No. 20 Miami Baseball Sweeps No. 10 UNC in Doubleheader

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Chantz Mack laced a two-run scoring single to allow No. 20 Miami some room in the top of the sixth, pushing the Hurricanes to a doubleheader sweep of No. 10 North Carolina, 5-3, Saturday night in ACC baseball play inside Boshamer Stadium.

Miami (27-12, 15-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) broke the game open in the top-half of the sixth with a two-run, two-out single from sophomore outfielder Chantz Mack – who entered the game in place of Nathan Melendres, who was injured diving for a ball in the second inning. Melendres would stay on another inning before being replaced defensively by Mack, who moved to left – then pushing Rony Rodriguez to right and Dale Carey to center.

Mack singled up the middle to score Zeke DeVoss and Shane Rowland for the 5-2 lead. DeVoss moved both runners into scoring position a batter earlier with a single to right – and DeVoss advancing on the throw.

UNC (31-10, 12-8 ACC) got to relief pitcher Javi Salas in the eighth, forcing the Canes to bring in Sam Robinson. Salas threw a wild pitch that advanced Jacob Stallings to third before UM head coach Jim Morris made the call to the bullpen.

Robinson got pitcher Greg Holt to ground-out to short, giving up a run, and ending with the 5-3 final score as Stallings crossed safely. Robinson allowed just one base runner the rest of the way, picking up the save – his fourth of the year.

With the game tied at two in the fourth, Miami regained the lead for the third time in the contest off the end of a Shane Rowland RBI fielder’s choice with the bases loaded, allowing Brad Fieger to come in on the play.

Trailing 2-1 in the home-half of the third, UNC tied things up in the frame – using a bases-loaded walk from UM starting pitcher Eric Whaley to Jessie Wierzbicki, allowing Seth Baldwin to score. The walk to Wierzbicki was the third-straight Tar Heel to reach base, after a single from Levi Michael and a walk to Colin Moran.

The Miami bats began the second game of the doubleheader right where they left off in the first game. Left fielder Rony Rodriguez began the game’s scoring with solo home run to left field in the top of the first, hitting his seventh homer of the year with a shot to left center.

The Canes added another run in the second inning as freshman outfielder Dale Carey singled to center, plating Michael Broad for the 2-0 advantage.

UNC cut into the lead in the bottom-half of the frame when catcher Jacob Stallings scored Jesse Wierzbicki from first on a double to left field.

That made the score 2-1 in favor of UM.

The win went to starter Eric Whaley, going to 6-2 on the year. He threw seven full frames, allowing just two runs on six hits and fanned four batters with three walks. AJ Salcines and Javi Salas toed the rubber for an inning and a third, with Salas allowing a run, before junior Sam Robinson closed the game over the final 1 2/3 innings.

The loss was tacked onto UNC’s Shane Taylor, dropping him to 2-3 on the year in three innings on the mound, allowing three runs on six hits and walking one with two strikeouts.

The Hurricanes were led offensively by Dale Carey’s 3-for-3 night, adding a RBI and a walk. Behind him were Michael Broad and Rony Rodriguez with 2-for-4 efforts, including the big blow from Rodriguez in the second.

UNC was led offensively by the play of Tommy Coyle, Levi Michael and Jacob Stallings with two hits apiece. Wierzbicki and Stallings added a RBI each.

The two teams will play the final game of the series on Sunday back at Boshamer Stadium beginning at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on CSS – channel 63 in the Miami-Dade area on Comcast Cable.

Live stats for the games will be provided through Game Tracker at HurricaneSports.com. Fans can also join the live chat, provided by Cover It Live, by visiting HurricaneSports.com as well.

For more information on the University of Miami baseball team, please log on to HurricaneSports.com. To follow the UM Baseball Team via twitter, please navigate to Twitter.com/CanesBaseball. You can also access the official UMiami Baseball blog at TheUBaseball.com.

Fans can keep up-to-date with all UM Athletics via twitter at Twitter.com/HurricaneSports.  You can also become a fan of the ‘Canes on Facebook at Facebook.com/MiamiHurricanes.