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UNC's Scott Forbes and Alex Madera after the Heels' 14-4 run-rule win over Charlotte. #UNC
Apr 16, 2025
UNC's Scott Forbes and Alex Madera after the Heels' 14-4 run-rule win over Charlotte. #UNC
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0:00
how y'all shoot 144 into the rim rule
0:02
game, but you got a lot of opportunity
0:05
to get some guys some innings on the
0:07
mound. Yeah, no doubt. And uh you know,
0:09
Charlotte has a good club. They've been
0:11
playing well. They just won two out of
0:12
three. They've won a lot of their games
0:14
in the last three weeks. Uh so, right
0:17
out of the gate, they jumped on us. We
0:19
responded right away. Um which was great
0:21
to see. I thought Cam had good stuff.
0:23
They he made some mistakes, but that's
0:25
his first start, so obviously he had
0:27
those extra nerves. He's a a very
0:29
valuable part of our bullpen. Um Lynch
0:32
came in, stabilized things. We put some
0:35
solid at bats together. Um and what I'm
0:37
liking now is we're getting distribution
0:40
throughout the lineup. If one guy is not
0:42
good, the next guy is. We're not having
0:44
many
0:45
consecutive bad at bats. Um which is
0:48
making it harder to get through our our
0:50
order. So that was a really good win. I
0:51
thought uh Bolton made a big pitch with
0:54
the bases loaded on that slider was a
0:56
big pitch. I thought forger Boaz looked
0:58
as good as he's looked all year. When
1:00
you give up runs to start the game, but
1:02
then you come back and get it. It seems
1:04
like that's been a thing with your team
1:05
all year is to answer immediately. Yeah,
1:08
you know, during that one little stretch
1:09
we were scuffling, scoring runs, but uh
1:12
we take a lot of pride in playing every
1:14
pitch, not looking at the scoreboard. Um
1:17
it's more about us than the opponent and
1:19
understanding that that's going to
1:20
happen. And and at the end of the day,
1:22
your best teams should be even better
1:24
when their backs are against the wall.
1:26
And when you when you start down like
1:28
that, nobody wants to start down like
1:30
that. But that helps when you get
1:32
through or you get towards the end of
1:33
the season or the latter part of the
1:35
season to have been able to show
1:37
yourself that you can come back. Double
1:40
digit runs. I think four straight
1:42
Tuesdays, three out of the last four
1:44
games. Is there a common thread to all
1:47
these big offensive games that you put
1:49
up? I think just quality at bats
1:51
throughout the order. Our guys are
1:52
controlling the strike zone. They're not
1:54
trying to chase batting average by
1:57
getting hits. Um where we're having just
1:59
good at bats. We're not We are driving
2:02
the ball when we get the opportunity,
2:03
but we're also working walks. We're
2:05
working hit by pitches. We're moving the
2:07
ball with two strikes, making the
2:08
opponent make plays, and we're running
2:10
the bases at a high clip and, you know,
2:12
being extremely aggressive going first
2:14
to third, reading dirt balls. So, that
2:17
pressure helps tremendously. When you do
2:19
get guys on base, if you can run the
2:20
bases, the pitcher feels like he's got
2:22
to be quicker and therefore a lot of
2:24
times he'll leave more balls up in the
2:25
zone which you you can attack as a
2:27
hitter. Dallagher gets his play of the
2:29
week and then a three-run RBI today.
2:31
What's allowed him to be so successful
2:33
on the offensive side of things? You
2:35
know, he's made a slight mechanical
2:36
change with coach Wizbick. He's really
2:38
getting into his load um which is
2:41
helping him be in a better spot um just
2:44
period mechanically and allows him to
2:47
recognize pitches. It's really important
2:49
for all of our hitters to be on time for
2:51
fast balls. The name of the game today
2:52
is velocity and then everything works
2:55
off of that. So they've all improved in
2:57
that area and that's a credit to coach
2:59
where Vicki and coach Jackson but that's
3:00
been the main thing that mechanical
3:02
change and he was open to make that
3:03
change. Nine nine runs in the first
3:05
three innings I think today. What helps
3:07
you guys get off to quick starts like
3:08
that? You know, our guys know who we are
3:11
now. Like, they know we can't take games
3:13
off. We can't take days off. Even when
3:15
we're not playing, we have to lift hard.
3:17
We have to practice hard. Um, we're not
3:19
the type of team that's going to show up
3:21
and just out talent you. Um, we have to
3:24
have that hard nose and toughness and
3:25
try to get better every single day, but
3:27
they're they're just believing more in
3:31
our offensive ability. Obviously, it
3:33
helps when you have success because your
3:35
confidence starts growing, but it also
3:37
helps when you have some failure and you
3:40
come out on the other side of it like
3:42
like we did because we were not swinging
3:44
it well um for a pretty long stretch
3:47
there. Not really good with runners in
3:50
scoring position. And you'll notice
3:51
we're getting our swings off earlier in
3:53
counts with runners in scoring
3:55
positions. Been working with Keley on
3:57
that and he had a big hit with the bases
4:00
loaded which was really big for him. So,
4:02
one of the oddities you have sometimes
4:03
in these midweek games like you had nine
4:05
pitchers you faced. How weird is that
4:07
going through so many pitchers? Yeah.
