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Unbelievable!! Heels Rally For Win With 13 Runs In The Ninth
February 19, 2000 | Baseball
Feb. 19, 2000
Box Score & Play-by-Play
y: Joe Bray
Los Angeles, Calif. -- In one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the
North Carolina baseball program, the Tar Heels rallied for 13 runs in the top of
the ninth inning to overcome a 13-4 deficit and post a miraculous 17-13 win over
the second-ranked UCLA Bruins at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Los Angeles.
Ryan Earey and Sean Farrell, two of the key players in Carolina's comeback, had
big nights at the plate for the Heels. Earey was 3-4 with four RBI, while Farrell
was 3-5 with five RBI.
The 13-run inning came at the expense of three Bruin pitchers. Ryan Carter, who came
on in relief in the seventh, gave up five runs while getting no one out.
Tyler Dickerson came on and recorded a walk and a hit batter before the Bruins called
on closer Chad Cislak. Cislak (0-2) gave up six runs to take the loss.
Earey and Farrell helped the Heels quickly cut into the Bruins' lead in the
unlikely final inning. Clay Hooper and Tyrell Godwin singled to start the
inning, then Earey launched a one-handed blast to cut the lead to 13-7.
Ryan Blake followed with a walk, and Farrell made it a ball game again at 13-9 with a
two-run shot. Carolina then loaded the bases with no outs before Dan Moylan
struck out for the first out of the inning. Hooper was then hit by a pitch to
make the score 13-10. Hooper was one of four Carolina batters to be hit by a
pitch in the last inning.
A walk to Godwin made the score 13-11, then Earey was hit by a pitch to cut the
deficit to one. Fittingly, the Heels tied the score when Ryan Blake was hit by another
errant Bruin pitch. Farrell's two-run double to right gave UNC a 15-13 lead.
McCay's bunt single drove in Blake, then Farrell scored the inning's final run
on Chris Maple's sacrifice bunt.
Closer Derrick DePriest came on in relief in the bottom of the ninth and gave up
a single and a walk to put two on with one out. However, Farrell made a great
defensive play at third base when he pulled down pinch-hitter Randall Shelley's
line shot, then Bill Scott grounded out to short to end the game.
.J. Finnerty (1-0), who pitched a scoreless eighth inning, picked up the win.
The Bruins hammered out seven home runs for the evening. Chase Utley and Garrett
Atkins had two apiece, while Forrest Johnson, Adam Berry and Nick Lyon had one homer
apiece.
Tyrell Godwin had a two-run home run to centerfield in the first inning.
Ryan Snare started on the mound for Carolina, but gave up eight earned runs on seven
hits in just three innings of action. UCLA starter Jon Brandt gave up the Heels' first
four runs in six innings of work.
The Tar Heels move to 7-0 for the young season, while UCLA falls to 6-3.
The two nationally-ranked teams will play again Saturday and Sunday at 4:00 p.m. ET.
Eric Henderson (1-0, 3.18 ERA) is scheduled to start for Carolina on Saturday, while
Josh Karp (2-0, 2.70 ERA) will be on the mound for the Bruins.
David Tinson and Travis Everette will bring you all the action with our Live Stats on
TarHeelBlue.com, your source for North Carolina baseball information.
TarHeelBlue.com
