University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Liberty
Baseball Defeats Liberty 9-8 In 11 Innings
April 2, 2002 | Baseball
April 2, 2002
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The 21st ranked Carolina Tar Heels (20-9) continued their dominance of Liberty with a 9-8 extra inning victory over the Flames (13-13-1) Tuesday night at Boshamer Stadium. This win keeps Carolina undefeated in the 12-game history against Liberty.
The Tar Heels were down 8-6 going into the bottom of the eleventh inning but put three runs on the board with only two hits to end their longest game of the season. Carolina and Liberty combined to use 11 pitchers and leave 24 runners on base in the game.
Chris Maples was 3-for-5 and scored two times, while Adam Greenberg was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs to lead the Tar Heels. Greg Mangum also had two key hits off the bench in the comeback win.
Liberty jumped out to an early lead in the top of the first as Larry Wayne York reached on a single, and advanced to second on an infield single by Marcus Maringola. Kelly Knouse then walked and York came around to score on a wild pitch by Carolina starter Carter Harrell.
The Flames put two more runs on the board in the top of the third as Harrell issued a one-out walk to Maringola then gave up a two-run home run to cleanup batter Steve Baker.
Carolina cut the Liberty lead to 3-2 by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third as Ron Braun was hit by a pitch then moved to third on a double Mell Adams. Greenberg followed with a single up the middle, scoring both runners.
The Tar Heels tied the game in the bottom of the fourth when Maples extended his team-best hitting streak to 13 games with a double off the left field wall and moved to third on a Chad Prosser flyout. Maples crossed home when Liberty shortstop Jeff Haines made an error on a groundball off the bat of Braun which should have ended the inning.
Liberty took advantage of two Carolina errors in the top of the sixth to take a two run advantage. Knouse led off the inning with an infield single and scored the Flames' fourth run on a sacrifice bunt by Erich Cloninger. Keith Butler followed with an RBI single that scored Shane Miller who had reached on a catcher's interference call earlier in the inning.
Carolina got one run in its half of the sixth but left the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning. Braun scored his second run of the game when Sean Farrell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Greenberg doubled Braun around to third and a walk to Russ Adams loaded the bases for Farrell. But Liberty pitcher Richard Long then struck out Ryan Blake with the bases full to end the Tar Heel threat.
An RBI double by Knouse off of Carolina reliever Scott Senatore in the top of the seventh scored Baker who reached on a single. Michael Gross then entered the game in relief of Senatore and struck out Matt Hagen and catcher Ryan Blake threw out Knouse trying to steal third to end the inning.
The Tar Heels came back and again tied the game in the bottom of the eighth. Greenberg was hit by a pitch and Russ Adams followed with a single to right, giving Carolina runners at first and second. A double steal and throwing error by Cloninger allowed Greenberg to score. Farrell then singled home Adams, tying the game at 6-6.
Liberty took the lead again in the top of the eleventh inning with a two-run double by Matt Hagen but Carolina scored three runs in the bottom of the inning to win in dramatic fashion. Maples doubled to lead off the inning and would later come around to score on an infield single by Greg Mangum. Chase Younts who had come in the game as a pinch runner for Iannetta, scored the tying run on a wild pitch by the Flames' Jonathan Schneider. A walk to Mell Adams and an intentional walk to Greenberg loaded the bases for Russ Adams who drew a walk, scoring Mangum and ending the game.
The Tar Heels host Coastal Carolina on Wednesday at 6 p.m. before traveling to Wake Forest this weekend for a crucial ACC series against the Demon Deacons.
