Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / July 3, 2008, edition 1 / Page 9
Part of Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
ahr Saily Cor Hrrl Looking back on ’OB baseball BY POWELL LATIMER SPORTS EDITOR Talk about consistency. North Carolina went a third straight season of dominating the ACC and regular season and reached the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., for a third straight time. But for a third straight time, they came up short of a national championship. Despite not winning to close out the season, UNC coach Mike Fox was named Coach of the Year by Baseball America magazine. Fox’s honor is the cherry on top of a seasons worth of dominance from the Diamond Heels. “The thing that swayed us was -the fact that he turned a program Jhat was an afterthought in this •area into a national contender," said Aaron Fitt, Baseball America's national writer. ‘He's done a terrific job this sea son; it’s so difficult to achieve that "kind of consistency." Fox is the first ACC coach in the award’s 28-year history to earn the ‘honor. The Tar Heels entered the 2008 season without an on-cam pus home, as Boshamer Stadium .underwent massive renovations. * Asa result, the team spent the season traveling 18 miles down •the roatl to a makeshift home field at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary even playing White blossoms into hero of 2008 BY POWELL LATIMER •SPORTS EDITOR Alex White, North Carolina’s right-handed ace, w’as asked yet again after defeating LSU in the opening game of this year's College World Series: What changed? “They’re just not gonna let you forget last year, are they. Alex?“ coach Mike Fox chuckled. Though anyone who watched the UNC's 14-4 loss to Rice in last year’s series will remember the freshman’s epic flameout of a five hit, six-run second inning. White seems to have no memory of it. That wiry freshman became a powerful sophomore and blazed Omaha. Neb., in 2008 -with three wins, tying a College World Series record. Three times in Omaha, White came in for middle relief unusual for him, the regular Friday starter for UNC —and each time managed to get out of a bases-loaded jam. “Last year he’d walk a couple of AMBER ALLEY FROM PAGE 3 Some who frequently use the alley are concerned about what ren ovations might do to the character of the alleyway, and some question if they are necessary at all. * Kirk Francis, who recently grad uated from UNC, said he doesn't think the alley is too unsafe to use. “I think the stairs kind of weed .out anyone who would be suscepti CNORTH ‘FROM PAGE 3 the campus is not expected to raise enough revenues for the sen-ices it will require lor any portion of the 20-year time horizon considered. And town officials noticed that when accounting for job movement, consultants had failed to ‘backfiir new employees on the main UNC campus, resulting in underreported impacts, a sign that the numerous variables involved in the study could be interpreted several wavs. But Tischlerßise models predict that indirect revenues will more than offset these costs to the surround ing communities, a goal luuied by University officials on the project ‘lt's one of the most incredibly LIGHT RAIL FROM PAGE 3 rail system in Charlotte, which opened in December 2007, has been 136 percent higher than estimated. Charlotte funded its light-rail system with state and federal 'grants, as well as a half-cent sales Sax akin to the commission's pro posed hike for the Triangle. The recent transit proposal fol lows a Triangle Transit Authority jplan that was proposed in 1995 and in 2006. At that time, the TTA an SBIO million light-rail System to connect Durham and JChapel Hill. The failed plan wasn’t Thangle wde, and the projected ridership were too low to justify its commission co-hair <man George Cianciolo told The *Daily Tar Heel in February. * Staff Writer Greg Smith contributed reporting. % Contact the State E? National * Editor at stntdesk@ unc.edu. their regional and super regional NCAA games there. UNC ended the season with a 54-14 record, tying for the second most wins in program history. North Carolina went 30-6 at home and 17-4 on the road during the regular season. The Tar Heels did not lose any weekend series during the season, sweeping the ACC. That included