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Miami Nips Tar Heels, 4-3, In Baseball
April 27, 2002 | Baseball
April 27, 2002
CHAPEL HILL - One day after the North Carolina baseball team scored a dramatic 5-4 win over Miami, the Hurricanes battled back with a wild 4-3 victory over the Tar Heels Saturday evening in front of 2,257 fans at Boshamer Stadium. Brad Safchik singled in the game-winning run for the Hurricanes in the top of the ninth inning to end ninth-ranked UNC's six-game winning streak and drop the Tar Heels to 31-15. Miami, last year's national champions, improves to 22-20.
"We didn't play well enough against a good Miami team to win" said UNC head coach Mike Fox. "We just didn't move the ball well enough early in the game. You have to take advantage of opportunities early in the game to score some runs, and we didn't get it done. We pitched well enough I thought to have a chance to win, but we didn't do enough offensively tonight to put enough pressure on them."
Behind strong outings from starters Daniel Moore for Carolina and Miami's Kik Bengochea, the Tar Heels and Hurricanes played to a 1-1 draw through the first six innings. Miami struck first with a run in the top of the third inning on a two-out single by Javy Rodriguez, while Carolina answered in the bottom of the sixth when Chris Maples ripped a two-out double to left to score Adam Greenberg from second.
Tied 1-1 going into the seventh, both teams' bats began to heat up. Chris Iannetta, whose eighth-inning home run one night ago was the game-winner for Carolina, gave the Tar Heels their first lead off the night with a one-out shot to right, his seventh homer of the season.
Miami answered when Matt Dryer ripped a two-out, two-run single up the middle in the eighth for a 3-2 Hurricane lead. Maples again knotted the score with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning, but Carolina was unable to capitalize on having runners at first and second with no outs. Miami closer George Huguet (6-1), who pitched the final two innings for the win, got Ron Braun to pop out on a bunt attempt for the inning's first out, Jeremy Cleveland flied out to center field and Chad Prosser hit into a fielder's choice that got Maples out at second to end the inning.
Miami scored the game-winning run off of Kevin Brower (3-1), who allowed two runs on three hits while walking three over 1.2 innings for his first loss, in the ninth. Paco Figueroa drew a leadoff walk, his twin brother Danny moved him to second on a sac bunt and Safchik drove in the game-winner with his single to left field.
Carolina made things interesting in bottom of the ninth, getting the leadoff man on base, but the Tar Heels couldn't muster another comeback after Huguet struck out Greenberg and catcher Erick San Pedro gunned down Chase Younts attempting to steal second for the game's final out.
Moore pitched 7.1 innings, allowing just one earned run on five hits while striking out six, in the no decision.
Carolina and Miami conclude their series 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.
