OMAHA, Neb. Sophomore Dustin Ackley is North Carolina's best pure hitter, most patient batter and quickest base-runner.
And the bad news for unseeded Fresno State (42-29), which will face the No.2 Tar Heels in the winners' bracket of the College World Series at 7 tonight: It has to face him first.
Ackley – who moved into the leadoff spot for good on March 22 – has terrorized opposing pitchers from the get-go during the NCAA tournament. In six games, the All-American has reached base five times during the first at-bat, scoring on four occasions and helping the Tar Heels build insurmountable leads.
No wonder Florida State coach Mike Martin referred to Ackley as one of the two toughest “outs” in the ACC this season.
No wonder North Carolina (52-12) is the lone team remaining in the CWS that has yet to lose an NCAA game.
It is 35-4 when it scores first.
“Having a lead, you get a little more confident, the other team feels a little more pressure,” said North Carolina coach Mike Fox, whose team has trailed only twice in the NCAA tournament. “Everything's highlighted in the NCAA tournament, so when you're behind by two runs in the regular season — in the NCAA tournament, it's like you're down by four.”
Although Ackley had been the leadoff hitter on and off to begin the season, he wasn't moved into the position permanently until the second game of the Tar Heels' series at Maryland, when Fox felt like “we were sputtering a bit.”
Fellow sophomore Tim Fedroff had been in the leadoff spot because of his speed and ability to beat out an infield hit – important skills needed at the top of the order. But Fox preferred to see him use those skills when others were on base.
Ackley's switch from the third spot in the order was supposed to be short term, “just to see,” Fox said.
What coaches saw was an ability to beat out an infield hit, like Fedroff, but also an uncanny knack to “watch pitches,” and be patient enough to walk. Even though the Ackley has too much power to be the prototypical college leadoff guy, he found a home at the top of the batting order because of that mentality.
“When you haven't seen the pitcher before, like in the College World Series, it's good to kind of watch the pitches so the guy behind you will know what he's got, how hard he throws,'' Ackley said. “Other than that, seeing pitches and taking walks and just trying to make contact early in the game is the biggest thing.
“You just have to get on base – whether it's a hit or a walk or whatever. You just want to get there.”
And he has – a lot. In 42 games as the leadoff batter, he has reached base 21 times in the first inning, scoring 12 runs.
Add that to the fact North Carolina has outscored opponents 59-24 in the NCAA tournament and Ackley is hitting .408 for the season, Fresno State pitcher Justin Miller likely won't enjoy facing the 6-foot-1 left-hander from Walnut Cove tonight.
Especially because Miller (6-3, 4.88 ERA) wouldn't be starting if ace Tanner Scheppers hadn't injured his shoulder in May.
The biggest downside for Ackley batting in the leadoff position is that he hasn't stolen as many bases as he could have somewhere else in the order. He leads the team with 18, but once he gets on base, coaches usually don't want to take the risk of getting him out with hitters like Kyle Shelton, Fedroff and Tim Federowicz right behind him.
But as long as he helps his team score, Ackley doesn't care.
“I hope they think I'm a hard out,” he said of opposing pitchers. “Maybe they'll be too careful and give me a few more walks.”
By hitting first – and building a .498 on-base percentage this season – he has set a winning tone.
Painful practice
North Carolina third baseman Chad Flack ended Monday's practice with an ice pack on each knee when a line drive from the pitching cage hit him on one leg, then ricocheted into the other, while he was fielding a separate ground ball nearby.
"I'll be OK,” Flack said.
Miami stays alive
Two days after Miami closer Carlos Gutierrez ‘ two-run throwing error cost the Hurricanes a win in their opener, he overcame another shaky ninth to seal a 7-5 victory against Florida State on Monday.
Miami, the No. 1 national seed, will play Wednesday against Georgia.
Matt Cerione's two-out, bases-loaded single drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh, and three Georgia pitchers combined for six innings of shutout relief to lead the Bulldogs to a 4-3 victory against Stanford.
The Bulldogs (43-23-1) will play Friday against the winner of Wednesday's Miami-Stanford game. Observer News Services
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