UNC vs. LSU Part II

So who has the advantage? North Carolina beat LSU in the opening act of the college world series. Four days later, the Heels and Tigers meet again with the loser heading back home.

Carolina's Tim Federowicz told me today that the Heels have the advantage since they have already beaten LSU. Senior Chad Flack downplayed the previous meeting saying it had little bearing on the sequel.

Baseball is such a move on sport. From pitch to pitch, at bat to at bat, inning to inning, game to game. You can't let one play carry to the next because the next thing you know, you're pressing or in a slump.

After falling behind Fresno State, UNC swung at some bat pitches and lost their plate discipline according to coach Mike Fox. "We just don't play well when we get behind, " Fox said following the loss.

Carolina isn't behind in the big picture but they need to play better than their second game, Thursday night.

Wednesday afternoon, the Heels went through a non-hitting practice that may have lasted an hour to an hour and a half. They tossed it around a little then worked on making plays in the field...simple plays. The drills progressively got harder trying to make great plays.

Coach Mike Fox put them in situations with runners on base. "One's a must. Two's a plus, " Fox barked out, referring to the importance of getting the first out of a double play before trying for the second.

Freshman Matt Harvey will start for North Carolina against LSU. He had a brilliant, 13 strikeout performance against Wake Forest in the ACC tournament but he hasn't pitched since Carolina's NCAA opener against Mount St. Mary's.

He now has the ball trying to help the Heels avoid an early trip back to Chapel Hill. "This is why I came to Carolina," Harvey said.

Carolina was loose and confident in their workout today. You've just gotta move on was the sentiment. Coach Mike Fox hit crisp ground balls to his infielders and on his last swing of the day, Fox cracked his wooden bat. "I've had that bat all year and now it breaks."

He hopes he'll need a replacement bat for another practice. That means Carolina has extended its season and avoided elimination.

One pitch, one at bat, one inning at a time.