Experienced UNC meets newcomer in Southern Mississippi

Talk about your College World Series extremes.

Today's Bracket Two elimination game will pit Southern Mississippi, making its first appearance and playing in just its second game at Rosenblatt Stadium, against a North Carolina team that has spent so much time in Omaha since 2006 that some of its players might qualify for residency.

How much of a factor that will be when the teams meet at 1 p.m. is debatable at this point. Both have backed themselves against the wall by having lost their opening game — North Carolina to Arizona State and Southern Mississippi to Texas. Both know that the alternative of victory is a summer spent stewing over what might have been.

“We both have to be able to put that loss behind us,'' North Carolina coach Mike Fox said. “This is a win-or-go-home game, and that's a little new territory for us this early.''

In each of its last three visits to Omaha, North Carolina won its opening game. The Tar Heels went 3-0 in 2006 to reach the championship series. In 2007, North Carolina won its opener, lost to Rice but bounced back with three wins to again reach the championship series.

Last season, the Tar Heels opened with a win, lost their second game and won two straight before being eliminated by eventual champion Fresno State in the bracket championship game.

Today's contest will be North Carolina's 20th at Rosenblatt since 2006. Senior right fielder Garrett Gore has played in all of them, and he will tie the CWS record for games played set from 1970 to 1973 by Southern California's Daryl Arenstein.

“We know that we just need to relax and not panic,'' said junior third baseman Kyle Seager, when asked about the Tar Heels' mind-set today. “We know we have a tough road ahead of us.''

Said teammate Alex White: “This makes it pretty simple from here on. You can't lose a game, but we have the team to do it.''

White won't get a chance to pitch again unless North Carolina can bounce back and get deep into the Series. He threw nine innings against Arizona State, gave up one run and matched his career high with 12 strikeouts. The Sun Devils then scored four runs in the 10th to post a 5-2 win.

If White is North Carolina's No. 1 pitcher, then Adam Warren is No. 1-A. The senior right-hander, who is 9-2 with a 3.23 ERA, will get the start today. It will be his fourth in CWS play, and two have come in games in which his team faced elimination.

“He knows what it's like to pitch with his back against the wall,'' Fox said. “He beat Rice here a couple of years ago in this same kind of situation. We've had to bring him out after a loss before, and we're confident he'll do it again.''

Meanwhile, confidence might be in short supply in the Southern Mississippi dugout. The Golden Eagles were six outs away from knocking off Texas, the NCAA tournament's No. 1 seed and the all-time leader in CWS appearances with 33.

A bullpen implosion cost Southern Mississippi as the last three relievers that coach Corky Palmer used issued six walks, three with the bases loaded. That allowed Texas to escape with a 7-6 win and leave Palmer's team with no margin for error if they want to avoid a quick exit.

“We made everybody earn it in the regional and the super regional,'' Palmer said. “That's what disappointing about (losing) this one.''

Palmer's starter today, junior J.R. Ballinger (6-3, 3.89 ERA), has failed to pitch past the fourth inning in five of his past nine starts. He lasted only three innings in the super regional against Florida, although he went at least eight in his previous two starts against East Carolina in the Conference USA tournament and Georgia Tech in the regional.

“There's no tomorrow,'' Palmer said. “We just have to play it one game at a time now.''

Contact the writer:

679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com

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