University of North Carolina Athletics
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Iannetta's Homer Lifts Baseball Over Miami, 5-4
April 26, 2002 | Baseball
April 26, 2002
CHAPEL HILL - Freshman catcher Chris Iannetta sent the second pitch of the eighth inning over the fence in right-center field to break a 4-4 tie and give North Carolina a 5-4 win over Miami Friday evening in the first of a three-game weekend series between the Tar Heels and Hurricanes at Boshamer Stadium. Carolina, ranked No. 9 by Collegiate Baseball, improves to 31-14 with its sixth straight win, while the defending national champion Hurricanes fall to 21-20.
Michael Gross (5-3) struck out three batters, including the last two of the game, in 2.2 scoreless innings for the win, while Shawn Valdes Fauli (1-1) took the loss after allowing Iannetta's eighth-inning shot. The Tar Heels struck out 12 batters overall, including eight by starter Scott Autrey in the first six innings.
Carolina led 4-0 after two innings, but Miami battled back with two runs each in the fifth and seventh innings to tie the game going into the final two innings. Iannetta stole the show with his leadoff blast in the eighth and then by throwing out Paco Figueroa on a steal attempt with no outs in the top of the ninth.
"I'm real happy for Chris," said UNC head coach Mike Fox. "That was a big swing of the bat there in the eighth inning, and then throwing the runner out there in the ninth. We also pitched well. I think the whole game was predicated on Scott Autrey going out and shutting them down for the first five or six innings. I think it gave our team some confidence."
Adam Greenberg sparked a three-run first inning for the Tar Heels with his fifth leadoff home run of the season and the eighth of his career. Chris Maples and Jeremy Cleveland added RBI doubles for a quick 3-0 Carolina lead. Greenberg added a sacrifice fly in the second to score Iannetta and the Tar Heels led 4-0 through two innings.
Autrey cruised through the first four innings, having struck out six batters and allowed just two first inning singles before the Hurricanes got on the board with two runs in the fifth. Autrey struck out Matt Dryer to lead off the inning and got Erick San Pedro to fly out to left field before Miami got four straight hits -- three singles and a double -- to pull within 4-2.
Miami pulled even with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh inning. After Autrey walked Figueroa to lead off the inning Whitley Benson came out of the Tar Heel bullpen but allowed an RBI double by Brad Safchik and an RBI single by Javy Rodriguez before Gross came on in relief and got Danny Matienzo to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Gross worked through the eighth to set the stage for Iannetta's sixth home run of the season to start the eighth.
"It's the best feeling I've had since I've been down here as a Tar Heel," Iannetta said, a native of Providence, R.I. "I really can't explain it, it's just a great feeling."
Carolina's win Friday marked the first of six straight days of games for the Tar Heels. Carolina and Miami continue their series with games Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. The Tar Heels host Elon on Monday, East Carolina on Tuesday and conclude their regular-season home schedule with Appalachian State on Wednesday.
