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The Tar HeelThursday, June 8, 198913 I ' I : - Sports Tar Heds drop two straight no Series Losses to Florida .St., Arkansas eliminate scrappy UNC squad By REGGIE ALSTON Staff Writer UNC head baseball coach Mike Roberts would be the first to admit that his 1989 Tar Heel squad didn't feature a host of All-Americas or early round draft picks. But that is hardly solace for the coach whose team was bounced from the eight-team, double-elimination College World Series in Omaha, Neb., after the minimum number of games. "We're not satisfied," said Roberts, back in Chapel Hill after his eighth seeded team was eliminated by losses to top-seeded Florida State 4-2 on June 2, and to fifth-seeded Arkansas 7-3 two days later. "We knew we had opportunities to win." Opportunity number one came in the form of an early lead against FSU with Tar Heel ace John Thoden on the mound. After center fielder Tom Nevin grounded out to start the game, UNC got back-to-back singles from desig nated hitter Brad Woodall and right fielder Ron Maurer, and a walk to catcher Jesse Levis to load the bases against Seminole starting pitcher Gar Finnvold, The next batter, second baseman Dave Arendas, rocketed a pitch up the middle that deflected of Finnvold's glove to the shortstop, who stepped on second to force Levis as Woodall scored. Todd Nichols flied out to center to end the inning. 'That first inning was the turning point in the game," said UNC pitch ing coach Mark Halvorsen. "If that ball goes by (Finn void) it's a base hit, we score a second run and save ourselves an out. "Against a team like Florida State we knew one run wasn't going to be enough, but (scoring first) gives you momentum." South Regional MVP Thoden, 12 0 with a 2.35 ERA heading into the CWS, could not hold the momentum or the lead very long as FSU desig nated hitter Buddy Crib blasted an 0 1 offering over the Rosenblatt Sta dium right-field wall to tie the score in the bottom of the second. The Seminoles added two more earned runs in the third and an un earned run in the seventh to lead 4-1 . Meanwhile, Finnvold, 9-3 with a 2.55 ERA before the CWS, settled down after the first and stymied the North Carolina bats, facing the mini mum number of batters through the seventh. UNC rallied in the eighth behind a lead-off single by right fielder Dar ren Viliani and a walk to shortstop Steve Estroff. After a successful sac rifice bunt by third baseman Ryan Howison chased Finnvold, hard throwing bullpen stopper Bruce Kimball hit Maurer with a 3-2 fast ball to load the bases. Woodall then hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Viliani. Kimball retired the batters in or der in the ninth to notch his ninth save. "Thoden pitched very, very well for us," said Halvorsen. "He proba bly wouldn't admit it, but he was probably physically worn out. His stuff and his control were not as sharp. His location and mental approach kept him in the game." Opportunity number two came in the form of a trick play the Tar Heels used successfully five times this spring. With a runner on second, two out, and the score tied 3-3 in the bottom of the eighth against Arkansas, North Carolina pulled the old hidden-ball trick to get out of the inning or so it seemed. After a conference at the mound, second baseman Arendas returned to his position with the ball and tagged the Razorbacks' Greg D' Alexander i '111 II 1 II iymyo p U "- "It nSi I y pit 4 The Tar Heels were down and when he strayed off base. But home plate umpire Bruce Ravan said he had called timeout to dust home plate, wiping out the play. The rules state that once a timeout is called, the ball cannot be put in play until the pitcher is holding it while standing on the rubber. Arkansas broke the game open after the controversy with four runs on four hits off Jim Dougherty, who was in relief of starter, and losing pitcher Michael Hoog, 3-5. Mike Oquist, 10-5, got the win in relief. "We certainly didn't lose the world series because of a timeout," said We '11 Put X tUlyf 1 f M j J iMl JTJLJSIAM lII IOf 11 You can choose two from: a dry bar ceiling fan miniblinds designer wallpaper microwave 2-bedroom Come Home Hwy 54 23 1. 1 , . .9 M S t out after Arkansas eliminated them Halvorsen. "We had our oppertuni ties, we just didn't cash in. "Give credit to Arkansas; they struggled at first, but they handled (Hoog) the way they had to wait on his pitches and go to the opposite field some." Said Roberts, whose Tar Heels finished the season with a 41-18-1 record, the third most wins in school history: "It's just one of those things. The other three umpires didn't know time had been called. I guess our timing was not good. "But I don't want to take anything away from Arkansas, they're a great team." the Finishing .385 3 bedroom $500 To r"arf3 APARTMENTS 1" ...under new on-sile management ByPass 929-2139 from the College World Series Roberts had some praise for his own spirited team. "Physically we're average in many ways, but we had great team chemis try and a winning attitude," Roberts said. "John Thoden and Jesse Levis gave a lot of leadership. "(We proved) it doesn't take five superstars and three first-round draft picks to go to the College World Series. It takes youngsters who care about each other and play well to gether." American Hoart J Association rr "1 no
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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