No. 20 Miami Falls to No. 10 UNC in Series Finale

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The 10th-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels used five runs in the first two innings to seal an 8-1 win in the series finale Sunday afternoon over No. 20 Miami at Boshamer Stadium. Miami took the series on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep, 13-6 and 5-3.

The game was decided early-on Sunday, with North Carolina (32-10, 13-8 Atlantic Coast Conference) putting runners in scoring position in each of the first six innings and taking advantage in four of those frames. Miami (27-13, 15-5 ACC) tried to claw back in the sixth, but UNC had an answer.

After Miami cut into the lead, 6-1, with its first run of the game coming off a Rony Rodriguez single to left that crossed Zeke DeVoss – North Carolina abruptly answered back with two runs in the home-half of the inning.

Back-to-back doubles by Tommy Coyle and Levi Michael added to the UNC lead, 7-1, before a sacrifice fly to center field from Jesse Wierzbicki scored Michael from third for the 8-1 advantage.

That would be the final score as Miami was unable to get anything else going offensively the rest of the way, as UNC freshman left-hander Kent Emanuel went the entire way for the Tar Heels in picking up the win on the mound.

North Carolina plated the first three runs of the game with back-to-back two-out hits from Chaz Frank and Jacob Stallings – also using an error on Dale Carey fielding the ball in right.

With runners on first and second for the Tar Heels, Frank delivered a double to right that plated third baseman Colin Moran, with first baseman Jesse Wierzbicki coming in on the error charged to Carey. The third run crossed on the first pitch to the next batter – Stallings – scoring Frank on a single to right field.

That allowed North Carolina its largest lead of the weekend, 3-0.

Miami starting hurler E.J. Encinosa was unable to get on track early-on, and UNC took advantage to swell the lead to 5-0 in the second inning.

The first run came in on a Colin Moran single to left, with the runners advancing on the throw to the plate from DeVoss. The second scored off an Encinosa wild pitch off the glove of catcher Shane Rowland. The wild pitch was Encinosa’s fifth of the season.

The Heels threatened again in the third inning, but a diving catch by Carey over in left center field saved the Hurricanes two runs. The Georgia freshman put his head down and sprinted to his right, laying straight-out for the ball, and catching before knocking the wind out of his chest with the third out grab.

The Hurricanes were led offensively on the day by freshman Brad Fieger who finished 2-for-4 at the dish, as well as Harold Martinez extending his hitting streak to nine games with a single. Rony Rodriguez had the only RBI for the Canes – his third game in the last four where he has collected at least one RBI.

UNC was charged by Colin Moran and Jacob Stallings with two hits each – both adding a RBI. Four other Tar Heels collected hits on the afternoon as well, with Tommy Coyle scoring twice.

The win went to UNC starter Kent Emanuel who had his first career complete game, tossing all nine frames with just one run allowed on nine hits, four strikeouts and a single walk. He bumped his record to 6-1 on the campaign.

The loss went to E.J. Encinosa of the Hurricanes, evening his record at 3-3 on the year. He went 3 2/3 innings with five runs on five hits and five walks. UMiami relief pitchers AJ Salcines and Javi Salas went the rest of the way on the bump.

Salas finished the final two innings with nothing allowed, while Salcines allowed three runs on three hits. For both freshmen, it was the second time in as many games the two pitchers toed the rubber for the Hurricanes.

Miami will get back on the diamond Wednesday, April 27, as the Canes host the USF Bulls to Alex Rodriguez Park at 6 p.m.

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