taking two of three games from then-No.l Miami in Coral Gables, Fla., and two of three from then- No. 3 Florida State in Cary. “There’s a lot of parity in col lege baseball, as you’ve heard us say. It's difficult getting here (to Omaha)," Fox said after the NCAA Tournament. “We're not patting ourselves on the back. Our league prepared us for this level of competition." Perhaps Fox’s capping achieve ment from his award-winning sea son was the success he engineered from UNC’s bullpen. Decimated after the losses of All-America closer Andrew Carignan and start ers Robert Woodard and Luke Putkonen, UNC seemingly had precious little to build on. But somehow the North Carolina bullpen rose to the occasion, emerg ing as the nation's best. Bombshell closer Rob Wooten led, finishing the season with an ERA of 2.92, and Brian Moran and Colin Bates became stud middle relievers. guv’s, give up a hit here and there, ... it would just kinda snowball into this big inning." said Aaron Fitt. Baseball America magazine's national writer. “This year he’d walk a guy here or there, but he’d work around the damage and be back on track the next inning." Whites performance in Omaha rocketed him into the national spotlight as one of the top pros pects in the 2009 draft. “He’s starting to scratch the sur face," Fitt said. “He’s got so much pro jection in that frame, a big pitcher's body. I would be really surprised at this point if he’s not a top-five pick." White’s postseason wizardry was the culmination of a season’s worth of excellence. For the year. White went 13-3 with a 2.83 ERA. After his dismal outing in Omaha in 2007, White spent the offseason improving his command with his slider and added a split fingered fastball. Though White was always quick ble to falling in wet conditions,’ he said. "But 1 guess the stairs would be hazardous when wet’ Charles Jones, who grew up in Durham, has been using Amber Alley almost all of his life. “I’ve never been worried about slipping and falling or anything," Jones said. “I like the fact that it feels funky. It’s old Chapel Hill. I’d miss the old stairs if they took them out" Jones said a lack of lighting shouldn’t be such a concern any- fruitful economic development proj ects I’ve ever seen," said Jesse White, director of the office of econmic and business development at the University and a member of Car Jin? North's oversight committee. “It’s very clean, it’s non pollut ing, it’s high tech," he continued. “It’s the project almost every com munity in the country would kill for. I see it as a win-win for the University, the city, the county, the region and the state." Defining ‘benefits’ A significant point of misun derstanding sprang from the term “benefits" to describe effects that could accrue ffr m development. The quirk of semantics irked some town officials. “I think there are some under lying differences in what we con sider to be benefits," said Carrboro Alderman Jacquelyn Gist “You talk about adding a bunch of new hous ing units and that's not necessarily a benefit to us." Impacts are projected to extend well beyond local towns, extend ing in a "sphere of influence’ that stretches to Wake Forest and north as far as Roxboro. Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. Safe shopping from home Shop from the safety of your home or office wwwrobertiamesgifts.com Ads by Google DTH/DAVtD ENARSON North Carolina's Tim Fedroff takes a swing in the Cary Super Regional. Fedroff hit .524 (12-22) in the NCAA Tournament, including 12 RBI. With starting pitching, UNC watched Alex White emerge as one of the best pitchers in colle giate baseball. White went 13-3 on the season. Offensively, Dustin Ackley and Tim Fedroff both enjoyed huge seasons behind the plate. Ackley's 116-hit record was second-best in both school history and the nation Fedroffs 115 straight were third in school history and in the nation. Both players hit better than .400 for the season and, additionally, turned up the postseason heat. Ackley and Fedroff ended the year with hitting streaks of 13 and 16 games, respectively. ■n Sophomore Alex White became North Carolina's best pitcher over the course of the season. to talk about the movement of his favorite “splitty," his success might have had more to do with the fact that by the end of the season, the