By R.L. Bynum
OMAHA, Neb. — Dealing with the higher level of competition is just one adjustment that all teams need to make when coming to the College World Series.
Charles Schwab Field Omaha plays differently than nearly every team’s home field, and No. 4 North Carolina is no exception. Fielders need to account for that, and third-base coaches have to factor the differences. It’s not just that the field is bigger than Boshamer Stadium or that there are more fans.
That learning process started immediately for the Tar Heels in their opening win Friday over Ole Miss, from reading balls in the outfield to judging how aggressively to take extra bases.
Freshman left fielder Tyler Howe got an early reminder of how unforgiving the park can be, especially under the lights and with the sun still a factor. He lost a pop-up in the sun and was late to get to the ball, which fell and led to a run.
“The sun’s brutal, but it’s no excuse. I should have caught the ball,” Howe said. “Just get back and be ready to work on it [Sunday] night. It’s going to be the same thing [Sunday] night.”
The adjustments are not limited to the outfield. UNC coach Scott Forbes said he coaches third base differently in Omaha because of how the ball moves across the field, especially with outfielders often positioned shallower and the grass affecting how hard-hit balls carry.
“You do coach third differently, because I think the outfield grass is Kentucky bluegrass, and it’s thicker, it’s not as quick,” Forbes said. “The ball is going to slow down more. The biggest thing in this park is knowing that the outfielders are going to be much more shallow, and you have to be smart on a hard ground ball or hard one-hopper.”
Howe has already noticed that difference in left field, where balls can get on an outfielder quickly and turn routine singles into extra bases if they are not played cleanly.
“You definitely have to take your angles right, because balls start skipping,” Howe said. “It’s taking aggressive angles and trying to keep them to one base at a time, keep the double play in order for our pitchers.”
While the walls down the left-field line are the same at the Bosh and in Omaha (335 feet). But the left-center wall is five feet farther (375 vs. 370), the center-field wall is eight feet farther (408 vs. 400), and the right-center field wall is 20 feet farther (375 vs. 355). The wall down the right-field line is five feet closer (335) than at the Bosh (340).
The park looks and feels like a major league venue, Forbes said, and that brings another layer of adjustment. Even with nearly 25,000 fans in the stadium, players can feel physically farther from the crowd because of the amount of foul territory and the ballpark’s scale.
“The atmosphere is unbelievable, but because the foul territory is so big, you’re a little bit away from the crowd,” Forbes said. “It’s like playing in a big-league ballpark, which I think we embrace. We talk about it. They know what they’re playing for.”
North Carolina has also embraced the challenge that comes with the event itself, namely that every team left is rolling out elite arms. Second baseman Gavin Gallaher, in his second trip to Omaha, said that is part of what makes the stage appealing.
“I think it’s awesome,” Gallaher said. “That’s what the game’s about. Especially being at UNC, you know you’re going to get everybody’s best every single game. When that happens, you have to show up every day and be at your best, and that’s what makes you better at the end of the day.”
