University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Pace University
Carolina Blanks Pace In Baseball, 10-0
March 14, 2000 | Baseball
March 14, 2000
Chapel Hill, N.C. -- The second-ranked University of North Carolina baseball team closed out a 12-game homestand with a 10-0 win over Pace University Tuesday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels continue to build on their record start to the 2000 season. At 21-0, Carolina is off to its best start in school history and its 21 straight wins are also a school record.
Freshman Scott Autrey earned his third start of the season and pitched five scoreless innings for his fifth victory. He allowed just two hits and struck out five Pace batters before being relieved by B.J. Finnerty to start the sixth inning. Pace starter Juan Miranda (0-1) allowed five runs on five hits over 5.1 innings for the loss. Reliever Austin Sparks also allowed five Carolina runs.
Adam Greenberg, who has now hit in 12 straight games, was 3-for-3 at the plate, including a sixth inning RBI triple. He also knocked in three runs and stole his team-leading eighth base of the year. He broke open a scoreless game in the fourth with a two-out, two-run single to centerfield which scored Russ Adams and Jay Madeira.
Sacrifice flies by Tyrell Godwin and Matt McCay in the fifth inning pushed the Carolina lead to 4-0, and the Tar Heels exploded with six runs in the sixth for the 10 run final tally. After Greenberg tripled and scored on a throwing error to make the score 6-0, Ryan Earey singled home Clay Hooper with two outs. McCay followed two batters later with a two-out, three-run home run to left field.
McCay finished the game with four runs batted in and Hooper and Earey had two hits apiece. Finnerty, Joey Popovich, Matt Tanner and Aaron Sheffield each pitched one scoreless inning out of the bullpen to close out the UNC win.
Carolina opens its ACC season with a three-game series this weekend at Georgia Tech. Game times are as follows: Friday (7 p.m.), Saturday (1:30 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.). The Heels then return home for a 10-game homestand, including three-game sets with conference foes NC State (March 24-26) and Clemson (March 31-April 2).