4:09
You know, that's just kind of midweek
4:11
baseball sometimes. Um, everybody
4:14
depending on what the depth of your
4:15
staff is like, sometimes you don't have
4:17
a choice. You just have to throw as many
4:19
guys as you can to save your best guys.
4:22
Um, fortunately for us, that wasn't the
4:23
case. Lynch had six days rest. C Graves
4:26
had seven six days rest. Boz everybody
4:29
had good rest. So, they were available.
4:31
I was really I was glad we 10 run ruled
4:33
him, but I wanted Olen Johnson to pitch
4:35
because he's one of our best relievers
4:36
and he was going out in the ninth and we
4:39
wanted to get Ron Kellis behind the
4:41
plate, but I guess everybody's happy
4:42
because they're going home a little bit
4:44
earlier. You said you were hungry. Yes,
4:46
I'm hungry. When you when do you tell
4:48
Cam he's going to pitch or he's going to
4:50
start and how does he have to adjust
4:53
after being out of the pin all year?
4:55
Yeah, we told him yesterday. Um but you
4:57
know, he was under control. We look
4:59
really good in the bullpen. The thing
5:00
about Cam is he's a big- time
5:02
competitor. He's going to compete. Uh
5:04
but, you know, there's more buildup to
5:07
it because you know exactly when you're
5:09
going to be in the game and it's it's
5:11
your first start at the University of
5:12
North Carolina. But I thought he had
5:14
good velocity. I thought he had good
5:15
stuff. He was throwing his off speed for
5:17
the most part in the zone. The home run
5:19
in the right field was a curve ball that
5:21
was up and then, you know, one fast ball
5:24
was up. But man, that kid's got a good
5:26
arm and I'm glad that he's here because
5:27
he's going to be really good. Um, when
5:30
you I guess going back to when you go
5:31
down three nothing like that in the
5:32
first inning, do you have a message for
5:34
the team or Okay. No, my message is to
5:37
not say a word and let them just keep
5:39
playing. Um, I'm big on that as a head
5:42
coach, like you know, you just got to
5:45
calm the storm especially when things
5:47
aren't going perfect because they're the
5:48
eyes are going to be on you most of the
5:50
time. And um I grew up watching Major
5:52
League Baseball and always admired the
5:55
managers that just kind of kept that
5:57
even kill. Um the Joe Tories and Bobby
5:59
Cox. Obviously Bobby Cox yelled at the
6:01
umpires, but I'm okay with doing that.
6:03
So, but uh you know, it's a long game
6:07
and you know, tell our guys it's the
6:09
same thing. If somebody hits a grand
6:10
slam in the first, what's there to
6:12
celebrate? I mean, it's the first
6:14
inning. You you run through and you go
6:15
out and play the next inning. It's not
6:17
like it's a walk-off, you know,
6:18
game-winning home run. Was Stokeley
6:21
ascend or run through a stop sign or You
6:24
know what? I think I think I said no.
6:27
No, no. Which is a a major mistake on my
6:31
part. Um I don't say no or go unless I
6:35
notice a guy's just not making the right
6:37
read. I either send you or I stop you.
6:39
Um, so both of us really, you know,
6:42
Sto's got to use his eyes there as well,
6:45
but at the end of the day, I'm the third
6:46
base coach and if I yell no, no, no. I
6:48
know sometimes as a as a base runner,
6:50
you hear go, go, go. So, um, hopefully,
6:54
thankfully guys pick me up if I did yell
6:56
that. I have no idea if I did, but I
6:58
like to think I did cuz Stokeley thought
7:00
he heard go, so I probably said,
7:05
appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.
7:07
Good. Hey,
7:12
[Music]
7:15
does that look good? Yeah. Do you want
7:18
to be in it? You're in it. I don't I
7:19
don't care. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, you're
7:21
good. Grace could be in it. I don't
7:23
think uh
7:24
it's Alex, all these there's four
7:27
straight Tuesdays with double digit
7:29
runs, double digit runs, three the last
7:31
four. What What did you see as the
7:33
common thread in all these games with
7:34
these offensive outbursts? Yeah, I think
7:37
offensively kind of just trying to have
7:38
quality at bats, not trying to do too
7:40
much at the plate. Um I feel like, you
7:43
know, like coach Ford said, we were
7:45
pressing a little bit at that little
7:46
stretch throughout the year, but you
7:48
know, we just kept working and I feel
7:50
like everybody's just trying to have a
7:51
quality at bat and not chase out of the
7:53
zone. So, I think that's kind of been
7:54
the biggest thing is just making sure
7:56
we're having good at bats throughout the
7:57
whole lineup. What did you see tonight
8:00
for yourself? I mean, a big night to
8:01
play moving guys and moving the
8:04
baseball. Yeah. Um, you know, obviously
8:06
I didn't hit the ball too far on on my
8:08
hits. Um, but you know, just trying to
8:10
put the ball in play, make good things
8:12
happen. Um, you know, that's pretty much
8:14
it. Just trying to have a quality at bat
8:16
and just stick to my approach, not chase
8:18
out of the zone. That's that's pretty
8:20
much the biggest thing. You guys
8:21
mentioned that when you know, Lynch and
8:23
some of the other guys go and you know,
8:24
to expect, you know, hard ground balls.
