Two-for-two
When Chris and I had a chance to speak with Virginia baseball coach Brian O’Connor a little over a month ago, he was almost prophetic. O’Connor gave North Carolina pitchers Andrew Miller and Daniel Bard their due, but just a couple of days before the Tar Heels came to Charlottesville, O’Connor said it was another pitcher that worried him most.
“I happen to think that Robert Woodard is as good a college guy as you’ll find out there,” O’Connor told ACC Nation.
Woodward went on to give North Carolina its only win in that weekend series against the Cavaliers, pitching a complete-game shutout.
Sunday night, Woodard pitched only his second complete-game shutout of the season, blanking Clemson 2-0 in the College World Series. It was the first time in 131 games that the Tigers failed to score.
And now, with Carolina off until Wednesday, and knowing whatever team the play has to beat them twice in order to advance out of their side of the bracket, the Tar Heels are sitting pretty.
Friday night I wrote that Carolina seemed to be a team of destiny when Lady Luck cast her wand in the Heels’ direction. Sunday it wasn’t luck, but a masterful performance by Woodard and some key hits that gave the Tar Heels the win.
There’s still some work to be done, but right now Carolina looks like the team to beat.
- Patrick Hite