of the 10th, but couldn’t muster any more offense in the 11th, dropping the game 3-4.

Bukauskas took the same path as Gallen after Saturday’s loss. “You can’t get too frustrated about it. I mean they’re teammates — you fight with all of them the whole season,” he said.

Coach Mike Fox took a different route.

“I don’t think there’s anything more our starters can do. I really don’t,” Fox said. “Our bullpen has got to improve. They know it, and they’re trying hard, but I think we’re really missing Reilly Hovis.”

With the series already in Miami’s hands, the Tar Heels headed into Sunday’s game looking to salvage anything they could. And through an offensive explosion, including nine runs in the first three innings, UNC kept the game out of reach and out of the hands of its relievers.

“I think it honestly gave the bullpen confidence,” said Benton Moss, who started Sunday. “They had nothing to fear and came in and just pounded the zone.”

sports@dailytarheel.com