University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Coastal Carolina
Baseball Tops Coastal Carolina, 12-9
March 13, 2001 | Baseball
March 13, 2001
CONWAY, S.C. -- The University of North Carolina baseball team topped Coastal Carolina 12-9 Tuesday evening in Conway, S.C. Carolina improves to 15-4 with the win.
Ahead 8-2 after the top of the fifth, Carolina gave up seven unanswered runs over the next three innings to the Chanticleers to fall behind 9-8. But the Tar Heels responded with three runs in the eighth and one final run in the ninth to score the 12-9 victory. Jason Howell (5-0) pitched the final 2.1 innings without allowing a run to earn his fifth victory for the Tar Heels.
Down 9-8 entering the eighth, Russ Adams' two-out double knocked home Ralph Roberts to tie the game 9-9. Sean Farrell followed with a two-run single to left to give the Heels an 11-9 lead and the game-winning runs.. Chad Prosser added an RBI single in the ninth for an insurance run and the final 12-9 margin.
Ryan Blake got the Heels going early with a three-run home run to center field in the first inning. Prosser added a solo shot in the second inning to give UNC an early 4-0 lead.
The Chanticleers closed to within 3-2, but the Tar Heels added one run in the fourth and three more in the fifth for an 8-2 advantage. Jeremy Cleveland had an RBI double in the fifth and Chris Maples added a two-run double for the six-run lead.
Coastal peppered UNC freshman Kevin Brower for five runs, three unearned, on five hits over 1.2 innings in its middle-inning comeback. Jason King allowed two runs on one hit in 0.2 innings.
Prosser led Carolina at the plate, batting 3-for-5 with two RBIs and one run scored. Farrell (2-for-4, 2 RBIs, 2 runs), Blake (2-for-4, 3 RBIs, 2 runs), Maples (2-for-5, 2 RBIs) and Roberts (2-for-4, 1 RBI, 2 runs) also had big days at the plate for the Tar Heels.
Adam Keim was 4-for-4, including one homer and a double, with one RBI and three runs scored for the Chants. Luke Johnson had a team-high three RBIs in the loss.
UNC head coach Mike Fox was ejected in the bottom of the sixth inning.
The Tar Heels open the ACC season with a three-game series this weekend versus Wake Forest at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels and Demon Deacons play Friday at 3 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
