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UNC's Scott Forbes, Lee Sowers and Walker McDuffie after Heels finish sweep of Deacons #UNC
Apr 13, 2025
UNC's Scott Forbes, Lee Sowers and Walker McDuffie after Heels finish sweep of Deacons #UNC
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0:00
[Music]
0:01
Um Jason Darro story of the game. Great
0:03
to see. Credit to Jason number one.
0:06
Coach Gains and Coach How working really
0:07
really hard. Um just little things like
0:09
his foot strike in the right place. I
0:12
thought he was in complete control from
0:14
the first pitch until we took him out.
0:16
Um you know then obviously Walker
0:19
McDuffy was outstanding. Slowed down the
0:22
more he was out there. we we looked at
0:24
as basically a piggyback start with
0:26
those two guys and we had other guys
0:27
available but we didn't have to use
0:29
them. Um it's a really good team over
0:31
there. We played really well. I thought
0:33
today would be a really good game and
0:34
Morning Star was really good as well as
0:36
their relievers. Um you know and
0:39
then you know you get you get rewarded
0:42
when you have a great attitude when you
0:43
work your tail off and you care about
0:45
the team winning and you got a freshman
0:47
in there had his first start and got the
0:48
game winning hit. So, it doesn't get
0:50
much cooler than that. And uh remind our
0:52
guys again, don't let the outcomes be
0:54
distractions. Get a shower, get home,
0:56
enjoy it, eat with your families. We got
0:57
Easter week, another tough week ahead,
0:59
but uh we'll definitely enjoy it at
1:00
least over dinner. We've talked a lot
1:02
about Jason's command and how that's
1:04
improved. And I mean, only two hits
1:07
today. What does that say to him and
1:08
just how much he's worked on that? You
1:10
know, the strike zone was a little bit
1:13
unpredictable. Um I mean, it didn't
1:16
phase. That's the thing about Jason,
1:17
even the couple outings he may have had,
1:19
which he hadn't had many bad ones, um,
1:21
they've just been amplified because the
1:22
expectations on him from last year, uh,
1:26
he doesn't get phased. Like, he's the
1:28
same guy. He's going to compete his tail
1:29
off. He's going to give you everything
1:30
he's got. Um, he we won more 3-2 counts
1:34
today than we lost, which we track
1:36
those. Um, and I thought the curveball
1:39
was a big pitch for him today. He was
1:40
able to land it whenever he wanted to,
1:42
and he had he had his good fast ball for
1:44
to both sides of the plate. made big
1:46
pitches. Uh he didn't throw many
1:48
sliders. It was mostly fast ball, curve
1:49
balls, and a couple good change ups, but
1:51
he was in complete command of of those
1:53
pitches. We've talked a lot about the
1:55
little things, and I think it's a lot
1:57
easier to see them in a game like this
1:58
than when you're shutting out your
1:59
opponent with 17 runs, but I mean, the
2:02
double play and Walker being able to
2:03
pick up that bunt and throw it to third.
2:05
What does that just say about this
2:06
defensive consistency? I mean, that was
2:08
a heck of a play. Bobbled it, too. Like,
2:09
I wasn't so sure when he first fielded
2:11
it, but he's ultra athletic. Now, we do
2:14
work on the little things. do a lot of
2:15
PFP bunts to that side. Um, you know,
2:18
when we know the runners, you got to
2:20
know who the runner is before you get
2:21
the ball. And then AAD, you know, making
2:24
a great play to lead off the ninth. If
2:25
you get that leadoff hitter out in a
2:28
game like that, your percentages of
2:29
winning are so much better, especially
2:31
as a reliever closure. Uh, but, you
2:33
know, that's that's something that I
2:35
think we can do and do well. Um, you
2:39
know, those little things are so
2:40
important. Even Lee, he'll tell you like
2:42
he got the game winning hit, but if he
2:43
slides later and harder right there,
2:45
he's safe. So, that's something we're
2:46
going to work on right away tomorrow.
2:48
Uh, but man, you know, Carter France
2:50
played an unbelievable left field. We
2:52
did not give them extra outs, uh, which
2:56
you can't do against really good teams.
