University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Miami Fla
Baseball Edges Miami, 5-4, To Take Series
April 28, 2002 | Baseball
April 28, 2002
CHAPEL HILL - North Carolina pinch hitter Ryan Blake drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 4-4 tie and send UNC to a 5-4 win over Miami Sunday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. The ninth-ranked Tar Heels (32-15) took two of three games in the series, all three of which were decided by one run, and limited the Hurricanes (22-21) to five hits in Sunday's victory.
"It was another close game, and we got a break there at the end drawing the bases-loaded walk," said UNC head coach Mike Fox. "The key to this whole series was how well we pitched. We pitched well enough yesterday to win, and today we gave them five hits and made the plays when we needed to."
The Tar Heels struck first in the series-finale, scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the second. Jeremy Cleveland doubled and scored on a two-out single by Chris Iannetta, while Iannetta later scored on an errant throw by catcher Greg Dini on a pickoff attempt at third base.
In the third, Sean Farrell drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Ron Braun ground out. Chris Maples doubled and scored on a single by Cleveland for a 4-0 Carolina lead through three.
Miami answered with two runs in the top of the fourth to close the UNC lead to 4-2. The Hurricanes loaded the bases with no outs, but UNC starter Garry Bakker got Kevin Howard to ground into a double play for the first two outs of the inning while just one run came home. Matt Dryer got a two-out single to drive home Brad Safchik for Miami's second run of the inning.
The Hurricanes scored two more runs in the sixth to tie the game, 4-4. Danny Figueroa drew a leadoff walk and reached third on a throwing error by Cleveland. Javy Rodriguez knocked Figueroa home for an unearned run and Howard ripped a double to the right field wall against a stiff wind to drive home Safchik. The Tar Heels saved a run before the inning was done after Bakker threw high past Iannetta with Dryer at the plate, but the ball bounced off the brick wall behind home plate and Iannetta was able to throw to Bakker to get Howard out attempting to score.
Tied 4-4 in the seventh, reliever Vince Vazquez walked the bases loaded before Miami brought left-hander J.D. Cockroft from the bullpen with one out. Carolina countered with Blake, who drew a walk to bring home Sean Farrell for the winning run.
UNC reliever Michael Gross (6-3) came on in relief of Bakker with two outs in the seventh and collected seven straight outs for the win. Vazquez (0-2) took the loss for the Hurricanes.
"Michael's been our savior out of the bullpen all year long," Fox said. "He smelled it there in the ninth inning and got it done. This was a big win for us."
Sunday's win marked the 150th of Mike Fox's career as head coach of the Tar Heels. Now in his fourth season at his alma mater, Fox owns a 150-76 overall record ar UNC. He is 690-217-4 in his 19th year as a college head coach after posting a 540-141-4 mark in 15 seasons at Division III N.C. Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount.
The Tar Heels continue their stretch of six games in six days by hosting Elon on Monday, East Carolina on Tuesday and Appalachian State on Wednesday in the final regular-season home game of the season. All three games are at 6 p.m.
