University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Fresno State
Fresno St. Tops Heels, 11-7
June 21, 1999 | Baseball
March 13, 1999
By: Travis Everette, Carolina Baseball
The one word heard consistently from coaches, players, and spectators as they left Pete Bieden field tonight was not "upset". It was "wow." No other word describes the battle that played out between Fresno State and Carolina. It was not because the game was played flawlessly or due to overwhelming pitching and hitting. This game was simply the most exciting college baseball game most of those in attendance had ever seen.
A raucous crowd of 3,218 red-clad Bulldog fans paid to see host team Fresno State top the fourth ranked Tar Heels 11-7, and they all got their money's worth. Nothing, save the outcome for UNC fans, could have been more perfect. Even when the crowd began to chant "over-rated" and "Weber State" (referring to the Men's Basketball loss), it all seemed somehow perfect.
Things looked to be well under control when Carolina scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning off of a Ryan Earey blast over the right field wall, but Fresno St. would come back. The Bulldogs would pick up four runs in the top of the third to take the lead. This inning marked some of UNC's poorest play of the year and it looked like the Heels were folding under the pressure. Then Ryan Earey came to bat again, and for the second time in as many of Earey's at-bats, a Bulldog pitcher kicked himself as he watched a Ruthian two run blast leave the field. This shot cleared the light poles in left. Not to be outdone, Fresno State's Brandon Gemoll hit his own two run dinger in the top of the sixth to give the Bulldogs the lead again.
When Jay Madeira walked to lead off the Heels' half of the sixth and Ryan Earey stepped up to the plate, you would have thought that Mark McGuire had walked into Bieden Field. Everyone in the stadium moved to the edge of their seat and absolutely everyone expected him to be intentionally walked, except for FSU coach Bob Bennett. Then Bulldog reliever Hans Smith made a big mistake. He threw Ryan Earey a fast ball, and in his third plate appearance of the game Earey, hit his third two run round-tripper of the day. That would not only tie the game, but tie UNC's single game home run mark set by six former players. The last Tar Heel to accomplish the feat was Cookie Massey vs. Georgia Tech in 1994.
Carolina would score once again in the bottom of the seventh to take the lead 7-6, but Fresno State would not be denied and added four runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth for the 11-7 final. Casey Rowe picked up the win for the Bulldogs to move to 2-4 on the year, while Derrick DePriest took the loss for Carolina and fell to 1-1.
ecause of a flukish day in the tournament that saw both #1 seeds lose, a Fresno State-North Carolina match-up for the Pepsi/Johnny Quik Classic Championship will indeed happen. Carolina garnered a Championship Game berth by virtue of its 4-0 start in the tournament and Fresno State moved in with the huge win over the Heels and a lot of luck from the other games. Carolina and Fresno State will square off again on Saturday night at 7:00p.m. (10:00 EST) when Tar Heel ace Kyle Snyder (5-0) will take the mound against the Bulldogs.
