No. 11 Hurricanes' Rally Falls Short at No. 1 UNC, 7-5
March 9, 2007
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – – North Carolina’s Tim Federowicz and Andrew Carignan held No. 11 Miami scoreless the last three innings as the No. 1 Tar Heels held off the Hurricanes, 7-5, Friday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium in the first game of the Atlantic Coast Conference series opener. Freshman third baseman Mark Sobolewski led UM going 2-for-4 with one RBI.
Scott Maine (2-3) suffered his third loss as he allowed six runs, three earned, on eight hits in three innings. Freshman pitchers John Housey, David Gutierrez and Alex Koronis combined to hold the Tar Heels to three hits and one run over the final five innings.
UNC’s Robert Woodard (4-0) registered his fourth win to remain perfect on the season. He allowed four runs on four hits and struck out five. Carignan earned his third save tossing a scoreless ninth. Federowicz pitched two scoreless innings limiting UM to one hit.
Roger Tomas, Yonder Alonso and Ryan Jackson each had one hit for the Hurricanes. Chad Flack went 2-for-5 with two RBI while Dustin Ackley and Seth Williams each had two hits for the Tar Heels (13-1, 1-0 ACC).
A lead-off home run by Seth Williams just inside the left field foul line gave the Tar Heels a 7-5 advantage in the bottom of the seventh.
Another Miami run came across in the top of the seventh pulling UM within, 6-5. Blake Tekotte led off with a walk and scored on Sobolewski’s RBI single through the right side. Sobolewski was caught in rundown after Tekotte scored to end the inning.
The Hurricanes’ rally started in the top of the sixth. Tomas drew a lead-off walk before Sobolewski’s single to left field gave UM baserunners with no outs. Alonso followed with an RBI double to right field as Miami pulled within 6-2. Sobolewski scored on Dave DiNatale’s ground out making it, 6-3. Alonso would score on a ground out by Raben capping a three-run inning making it, 6-4.
UNC used another two-out rally to score a run in the bottom of the third. Drew Poulk walked before back-to-back singles from Williams and Seager scored Poulk giving the Tar Heels a 4-0 lead.
North Carolina went ahead, 5-0, on Flack’s double that scored Reid Fronk, who walked to lead off the inning. Flack scored on Dustin Ackley’s two-out base-hit.
Miami loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the third when Blake Tekotte was hit by a pitch. Jemile Weeks walked and Tomas followed with a single to center field. Sobolewski then flared a pitch into right field but Seth Williams made a diving catch to end the threat.
UNC scored three unearned runs in the bottom of the second to take a 3-0 lead. Benji Johnson’s two-run single to right field scored Poulk and Seager. Poulk reached on an infield single and Seager reached on an error by Jemile Weeks putting runners on second and third. Johnson followed with his single and later scored on Chad Flack’s base-hit through the right side.
Miami and North Carolina will continue their series Saturday at 1 p.m. Freshman LHP Eric Erickson (2-1, 2.14 ERA) will face UNC freshman RHP Alex White (2-0, 0.95 ERA). The game can be heard locally on WVUM (90.5 FM) or via the internet at www.wvum.org.
Game Notes: North Carolina’s first six runs all came with two outs … Miami loss an ACC series opening game for the first time, but it was the first time UM opened conference play on the road … UNC out-hit the Hurricanes, 11-5.