2:57
And when you when you pitch it like we
2:59
do, I
3:00
mean, if you make plays, we have a
3:03
chance to win every game. Think of the
3:06
pitching the whole series. the fewest
3:08
runs they'd scored in a series is 17 and
3:10
they'd scored in the 30s in a couple of
3:12
series and you held them to four. I
3:15
mean, I think our our weekend rotation
3:17
is that good. And then I love our
3:19
bullpen. It's emerging. We're starting
3:20
to figure out our roles. It is a big
3:22
blow to lose a guy like Maddie because
3:25
of his um just experience and his
3:28
ability. But it's the type of team we
3:30
have in that locker room where they're
3:32
going to band together even more when
3:34
something like that happens and other
3:36
guys are going to have to move into
3:37
different roles and uh you know and you
3:40
have to credit our offense um the first
3:43
two games you know bridging the gap and
3:45
bringing it like that allowed us to not
3:46
pitch McDuffy so he was on starter rest
3:49
and he could have thrown 100 pitches 110
3:52
pitches. Same thing with Lynch and
3:54
Cgrades and other guys. So, um, you
3:57
know, we had some bounces go our way as
3:59
well. We we we got some hits off the end
4:01
of the bat, but, uh, that's where I come
4:03
in, remind the guys like, yeah, we
4:05
played really, really well, but we got
4:06
to keep trying to get better and play
4:08
better than we did against Wake on
4:10
Tuesday against a really good Charlotte
4:11
team. Obviously, I mean, you guys have
4:13
had weeks a number, it seems like the
4:15
past two years, and you say you kind of
4:17
throw you'll throw the record out after
4:19
the game, but how big is it to get a
4:21
home ACC series sweep against a team
4:23
like this who has I mean, they have star
4:26
power and they have some great offensive
4:28
numbers. Yeah, when you, you know, if
4:31
you get swept, you got to kind of equal
4:32
that out throughout a season with the
4:34
sweep. Or if you lose series and you can
4:35
pick up that sweep sweep, you feel like
4:37
you pick up that game like that game
4:39
that got away from us at Louisville, a
4:41
game that we felt like we had a really
4:42
good chance to win on Sunday against
4:44
Stanford. Um, so, you know, sweeps are
4:47
hard to get and you know, when you get
4:50
in a super regional, you just we've
4:52
already, you know, in this game would
4:53
have gone like this, we'd be in Omaha
4:55
already. So you have to you have to
4:57
understand how important every game is
4:59
from the standpoint of your goal is to
5:00
play at home in the postseason. Doesn't
5:03
mean you always reach that goal because
5:05
you still want to just be playing your
5:06
best down the stretch. But you got to
5:08
try to grab those because you're getting
5:09
ready to go on the road for two weeks.
5:12
Um obviously we have Charlotte, but then
5:13
we go to Virginia Tech. It's going to be
5:15
really hard because it's harder on the
5:16
road and we come back and play a game
5:18
which I'm excited about because it's a
5:19
cancer awareness game and then we're
5:20
back on a plane heading to pit. Um, you
5:24
know, then we had to finish the season
5:25
on the plane in Tallahassee, so it's
5:27
only going to get harder and that's why
5:28
those grabbing that sweep today was was
5:30
big for our guys. You talked about you
5:32
talked about the defense. If Alex
5:34
doesn't make that play to lead off the
5:36
ninth, there's no telling how that
5:38
inning progresses. That was just one of
5:40
the huge plays today. Yeah. And he had
5:42
the field to know like, okay, I've got
5:43
to this guy runs enough. I've got to try
5:45
to hop it. And a credit to Stoke, he
5:47
held the bag, which is not easy to do.
5:50
um you hope that if he does get on we
5:52
still find a way to get out of it, but
5:54
the percentages are the percentages and
5:56
in baseball that's all we look at a lot
5:58
of times, you know, percentages and
5:59
analytics and and all this stuff. Um but
6:03
you know,
6:04
that's if we're hitting and that's same
6:08
thing happens to us, obviously I think,
6:09
hey, this is going to be a little bit
6:10
harder. So that was a huge play to start
6:12
that inning for sure. And it gives the
6:13
pitcher even more confidence. going all
6:15
the way back to the first inning, that
6:17
error, you know, you're able to score
6:18
two runs on that error and not just the
6:20
one. You've talked about that hustle
6:21
culture, not giving up those extra outs.