The challenge continues Sunday night in a winners-bracket game against West Virginia at 7:07 p.m. (ESPN)
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Notes
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| Date(s) | Day/ month | Times/ scores | Opponent (current rank) | Record/ TV * |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| February | ||||
| 13–14 | Fri., Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 12–2 (7); W, 4–3 (11) | vs. Indiana | 3–0 |
| 17 | Tuesday | W, 10–0 (7) | vs. Richmond | 4–0 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 5–3 | vs. Longwood | 5–0 |
| 20–22 | Fri.-Sun | W, 10–0 (8); L, 10–3; T, 3–3 | vs. East Carolina | 6–1–1 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. N.C. A&T | 7–1–1 |
| 25 | Wednesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. VCU | 8–1–1 |
| 27–28 | Fri., Sat. | W, 16–3 (7); W, 12–2 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 10–1–1 |
| March | ||||
| 1 | Sunday | W, 21–1 (7) | vs. Le Moyne | 11–1–1 |
| 3 | Tuesday | W, 5–1 | vs. Elon | 12–1–1 |
| 6–7 | Fri., Sat | L, 13–3 (7); L, 9–2; W, 8–7 (12) | vs. Virginia | 13–3–1, 1–2 ACC |
| 10 | Tuesday | W, 13–3 (7) | vs. Bucknell | 14–3–1 |
| 13–15 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 8–1; W, 6–2; W, 10–2 | at California | 17–3–1, 4–2 |
| 18 | Wednesday | W, 8–2 | vs. UNCG | 18–3–1 |
| 20–22 | Fri.–Sun. | W, 11–1 (8); L, 2–0; W, 7–6 | vs. Louisville | 20–4–1, 6–3 |
| 24 | Tuesday | W, 9–1 | vs. South Carolina in Charlotte | 21–4–1 |
| 28, 29 | Sat., Sun | W, 6–5; W, 13–7; W, 15–10 | at Notre Dame | 24–4–1, 9–3 |
| 31 | Tuesday | W, 5–4 (14) | vs. Campbell | 25–4–1 |
| April | ||||
| 2–4 | Thur.-Sat. | L, 6–1; W, 5–2; W, 8–7 | vs. Boston College | 27–5–1, 11–4 |
| 7 | Tuesday | W, 8–4 | vs. Charlotte | 28–5–1 |
| 10–12 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5; W, 6–4 (14); W, 12–5 | at Clemson | 30–6–1, 13–5 |
| 14 | Tuesday | W, 14–5 | vs. UNCW | 31–6–1 |
| 17–19 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 5–2; W, 14–4 (8); L, 5–2 | vs. No. 2 Georgia Tech | 33–7–1, 15–6 |
| 21 | Tuesday | W, 9–2 | vs. High Point | 34–7–1 |
| 23–25 | Thur.–Sat. | W, 3–1; L, 3–1; W, 22–5 (7) | at Duke | 36–8–1, 17–7 |
| 28 | Tuesday | L, 12–2 | vs. Coastal Carolina | 36–9–1 |
| May | ||||
| 3 | Sunday | W, 13–0 (7) (non-conference game) | vs. Duke | 37–9–1 |
| 8–10 | Fri.-Sun. | W, 4–1; W, 12–2 (8); W, 7–3 | vs. Pittsburgh | 40–9–1, 20–7 |
| 12 | Tuesday | W, 13–7 | at UNCW | 41–9–1 |
| 14–16 | Thur.-Sat. | W, 9–4; W, 17–7 (8); L, 7–2 | at N.C. State | 43–10–1, 22–8 |
| ACC tournament | Charlotte | |||
| 22 | Friday | W, 10–4 | Quarterfinal vs. Virginia Tech | 44–10–1 |
| 23 | Saturday | W, 13–5 | Semifinal vs. Pittsburgh | 45–10–1 |
| 24 | Sunday | L, 13–6 | Championship vs. No. 2 Ga. Tech | 45–11–1 |
| NCAA tournament | ||||
| Chapel Hill Regional | ||||
| 29 | Friday | W, 8–0 | VCU | 46–11–1 |
| 30–31 | Sat.–Sun. | W, 7–5, W, 9–3 | East Carolina | 48–11–1 |
| June | ||||
| Chapel Hill Super Regionals | ||||
| 5–7 | Fri.–Sun. | L, 9–5, W, 4–0, W, 4–3 | Southern Cal | 50–12–1 |
| College World Series | Omaha, Neb. | |||
| 12 | Friday | W, 6–2 | No. 18 Ole Miss | 51–12–1 |
| 14 | Sunday | 7:07 p.m. | No. 9 West Virginia | ESPN |
| 16 and/or 17 | Tues. and/or Wednesday | 2:07 p.m. | Tues: Ole Miss or Troy (with Sunday loss) Wed.: W.Va, Ole Miss or Troy (with Sunday win) | ESPN |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