8:27
I mean, but you guys still were able to
8:28
shut them out during those innings. So,
8:29
you know, what was kind of the game plan
8:31
there? Um, I mean, you pretty much said
8:33
it, you know, kind of just just being
8:34
ready and expecting to to get the ball
8:36
hit to you. Um, obviously we didn't get
8:37
too many ground balls today, I don't
8:38
think. But, you know, just trying trying
8:40
to expect it and, you know, for the
8:42
younger guys, just tell them to keep
8:43
pounding the zone and good things are
8:44
going to happen. Coach Coach says that
8:46
you guys don't really worry about
8:48
getting behind early from a player
8:50
standpoint, a leader standpoint. How
8:51
does that work? Yeah. No, definitely.
8:53
Uh, obviously we know how good we are,
8:55
so we know that if we're if we're behind
8:56
early or whatever whatever point in the
8:59
game, honestly, it doesn't matter. we're
9:01
able to put together some good at bats
9:02
and just continue to, you know, work on
9:04
the offensive side and we're confident
9:06
that we're going to put up some runs.
9:08
What uh what was the dugout like after
9:10
you guys went down three in the first
9:11
inning before you guys were up to bat?
9:14
Yeah. Uh I I think the good thing with
9:15
us is we don't really change. Um you
9:18
know, I think that was one thing that we
9:19
really talked about after um during the
9:21
Boston College series. We talked as a
9:23
team and you know, we kind of mentioned
9:25
that, you know, we need the energy
9:26
levels up and we need to just stay
9:27
positive throughout the whole game. So,
9:29
I think the biggest thing from there has
9:31
just been staying on top of everything,
9:33
just bringing energy no matter what and
9:35
whatever the score is. How have the
9:37
expectations been heightened in the last
9:39
couple of weeks and what do you think
9:41
the ceiling is for this team? Uh, I
9:43
mean, I think the expectation has always
9:44
been, you know, we're one of the best
9:46
teams in the country and obviously to go
9:47
to Omaha and win a national
9:48
championship. Um, I don't think that's
9:51
really changed at all throughout the
9:52
whole year. I think everybody's kind of
9:53
had that same mentality that that we're
9:55
able to do it. we weren't playing our
9:57
best baseball, but I think as of now,
9:58
you know, the offense is starting to
10:00
pick up a little bit and our at bats are
10:01
being better and obviously pitchers are
10:03
still doing their thing. They're they're
10:05
throwing strikes and the defense has
10:06
always been solid. Serious question,
10:09
Spark at the Bosch. How much time did
10:12
you spend with those puppies in the
10:13
locker room before the game? Oh, I did
10:15
spend a lot of time with them after uh
10:17
after lunch. I think pretty much our
10:19
whole team was in there with them. So,
10:21
yeah, we were with them for probably a
10:22
couple hours.
10:23
Seriously, how much does Remington help
10:25
you guys? Like the guys that are
10:26
injured, the guys that are struggling
10:28
maybe to have that around. Yeah, I mean,
10:31
he's awesome. Obviously, you know, just
10:33
comforting you and being there for you.
10:35
So, I mean, obviously, he's awesome to
10:36
have in the in the training room and
10:38
just just be around. It's awesome. You
10:40
guys have had a lot of success at home
10:41
recently. You're about to go on the road
10:43
for a series. You know, what are you
10:44
guys hoping to take from, you know, the
10:46
series that you guys just had and this
10:47
win today on the road with you? Yeah, I
10:49
mean I think it's kind of, you know,
10:50
obviously playing Wake Forest and
10:52
playing, you know, good teams in the ACC
10:54
and and even midweeks. Um, I think the
10:56
biggest thing is just bringing the
10:58
energy and just continuing to have good
10:59
at bats, pitch well, and just, you know,
11:01
play the game the way we know how to.
11:04
Um, what helped you guys like start so
11:06
quickly? You had nine runs in the first
11:08
three innings. Uh, I mean I think honest
11:10
it's just the the at bats, you know,
11:12
obviously coach Wearsbicky and Coach
11:14
Jackson, they they give us great
11:15
scouting reports. So just trusting them
11:17
and just going up there and knowing what
11:18
you're looking for, I think that helps
11:20
so
11:21
much. Thanks.