The North Carolina baseball team headed into their final game against ECU carrying a four game winning streak, seemingly carrying a bit of momentum. But, baseball isn't a game of momentum, and after an error-plagued, 1-0 shutout courtesy of the left hand of Neil Love, UNC was thankful to be looking at a six-day exam break.
Senior outfielder Parks Jordan, who had one of the Tar Heels' five hits of the game, talked about the impact that exam week might have had on the players--especially the ones who might be experiencing it for the first time.
"That might have a little bit to do with it," Jordan said. "The young guys in there... it comes with experience, knowing that you've gotta come down here every day and lock in. You know--both offensively and defensively--you can't take a pitch off, can't take a swing off."
Regardless of whether or not players actually took swings and pitches off against the Pirates, the UNC baseball team didn't finish the stretch how they would have liked. Now they have six days to rest, get healthy and prepare for Campbell on May 6.
"It's nice," Jordan said about the upcoming break. "We've got some guys beat up. You know, it's a long season so these next six days off are nice for us to recover and focus strong academically, to finish out good.
"It's good for our bodies to rest this next week."
The timing of the break is especially fortunate for junior shortstop Michael Russell, who came out of the game after grounding out in the bottom of the third inning. On the play, Russell jogged down the first baseline and seemed agitated by something.
According to the team, Russell left the game "for precautionary reasons related to a sore back."
"It does come at a good time," coach Mike Fox said after the game. "Michael's been playing with a sore back for, you know, half the season now. He's just kind of gutted it out.
"And I think it's really tightened up and cramped up on him. He was really hurting over the weekend, but injuries are part of it."
With Russell fighting the back issues, and Wood Myers out for several more weeks after breaking his hand last week, the North Carolina baseball team has to figure out how to deal with injuries to both of their starting middle infielders--both of whom have also been the team's most consistent hitters.
"It gives the other guys an opportunity to step up," Fox said. "I mean Landon's a returner, Skye Bolt's a returner, you know those guys... Parks Jordan, you gotta look to your veterans. Guys who have been there and done that, played in some big games.
"And they've gotta take another step up. They just have to."
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