6:23
I mean, is that something that you guys
6:24
are still working on or do you see that
6:26
kind of starting to be ingrained into
6:27
the guys? Well, too, I mean, we don't
6:29
want to like not take really aggressive
6:32
swings with two strikes, but we also
6:34
want to try to pressure the defense to
6:36
have to make a play with two strikes. I
6:38
mean, strikeouts do happen, but credit
6:40
Stokeley there. Um, Morning Star had
6:41
good stuff going. He moved the ball.
6:43
made the the second baseman move more
6:46
and the ball took a kick for us. If he
6:48
strikes out, obviously we don't score
6:50
those. So, in those situations when we
6:52
do have two strikes and it's a pitcher
6:53
that's got nasty stuff, there are times
6:55
where we're just trying to move the ball
6:56
hard on the ground to create some havoc
6:58
and make them make that play. You
7:00
mentioned Lee's first uh collegiate
7:02
start, obviously comes up in a big
7:04
moment and gets that hit. What have you
7:05
seen from him the week before like to
7:07
put him in that spot in the DH today?
7:09
It's not just the week before, it's it's
7:11
the whole season. I mean, here's here's
7:12
a kid that was recruited really heavily.
7:15
Um, could have signed professionally
7:17
potentially. Uh, didn't have a great
7:19
fall, didn't have a very good preseason,
7:22
but he put his head down. Um, he
7:24
completely bought in to the team
7:26
concept, but he's been working and his
7:27
BP keeps getting better and getting
7:29
better. His he's doing little things
7:31
like getting bunts down in practices.
7:33
Uh, you know, and his attitude's been
7:35
tremendous. And he's always been a
7:37
hitter. And again, you go back to his
7:39
high school numbers, he's really
7:40
difficult to strike out. Uh so a lot of
7:43
times those things can go one of two two
7:45
ways in today's world. You know, you got
7:46
some kids that uh they'll feel sorry for
7:49
themselves and they'll get the wrong
7:50
people in their ear and they're already
7:51
trying to talk about going on the
7:53
transfer portal. Um and that's not least
7:55
ours. And uh you know, I'll credit coach
7:57
Risbicki and and Coach Jackson. They're
7:59
in the cages more. Obviously, I'm trying
8:01
to watch as much as I can. Uh, but they
8:03
feel like right now Lee can match up
8:05
against any pitcher and he can hit any
8:07
pitcher's fast ball and he knows the
8:09
zone. So that's why we give him that
8:10
opportunity. No physical issues as to
8:12
why he didn't get a AB until Saturday?
8:15
Nope, not really. Um, he hasn't been
8:17
that banged up, but he got sick one
8:18
time, but uh, you know, he's gotten
8:20
stronger, too. You notice those things
8:22
like, okay, I'm not playing, so what am
8:25
I going to do? Am I going to pout about
8:26
it or I'm going to get maybe get in the
8:27
weight room a little bit extra? Try to
8:28
increase my bat speed. Am I going to
8:30
work even harder at second base? If
8:31
coach tells me to go to left field like
8:33
I've done with Lee, what's my attitude
8:35
going to be like? Am I going to run out
8:36
there? Yes, sir. Grab a glove and start
8:38
figuring it out or or am I going to be
8:40
talking to somebody on the outside says
8:41
you're only a second baseman. And that's
8:43
not been him. That's a credit to Lee and
8:44
his family. Walker. I mean, he walked in
8:47
that tying run. But then you also have
8:49
him I think Wake had Did he really that
8:52
was a strike? But anyway,
8:55
Wake had met on Merrick Houston up. I
8:58
think he threw 96 mile per hour fast.
