In the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 1 in the North Carolina baseball team’s weekend sweep (2-0, 9-3, 7-5) against Radford, the Tar Heel dugout held its breath.
Though it was a serene afternoon in Chapel Hill, the game was tense. It had been a pitcher’s duel; no doubt about it. UNC's J.B. Bukauskas had already been replaced by the top of the eighth. He exited after allowing just three hits, no runs and striking out 11 in 109 pitches — just another day's work for the Tar Heel ace.
"He does what he does every time he pitches," center fielder Brian Miller said.
Radford's Zack Ridgely was dealing, too, but the Highlander was more efficient than his opponent. He’d only tossed 81 pitches through 7 2/3 innings, and he’d notched seven strikeouts and allowed zero runs on four hits.
There were two out and one on for the Tar Heels. Miller — who was hitless on the day — stood tall in the batter’s box.
He was looking for Ridgely’s slider. He hacked at the third pitch he saw, stretching his bat to the outside part of the plate. Crack.
The Tar Heel dugout froze. The players saw the game hang in the balance. The press box refocused, too; the story of the game floated in the air, after all.
The ball flew right over the 355-foot marker printed on the navy-blue outfield wall in right center. Gone.
Miller hopped in exhilaration after rounding first, and the team met him just outside the batter’s box to congratulate the junior center fielder on his first home run on the season — one that gave UNC a 2-0 lead.