sophomore could locate a 96 mph pitch anywhere he wanted. White’s heat was even enough to outlast the humidity in Cary the site of UNC’s regional anil super-regional games. And White pitched a complete game against UNC-Wilmington in the second game of the regional. Through the course of nine blis tering innings, White struck out eight and allowed only one run in one of UNC's most dominating performances of the year. way. “If my daughter was coming home from the bars at 2:30, I'd tell her not to take an alley anywhere." Draper said one of the main challenges of the renovation proj ect is to make the walkway safer but “keep the old flavor." “We’re trying our best not to change the character," he said. “Just clean it up." Contact the City Editor at citydaik@unc.edu. STIPENDS FROM PAGE 3 But some student leaders are content to fulfill their position and do not expect any compensation. “I don’t think the job would be any easier if I were paid." said James Shelly, senior class presi dent. “It would be nice, but it isn’t something that is a big deal for me. I think the position will pay divi dends in lots of other ways." Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu. FRI 4:20, 7:00 only 7:00, 9:20, SAT-SUN 2:00, 4:20 Get Smart FRI 4:30, 7:15 onlv 7:15,9:30, SAT-SUN 2:15, 4:30 *A Blast Of Unadulterated Movie Pleasure* I __ RL —, f £?. A Hichlmut T... P -jRt PILMGOWC TKAKSoPAB. uprise | 7:10,9:20, SAT-SUN 2:10,4:20 m ***** wk W SS&igSSSSiXSi % ■tROMANKGACfI 7:00,9:10, SAT-SUN 2:00,4:10 OSS 117 7:20. 9:30, SAT-SUN 2:20, 4:30 News Senior Chad Flack broke the UNC record for career hits, finish ing his career with 328, including 76 this season, and setting the NCAA record for career at-bats in Omaha with 73. UNC’s class of 2008 finished as the winningest in program history. Through each of the last three years, UNC has racked up at least 50 wins and has a total of 165 wins between 2006 and 2008. No other team in the nation boasts three straight 50-win seasons for the past three years. Contact the Sports Editor at sports (a unc.edu Then again against Coastal Carolina in the super regional. White blazed through seven innings, giving up only three runs and striking out six. “They’re a great team; best pitching staff in the nation," CCU’s Tommy Baldridge said after that game. “Pitching like that, a couple runs is really not going to win." White’s three straight relief appearances this year were almost enough to lead UNC to another championship series. If he works this offseason as he did last, he will return next year as possibly the best pitcher in college baseball. Contact the Sports Editor at sports (a unc.edu games VJWgU " vJS-2 I muautf reams t r n.rn+*m.tr, m t 2008 The Mepham Group All rights reserved Level: H[7][T|[T| TRIBUNE _______________ MEDIA SERVICES 4 I 9 ■ j [ 7 Complete the grid ; _ _ so each row, column Ii I d. 3 and 3-by-3 box (in I ; _ _ I | bold borders) con f 6 5 tains every digit 1 ' _____ ' to 9 3 18 9 1 * ; ._j _ Solution to 9 2 last weeks' puzzle f 9 4 7 1 1 6 5 1 2 8 3 8 2 3 4 163298 7 4 5 ■ 852734916 4 1 7 39 8 4 12 65 7 j i I } 27465 98 3 1 255163 87 4 2 9 j 17398 4 1 5 6 2 Q: "7 6 8 5 9 2 3 1 7 4 the heck are) DTH -n x Classifieand O Q bringing people together (where the heck'are "j 919-962-1163 ! ' C 9°in9 t° find an THE Daily Crossword Edited by Wayne Robert Williams ACROSS 1 Bagnold and Blyton 6 Racing sled 10 Soup serving 14 Twelve: pref 15 Uniform in all direc tions 17 Celestial simians? 19 Aware of 20 Bulk 21 Nail hitter 24 Open container 25 Tampa Bay pro 28 Mideast nat 29 Celestial zanies? 33 Lodging chain 36 Baker or Loos 37 Celestial warfare? 40 Peachy keen! 42 Having a love of beau ty 45 Celestial E.T.? 48 Afore 49 One heart, e g 50 Attention getter 51 Hepburn of Hollywood 54 Actress Gilpin 56 City on the Aker River 57 Celestial visi tor? 64 Got drunk 65 Minneapolis suburb 66 Chart toppers 67 Cogito _ sum 68 Actress Winona [clMwlpkM*lAmlTßglwli|Tl This one looks like a job for the Underdog Alright, that’s it. I’m boycot ting covering UNC sports. Consider this my resigna tion letter of sorts. Move me to City Desk. I’m tired of this. The decision was made about 20 minutes after Tvwon Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green made UNC the most favored team in the history of NCAA