9:00
per hour fast ball. Strike, strike. You
9:03
threw one up and then he got him on that
9:05
down and away. What does that say to his
9:07
ability to just make those huge pitches
9:09
in that situation? Yeah, he's definitely
9:11
got it. He's ultra competitive. If
9:12
anything, you got to slow Walker McDuffy
9:14
down. That's what I was telling him with
9:15
his delivery. That's why his fast ball
9:17
was missing up and armside. Um that was
9:19
the biggest, not the biggest, but in
9:22
that pretty big one. That's a that's an
9:24
all-American. That's a first round pick.
9:26
Uh you know, if he gets a hit there,
9:28
they go ahead. Um they're scratching and
9:30
clawing. We still had all the momentum.
9:32
All the pressure was on them because
9:34
they'd already lost two games and lost
9:35
the series. Um and I felt like after
9:38
that strike out, I was like, "Man, we
9:40
just struck out Houston. That's a big
9:41
moment. We're going to find a way to win
9:43
that game." And that's a credit to
9:44
McDuffy because I thought that was a
9:46
strike. Um and he didn't get it. But we
9:49
talk about you can't do anything about
9:51
it. You can't carry it with you. And he
9:52
came back and made some big big pitches.
9:54
Slider wasn't great early, but the more
9:57
he got out there, the better he got. Old
9:59
school baseball guy. I know you are. You
10:01
take the big one, the run rules or
10:04
whatever. Absolutely. But this type ball
10:06
game, Yeah. you got to win and that's
10:09
what you got to do. And we've had a lot
10:10
of those. Um and and learning how to
10:13
make a bunt play, make sure we're on the
10:15
same page with our bunt defense. um
10:17
understanding the importance of, you
10:19
know, moving the ball with two strikes,
10:21
getting a dirt ball read, find a way to
10:22
get to second base, which I believe, hey
10:24
man, I got to second base on a wild
10:26
pitch. Maybe didn't. Yeah, I think he
10:28
did. Um, you know, locked in with your
10:31
eyes. Uh, and then obviously Lee like
10:33
not trying to do too much cuz it's hard
10:35
sometimes. You're always thinking how
10:36
I'm going to crush this ball and he just
10:37
took what Piser gave him, hit the ball
10:40
opposite field and uh you know also
10:43
thought that AAD got a really good jump
10:47
which allowed me to send him. He does
10:49
run, but he also had a really good jump
10:50
with my eyes and, you know, I was
10:52
willing to send him and make that left
10:53
fielder make a play. But those are the
10:55
ones you got to win. And we saw that
10:56
last year against a really good West
10:59
Virginia team. And uh it's nice, don't
11:02
get me wrong, when you have those, but
11:04
you like I tell our guys, it's more
11:06
gratifying the harder it is. For sure.
11:08
It was a hard game, you know, both teams
11:09
putting up four hits, but you know, we
11:10
don't really see a lot of backtoback
11:12
hits in a game like this. So, where do
11:13
you guys kind of what do you take away
11:15
to try and keep that offensive momentum
11:16
going? I mean, just, you know, that
11:19
really good pitching, Trump's good
11:21
hitting. Um, I thought Morning Star was
11:23
in control. I thought he was making big
11:24
pitches. He had the cutter going. Um,
11:26
and he reached back for 94, 95,
11:29
sometimes 96 when he needed it. Uh, it's
11:31
it's a it's a game of matching. You
11:33
know, you got to match him on the mound,
11:35
got to match him defensively, and you
11:37
got to just keep grinding, grind, try to
11:39
work a walk, a hit by pitch. Um, and
11:42
then maybe steal the base, first
11:43
movement, uh, those type of things. So,
11:46
you just stay with it. You know, that's
11:47
what I've learned. They're going to look
11:48
to me the most and you have to be even
11:52
kill in my opinion. You know, obviously
11:54
I'm going to get on the umpire if I
11:55
don't think he's really really good, but
11:56
again, it can't be a distraction. The
11:58
umpire can't be a reason we lose the
12:00
game. So, or play early. We just got to
12:02
be in the moment. Thanks, coach. Thank
12:06
y'all. Other
12:08
[Music]
12:13
guys a few times. Oh yeah. Can you just
12:16
kind of take me through those emotions?
12:18
I mean, just I mean, we wanted to sweep
12:20
them, right? I mean, it was close game.
