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PAGE 16 smmmmmn DAVID MOSES YOUR BOY There’s no tying in baseball As Sunday’s baseball game ended, UNO’s radio announcer summed it up perfectly. “What a stupid ending.” He couldn’t have been more right. After giving up a combined 35 runs in the first two games of its series against Miami, UNO was in position to win the third and final game. But due to a travel curfew, both teams were forced to end the game deadlocked at seven. It was the first time a game has ended in a tie for Tar Heels since 1989. Because Miami had to head back to Coral Gables on the last flight out at 6:45, it was decided before the game that no inning could be started after 4:15. It was almost as if the game was being played according to schedule, as the 10th inning started at literally 4:14. When the fans at Boshamer Stadium heard that the game would end in a draw if no out come was decided, a chorus of boos rained down from the stands. Little kids even yelled at the Hurricanes to finish what they started. While no team can be assigned the blame for Sunday’s bizarre > finish, something should have been done to prevent such a moronic ending. “I don’t know what to think, to be honest with you,” said Miami coach Jim Morris. “I can’t remember the last time we had a game stopped like that with a tie. You don’t want to walk out of here with a tie. You want your team to win.” No baseball game, especially one between two top-10 teams, should end in a draw. With the previous two games in the series each lasting well over 3 1/2 hours, Sunday’s start could have been pushed up an hour to accommodate for the possibility of this scenario. Game times are changed all the time for possible inclement weather, so why not push up the start so the game actually has a final outcome? This would have worked per fectly with the television cover age of the game, as the start on ESPNU was tape-delayed and not scheduled to begin until 4 p.m. The tie also wasted a spectacu lar outing from UNC closer Matt Danford. Danford pitched an unbeliev able 61/3 innings out of the bullpen, but it was essentially all for naught. “You obviously don’t want to leave with a tie, especially with two losses earlier in the series,” Danford said. “Coming out with a tie, it leaves a little bit of a bitter taste in your mouth. After all the hard work and great plays... you want to come through with a win.” The game marked an ugly end to an ugly weekend for the Tar Heels, as they were basically swept at home. UNC headed into the week end with supposedly one of the best if not the best pitching staffs in the country, but their two aces were absolutely crushed in their starts. Neither Andrew Miller nor Daniel Bard could get out of the third inning. While UNC came into the weekend ranked higher in the polls, Miami showed that it doesn’t just rely on two players, as the Hurricanes put forward a lull team effort all weekend. And Miami proved that it is a better team than North Carolina, even if the partisan crowd didn’t think so. From the crowd’s reaction, it seemed that not many people even knew a tie was possible in baseball. With the way their team was . playing, the fans were lucky to get that much. , Contact David Moses at dmoses@email.unc.edu. Sports Monday WOMEN'S TENNIS Georgia Tech 5 UNC 2 Mixon to accept Panthers job BY BRIAN MACPHERSON SENIOR WRITER Another member of the North Carolina basketball family has turned pro. Tar Heel Sports Network broadcast er Mick Mixon has accepted an offer to become the play-by-play voice of the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, a source close to the negotiations said Sunday. No contract has been signed, and an announcement is not immediately forthcoming, but Mixon will assume his new position for the 2005 season. UNC BARELY AVOIDS ’CANE SWEEP BY BRIAN MACPHERSON SENIOR WRITER North Carolina had put itself in position to win, to salvage a single victory from a series in which its pitchers couldn’t find the strike zone and its fielders couldn’t find the ball. But despite a sensational effort from relief pitcher Matt Danford and timely contributions from hitters up and down the lineup Sunday, the No. 7 Tar Heels ran out of time literally. Miami’s travel schedule forced both teams to agree on a self imposed curfew no inning would begin after 4:15 p.m., and though the score was 7-7 after 10 innings, that’s the way the BASEBALL Miami 7 UNC 7 10 INNINGS Miami 18 UNC 9 Miami 17 UNC 7 game ended. “It’s disappointing,” said UNC coach Mike Fox. “We had a chance to win the game, and we probably should have won the game.” The bizarre end to the series finale overshadowed a weekend in which the No. 9 Hurricanes pounded just about every North Carolina pitcher it faced through two games. And if Danford normally the team’s closer hadn’t quelled the storm in the middle innings of Sunday’s game, UNC (28-8-1,11- 4-1 in the ACC) likely would have been swept in their own building. “We’re a little frustrated,” said Tar Heel designated hitter Matt Ellington. “It was an emotional weekend for all of us.” Andrew Miller, who entered the weekend with a 1.10 ERA, lasted just 2 1/3 innings Friday and allowed seven earned runs on three hits and eight walks as the Hurricanes (29-9-1, 13-4-1) cruised to a 17-7 victory. Daniel Bard didn’t fare much better Saturday, as he allowed five SEE BASEBALL, PAGE 14 Terrapins trounce No. 6 Tar Heels Be IfliU Wk Wj DTH/BRANDON SMITH North Carolina midfielder lisa Leon fumbles the ball during the Tar Heels' 14-7 loss to Maryland on Saturday. UNC had 21 turnovers in the game. www.dthonline.com | MEN’S TENNIS Georgia Tech 4 UNC 3 Mixon, who graduated from UNC in 1980, just completed his 16th season as the color analyst for the Tar Heels’ foot ball and men’s basketball contests. He has worked as an instructor in the University’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, where he teaches sportswriting seminars. Mixon occasionally freelanced for Fox Sports Net he broadcast the ACC field hockey championship this season —and he writes for Tar Heel Monthly magazine. He won the N.C. Sportscaster of the mm m.