By BILLY DIXON
One of the best postseason college baseball games in recent memory came down to execution and clutch play. East Carolina was up to the challenge. Tennessee was not.
The Pirates outlasted the Vols 7-3 in 14 innings in the opening round of the NCAA Chapel Hill Regional at Boshamer Stadium on Friday afternoon.
The final score was not indicative of the quality of play and tightness of the game.
ECU (37-22-1) hit when it mattered, going 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position. Tennessee (38-21) faltered, going just 1-for-10 and missing out on multiple chances to end the game in their favor.
A back-and-forth affair finally tilted one way in the top of the 14th. Walker Barron delivered his only hit of the game for the Pirates, launching a Will Haas pitch into the trees in deep left field. ECU wasn’t done. Two singles and a walk later, Colby Wallace took reliever Cam Appenzeller’s offering into the corner for a two-run double, setting the final score and sending the Vols into the losers’ bracket, where they will play for their season Saturday at noon against the loser of the nightcap between host North Carolina and VCU.
While the Pirates were victorious on the scoreboard, the biggest winner of the game might have been the Tar Heels, who were able to sit back and watch as both the Pirates and Vols emptied their bullpens in an attempt to emerge victorious. ECU used up its top two starters and top two relievers in the game before turning to seldom-used sophomore Brett Antolick to close down a Tennessee threat in the 13th inning and retire the Vols in order in the 14th.
Until that final frame, the Vols did show some resilience, twice answering ECU runs to keep the game going. Getting to that point, however, took some pitching mastery from both sides.
Tennessee starter Evan Blanco was at his best, scattering seven hits over seven innings and allowing just one run.
Other Notes
- Brown is now in a 3-for-26 slump and looks completely lost at the plate. I just can’t see any excuse for continuing to put him in the lineup. Coach Josh Elander should make him earn his way back by pinch hitting.
- Elander’s bullpen strategy Friday furthered my theory that starter Landon Mack is done for the season. He tried not using Appenzeller, but really had no choice in the 14th. Despite not being effective, Appenzeller did not throw a lot of pitches and will likely start Sunday if the Vols manage to survive tomorrow. The reality, however, is that the Vols do not have the pitching depth at this point to come back and win the four games needed to advance. A strategic possibility for Elander to consider is trying to beat VCU (assuming the Rams lose to Carolina) with Nic Abraham or Chandler Day. Even though the odds are really low anyway, the chances of advancing are basically nil if you don’t have ace Tegan Kuhns to throw against the Heels. The risk there is getting eliminated in two games without having thrown your best arm.