12:22
Um, just with everything going on, I
12:24
feel like you don't want to ride the you
12:26
don't want to like be in the highs, be
12:28
high in the highs and lows. Just trust
12:29
it right there. But, I mean, just
12:31
compete and it's tough not to let your
12:33
emotions get the best of you in
12:34
scenarios like that.
12:36
How do you mentally stay, I guess, even
12:38
keel when you maybe have a call that
12:41
doesn't go your way, you walk a run in
12:42
and then you have to face two of Wake's
12:44
toughest bats? I mean, just from the my
12:47
coaches and teammates just haven't built
12:48
the confidence in me. And I mean,
12:50
regardless if I do bad or good, if I get
12:53
taken out, then I got somebody that's
12:55
good right behind me to pick me up or
12:57
even if I do do bad, my hitters are
12:59
going to pick me up as well. But yeah,
13:01
just them giving the giving me the
13:02
confidence and keeping me out there just
13:04
to let me do my thing. I don't know if
13:06
you know this, but a few season ticket
13:07
holder members have gotten copies of
13:09
your glasses and punched out the uh the
13:11
lenses so every time you go into
13:13
they can match glasses with you. What is
13:15
it like to just have like this? What is
13:16
it like to pitch at home and have the
13:17
support of fans and and know that you
13:19
have like the entire stadium behind you?
13:20
Yeah, I mean these fans are great. This
13:21
is where I always wanted to go. So, I
13:23
mean, it's cool to finally live it and
13:25
not be in the stands as a fan myself.
13:26
So, yeah, just pretty grateful. Can you
13:29
take me through that Marra Houston at
13:31
bat? You had 96 mile per hour strike. I
13:34
think another one both a fast ball. You
13:36
had a fast ball up and then I think you
13:38
got him with I want to say the slider
13:40
down and away. Can you just kind of take
13:42
me through that one? Yeah, I mean I just
13:43
walked that run in. So I mean I was
13:45
pretty fired up and when you face a guy
13:47
that good, I mean you're obviously going
13:48
to compete at your highest level and
13:50
just try to match him and I got the best
13:53
out of him in that and I was pretty
13:54
fired up that I limited the damage right
13:56
there. So yeah. when you get the two
13:58
strikes on him. Do you think to
14:00
yourself, I got him now or do you know
14:02
you've got I mean all these hitters are
14:04
good. You can't can't give up yet and
14:06
you just got to keep attacking. But um
14:09
yeah, I mean when you're ahead in the
14:10
count, you have more confidence than if
14:12
you're behind in the count. But
14:13
regardless, I'm still going to try to go
14:15
out there and strike everybody out.
14:16
Coach Forbes told me that if anything,
14:19
they have to slow you down. How do you
14:21
slow down on the mound even in those
14:23
really like emotional situations? Yeah,
14:24
it's tough. Um, just coach Gaines really
14:27
like introducing what a routine is to me
14:29
and just really practicing that like off
14:31
the field uh back in the cage of
14:33
practice. Just being by myself and just
14:36
calming myself down, talking to
14:38
teammates who experience like nap and
14:39
he's really helped me a lot and yeah,
14:42
just just trying to just breathe and
14:44
just not let the emotions get the best
14:46
of me and make it bigger than it is.
14:48
Following Jason, I mean, his last outing
14:51
wasn't his best. What did you see from
14:52
him tonight? Yeah, I I knew he was going
14:54
to go out and do good. Um I'm proud of
14:56
him. He He really stepped it up and it's
14:58
a lot better than the last one and he's
15:00
going to continue to just rise and do
15:02
better every time. How many pitches
15:04
would you have gone for today if
15:05
possible? Uh I don't know. Whenever
15:08
whenever they pulled me, I would have
15:09
kept going. It's it was nice to extend
15:12
my pitch count since I've just been
15:13
pitching like two innings at a time. But
15:15
I told him I was good to keep going
15:16
because I mean we have I knew we were
15:18
going to win that game. So with with the
15:20
rest and just I mean coach hasn't had to
15:23
throw that many arms this weekend. Was
15:24
there any conversations with you and
15:26
coach Gains or Coach Forbes about how
15:27
many pitches you were going to go? No, I
15:29
mean it was just I knew if I got the
15:31
chance to go out there I was going to do
15:32
everything I could to help us win and if
15:34
that was a pitch or if that was 100
15:36
pitches I was going to do it best I
15:38
could. Does being a local kid make
15:41
winning this game more special? Yeah, I
15:43
mean it's cool. I mean this is this is
15:45
my dream school. I mean, 40 minutes down
15:47
the road, but um yeah, I mean, I
15:50
wouldn't want to be anywhere else
15:51
winning ball games and playing for coach
15:52
Forbes and all the other coaches. So,
15:54
yeah, just grateful to be here. Talked
15:56
with Jake Knap earlier this week and he
15:58
said that, you know, there's a lot of
15:59
freshman, but he doesn't even consider
16:01
you guys freshman anymore with all the
16:02
great stuff that you have. Do you are
16:04
you kind of used to coming out now
16:05
pitching kind of having that pressure?