- - - ±_; I DTH/ASHLIE WHITE North Carolina pitcher Matt Danford (center) hurls a pitch during his 6.1 innings of strong relief work Sunday in UNC's 7-7 tie against Miami. Errors help team drop series BY GABRIELLE DE ROSA SENIOR WRITER Two weeks ago North Carolina baseball coach Mike Fox said it would only be a matter of time before the Tar Heels’ errors would cost them entire games. Maybe Fox should look into a career in fortune telling. Still, after the team commit ted six errors against Virginia in UNC’s last home series, its 13 errors —a season high in this weekend’s three-game series with Miami wasn’t a total surprise. Year Award in 1999 and 2004 and is an honorary member of the ACC Football Officials Association. Mixon joined the Tar Heel Sports Network in 1989 after a stint as sports director at WIS Radio in Columbia, S.C. He also has worked as the play-by play voice of minor-league baseball’s Maine Guides and as the sports direc tor of WCGC Radio in Belmont. According to a report in The Charlotte Observer, the Panthers also were considering former Detroit Lions play-by-play broadcaster Mark In the top of the ninth Sunday, with two outs, a runner on third and UNC leading 7-6, Hurricane John Jay nailed a sharp grounder through the legs of third base man Reid Fronk. Danny Figueroa scored from third, tying the game at 7- But Fronk, who also made a costly error on base in the bottom of the tenth, was not alone in his mistakes; his teammates agreed he didn’t deserve all the blame. “(Fronk’s) going to be fine,” said senior Justin Webb. “He’s a BY BRIANA GORMAN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR North Carolina goalkeeper Kristen Hordy hit her stick against the ground in frustra tion. Fifteen seconds later after another Maryland goal Hordy once again slammed her stick into turf. Hordy’s exasperation epito mized Saturday’s game for the Tar Heels as they fell to the Terrapins 14-7 at Henry Stadium. “I’m pissed,” Hordy said. “They just played so much WOMEN'S LACROSSE Maryland 14 UNC 7 better than we did.” Although the No. 6 Tar Heels (11-4, 2-2 in the ACC) jumped to an early 2-1 lead in the first half, it would be the only time they would hold the advantage. The No. 9 Iferps went on a seven-goal scoring streak to close the first half 8-2. “I don’t think we played a good team defensive game (Saturday),” said UNC coach Jenny Levy. “We were trying to rely on the one-on one, and that’s not really what this defense is all about.” Maryland’s ability to win draw controls in the first half contrib uted to its offensive success as it won eight, compared to UNC’s three. The two Terrapin goals that came within 15 seconds of each other were scored on consecutive MEN'S LACROSSE UNC 11 UMBC 5 Champion for their vacant broadcast ing position. The job became available when the Panthers declined to renew the con tract of Bill Rosinski, who had served as the team’s play-by-play man since the team’s inception in 1995. According to the Observer’s report, the Panthers’ veteran radio voice, Jim Szoke, will remain part of the broad cast team for the upcoming season. Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu. good player, he’ll be ready next time. So not all bad, some posi tive comes out of it.” It all began Friday in the top of the second, when starting pitcher Andrew Miller’s thro.jv to keep Figueroa at first missed, sending him to second. Figueroa scored on UNC’s second error when Ryan Braun hit to third baseman Fronk, who failed to field the ball, giving Miami a 6-3 lead. The Tar Heels would total four errors for the day. draw controls won by Maryland (8-6,2-2). But after the Terps scored another quick goal after the half, the Tar Heel offense woke up. UNC sophomore Christina Juras fired a shot into the upper-right corner of the goal to spark a four goal Tar Heel run to bring the game to 9-6. “If you win draw controls, you’re going to have the momentum of the game,” said senior Allison Higgins. “We came out after half time wanting the draw controls, and we got them. And that just really helped our team gain confidence to get the ball in the back of net.” All four of those UNC goals came within three minutes of each other, but as quickly as the Tar Heels gained momentum, they lost it. Maryland’s Delia Cox scored her third goal of the game to halt North Carolina’s run. The Tar Heels only managed one more goal in the second half, and it came from Juras, who led the team with four goals. Attacker Higgins stood behind the net and fired a pass to Juras, who rocketed a shot into the goal to put the game at 10-7. “We didn’t playour game today, but Maryland definitely took advantage of that and played very ’well,” Higgins said. SEE LACROSSE, PAGE 14 Sty? SaiUj (Ear Mrri APRIL 18, 2005 - jHB North Carolina broadcaster Mick Mixon now will call Panthers games. “I’ve been in that situation before and made an error,” Fox said. “You go put your arm around (the player), that’s what you do. In the whole scheme of things, it’s really insignificant.” Some of the more embarrass ing blunders came in Saturday’s game. With runners on first and sec ond in the top of the first, left fielder Jay Cox fielded a sharp grounder, but his throw home SEE ERRORS, PAGE 14 inside TUNEUP Fast Times meet gears up track for ACC Tournament PAGE 13 LAYING IT DOWN Softball loses to Virginia on final inning squeeze bunt PAGE 13 * DTH/BRANDON MAYNARD The North Carolina offense got going Sunday, but it wasn't enough to top Virginia in the 7-6 loss, clinched in the last inning. INSIDE RETURN TO THE BENCH Matt Doherty will reportedly coach Florida Atlantic PAGE 14 SECOND TO NONE UNC's second varsity eight triumps at SIRAs PAGE 13
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