WRAL Sports Fan

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Carolina Bullpen Finally Hits Skids At College World Series

Nov 10, 2006

OMAHA, Neb. — North Carolina's bullpen finally cracked at the College World Series, and the Tar Heels' defense showed a few chinks as well in its 11-7 loss to Oregon State in Game 2 of the College World Series championship round.

The relief corps had amassed 12 2-3 scoreless innings in the Tar Heels' first four CWS games. On Sunday night, relievers Matt Danford, Adam Warren and Tyler Trice were tagged for eight runs in five innings.

Danford was the only one of the three who had appeared in the CWS. Meanwhile, Jonathan Hovis, who has a nation-leading 1.17 ERA, and closer Andrew Carignan got the night off.

Coach Mike Fox said he never considered bringing in Hovis or Carignan after Oregon State scored seven runs in the fourth inning to lead 7-5.

"We had never gone to Jonathan or Andrew that early in the game," Fox said. "It's only 7-5 at that point. We took a bullet there and had to regroup. At that time we're still in the game. We weren't in a position where we had to go to those guys early ... because we had a win."

The Tar Heels, who won Game 1 on Saturday, face a winner-takes-all Game 3 on Monday.

Fox said pitching shouldn't take the entire blame for the Tar Heels' inability to protect a 5-0 lead.

"The box score is a little (misleading)," Fox said. "It showed us with no errors. We don't field bunts, and we don't turn a double play when we have it. Those are the little things that make the difference in the game."

Oregon State broke open the game with a four-run sixth inning.

Danford couldn't cleanly field a bunt, allowing Mitch Canham to reach. The Tar Heels could only get one out when third baseman Reid Fronk threw wide to second on a double-play ball. Then Warren hesitated after fielding Tyler Graham's bunt on a squeeze play and couldn't get Graham at first.

"The four-run inning, we opened the door for them by just not making a couple plays," Fox said. "Give them credit. They're good at bunting and put a lot of pressure on you. Almost everybody up and down their lineup can run a little bit, so you have to always be on your toes and make plays against them. When you don't, they're going to punish you."

Starting pitcher Robert Woodard, who threw a three-hit shutout against Clemson in the Tar Heels' second CWS game, lasted only three innings. He left in the fourth, giving up six hits and four runs.

The Beavers' seven-run fourth started when Woodard hit Graham with a pitch leading off.

"A slider came out of my hand a little too early and I hit that guy," Woodard said. "I didn't show the mental toughness that I usually have. I'm very disappointed."

Danford had pitched 3 2-3 innings of one-hit relief in the CWS coming into Sunday, but was tagged for six runs and four hits in 2 1-3 innings.

Warren allowed three hits and one run in 1 1-3 innings and Trice one hit in 1 1-3 scoreless innings.

Daniel Bard will start on Monday. The first-round draft pick of the Boston Red Sox beat Cal State Fullerton 6-5 on Wednesday despite allowing a career-high 12 hits.

"He's been our guy all year," Fox said. "I think Daniel will be ready. Today, the way the game went, you give Hovis the day off and Carignan the day off. We've got some rested arms."