Bullpen struggles plague Diamond Heels in series loss against East Carolina

For over 13 innings, the Diamond Heels seemed to be in control.

In a two-game series against East Carolina, the Tar Heels found themselves on the brink of sweeping the weekend. But in both contests, three-run leads slipped away late from UNC’s bullpen, as seventh and eighth-inning rallies in the respective games helped the No. 11 Pirates prevail in both outings, 6-5.

“I’m a firm believer that you improve the most through failure, even though it sucks,” head coach Scott Forbes said. “There’s no team that I’ve ever been a part of that’s like a championship-type team that doesn’t overcome some tough losses.”

Friday’s series opener featured North Carolina’s first game away from Boshamer Stadium. 

The Diamond Heels were welcomed by a record crowd of over 6,000 people in Greenville. In addition to purple and gold packing the inside of Clark-LeClair Stadium, thousands of fans crowded on the elevated turf along the outfield wall, a place many know as the "Williams Jungle."

In the fiery pitcher's duel — one highlighted by junior Max Carlson’s nine strikeouts over seven innings of scoreless work — UNC’s offense seemed to have scraped enough runs behind the slugger of Jackson Van De Brake. For the Tacoma Community College transfer, the entire weekend served as the first big-time atmosphere for him, something that didn’t fluster the junior second baseman.

“You know this scale, I haven’t really played in it, but it’s what you always dream of,” Van De Brake said. “It’s not something you’re intimidated of, it’s something that you look forward to.”

Clinging to a three-run lead in the eighth inning, Forbes turned to North Carolina’s bullpen to close out the potential statement win on the road. 

What soon turned into a nightmarish frame for the Diamond Heels — an inning that saw ECU plate a half dozen runs — North Carolina required a quartet of new faces on the mound to tally the inning’s three outs.

“Guys are coming in at ECU and there’s 6,000 fans screaming down your neck — like throwing slurs out there that you don’t want to hear,” junior pitcher Connor Bovair said. “For those young guys to go in there and be able to experience that on a bad side, they have nothing to fear now.”

Sunday’s series finale seemed to follow a similar script.

The Tar Heels opened up a three-run lead behind their long ball prowess, and Bovair kept the Pirates’ offense at bay. Once UNC’s starting arm trotted off into the dugout, Forbes turned to his young bullpen. 

East Carolina again capitalized on UNC’s inexperience, scoring four runs in the seventh inning to take a lead ECU would never relinquish. Forbes said being on the wrong side of both rallies will only help his bullpen grow, even if it comes at the cost of losing.

“It’s good for them,” he said. “You can’t simulate these types of games. I mean, both places were sold out. That was as much of a regional or super regional atmosphere as there is.”

For Bovair, watching the Tar Heels’ bullpen collapse for the second straight game brought back memories from his sophomore campaign.

A season ago, the now-starting pitcher was in the same shoes of those fresh faces for UNC. After surrendering a walk-off grand slam at Virginia last April, Bovair said he knows what it feels like when others think “he can’t get outs and stuff.” 

North Carolina never trailed with a starting pitcher on the mound against the Pirates. When a relief man was on the bump, the Diamond Heels only led for a single frame.

Looking merely at the box score, it’s easy to point the blame for both losses solely on the bullpen. But as Bovair and Forbes noted, doing such doesn’t do any good — especially since those same arms will be called upon all season long.

“Later this season, we’re going to be pointing fingers at them to get big outs,” Bovair said. “And they’re going to get those outs.”

@evanr0gers

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