16:07
Are you ever used to it? Yeah, I mean
16:09
that's that's what you play the game
16:10
for. So, I mean, you couldn't really ask
16:12
for anything else in my opinion. So,
16:15
Thanks for watching. Step one, excited
16:18
first. Can you just take me through
16:19
those emotions? Yeah, I mean getting
16:22
that getting that hit, being able to
16:23
step up there for for the guys. It's
16:25
just to me it means the world just cuz
16:28
all these guys have have had my back to
16:30
from the coaches, players, um to the
16:34
managers, everybody involved, man, has
16:36
has had my back and I just happy to be
16:39
able to to help the guys win that game
16:41
there. And um just couldn't hold it
16:44
back. I was really excited and really
16:45
grateful uh to be in that position. What
16:48
was the feeling today when you saw your
16:50
name in the lineup? You knew you were
16:51
getting your first start. Again, I was
16:54
just I was just really grateful because
16:56
you know I haven't played all year
16:58
really and um all these guys, my
17:01
teammates have encouraged me and you
17:03
know told me just keep working, keep
17:04
working and same thing with the coaches
17:06
and to be able to get that shot to to
17:09
help our guys you know just it meant a
17:11
lot to me. How tough has it been this
17:13
season sitting and watching and trying
17:15
to improve enough for
17:19
force to put you in? Yeah. Um it's it's
17:22
been, you know, it's been tough, but uh
17:25
overall I'm grateful for it because it's
17:27
made me a much a much better player and
17:30
a much better person just mentally. Um,
17:33
you know, just being able to trust in in
17:36
God's plan and trust that, you know,
17:38
whatever work that I would put in would
17:40
be recognized. And, you know, it's just
17:43
it's it was really nice to have some of
17:45
that payoff. But, you know, we haven't
17:47
done anything yet. We got to keep going
17:49
and keep working. So, Walker's standing
17:51
there watching you and smiling a little
17:53
bit. What's kind of the bond between all
17:55
of you freshman? Oh, it's super tight.
17:58
ever since we showed up here in in the
18:00
summer, you know, we spent a whole
18:02
summer together, just us on campus and
18:04
so we got acclimated to each other very
18:07
quickly. Um, and then just going through
18:09
this season, man, we've just been super
18:11
tight and um, worked hard together and a
18:14
lot of the guys, a lot of the freshman,
18:16
especially the pitchers have have had
18:18
shots to really play big roles on the
18:20
mound. and I think it's a special class
18:22
and I'm excited to see, you know, how
18:24
everything unfolds for the next couple
18:26
couple years together. What was your
18:28
game plan at the plate today? Especially
18:30
because Morning Star is such a ground
18:32
ball pitcher.
18:33
Yeah, just have a good approach. You
18:35
know, he's got some good stuff and u
18:37
coach Weirs was talking about see see it
18:39
up in the zone and be ready to stay
18:41
middle, you know, and I just I tried to
18:43
stick with that approach. Not not get
18:45
too big. Um not try to pull the ball too
18:47
too hard, but just stay stay middle of
18:49
the field, stay closed off, and get a
18:51
good pitch in the right zone. Get a hack
18:53
off. So,
18:56
thanks Lee Lee Howard. Thank you guys.
18:58
Appreciate