basketball. I can’t take it. Do you have any idea how boring it’ll be to watch the dream team in Chapel Hill roll over teams such as Clemson? Seriously. You can only w rite a “UNC won by 40" story like 15 times before you get an aneurism trying to be creative. The juggernaut thing is some thing that UNC has rocked for quite some time. Since 1953, there have been two count it, two losing seasons for UNC basketball. Yeah, I know, one of those was 200 l’s 8-20 quagmire of a season. But I think the three Final Fours and one national championship makes up for that, maybe. Or the 19 national champion ships in women's soccer. Or the undefeated field hockey national championship this year. Or the annual trips to Omaha, Neb., for UNC’s baseball team. Don’t give me dominance. Dominance is boring. Give me a Fresno State, impossible under dogs. I watched those guys play four games in Omaha, and every time I looked at the box score and wondered. “How the hell did they just win that game?" It made no sense. And that's the best port. Statistics are made to be defied. Averages are made simply to show when someone goes above and beyond. Give me Turkey and their improbable run to the semi finals of Euro 2008. Give me playing a forward at goalie. Give me any one of those stop page-time goals. Don’t give me some powerhouse such as Italy or Germany. If I’m gonna watch 25 Raised bubble 26 Most remote, briefly 27 R E Lee s nat 30 School grp 31 One of the Three B's 32 Huber of tennis 34 Cost per unit 35 Press 38 Half a fly? 39 Military command 40 Catch red-handed 41 Yale booster 43 High dudgeon 44 Ron of the hot comer DOWN 1 Key-punch bus. 2 Lon _ of Cambodia 3 Director Lupino 4 Durable fabric 5 Act subdivision 6 Maned cat 7 Tampa sch 8 Grotesque genre of fiction 9 Sweet-smelling gas 10 Gravy server 11 Antithesis abbr 12 Michelle of golf 13 Pre-World Series abbr 16 Ump's relative 18 Bulks of bodies 21 Hive noise 22 Letters on many cars 23 Imaginary sea creature 24 Assault and TB*" r^ r " —IH MkHBHVT “ UnVT H-*Uh| THURSDAY, JULY 3, 2008 ± POWELL LATIMER SAY WORD some soccer, I want to see the Turks going crazy out there. I want to look around after the match and say, “How the hell did they win that game?’ That's what's really awesome about sports. It’s not the con tinued dominance. Give me an underdog. Give me someone going up against impossible odds. Don't give me North Carolina. Give me George Mason. Give me Villanova, the eight-seed that was a Rashad McCants travel (watch the tape, the kid walked) away from ending UNC's 2005 national championship run. Sure, watching Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal dominate ten nis for the last few years has been great. But I'd much rather see Andy Murray, the 12-seed from Great Britain, flex his pasty bicep to the crowd yet again. Is that too much to ask? Maybe it’s just because I hang out with this kid from Philadelphia, but I'd much rather just watch “Rocky" next year than tune in to North Carolina's 140th dunk against Virginia, or Lawson's 10th steal and layup in every game. Give me Davidson. Give me Stephen Curry running through a dozen screens and burying a jumper over a triple-team. To me, at least, that's infinitely better than watching North Carolina or Georgetown, or Kansas or Memphis. Dominance is boring. Chapel Hill. So, give me City Desk. Contact Powell Latimer at tlatimer(a email.unc.edu Music to your ears Play Makers has established a pro gram allowing area kids the chance to perform. See pg. 3 for story. Locally grown Festival emphasizes the impor tance of local food and businesses. See pg. 6 for story. God bless America Check out a list of ways to cel ebrate the Fourth in the area. See pg. 1 for story. Golden armed UNC righthander Alex White has become the team's top pros pect. Look up for story. You're it! Camp gives elementary stu dents the chance to play tag all across campus See pg. 5 for story fCtfOOe TnOuno MKM Sotwom Al nghta r***rv*c 46 Seat of power 47 Young cow 52 Open sore 53 TV puppet Howdy 54 Advanced degs 55 DDE's command 56 Cry of despair 57 Final degree 58 Sundial three 59 Retrieve 60 Dress 61 Halfway, briefly 62 U-tum from WSW 63 Black goo 9
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 3, 2008, edition 1
9
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75