University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest (ACC Tournament)
Wake Outlasts UNC, 9-7 In 11 Innings
May 23, 2002 | Baseball
May 23, 2002
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ST. PETERSBURG, FLA. - Stephen Ghutzman ripped a two-out, pinch hit double off the wall in right to break a 7-7 tie in the 11th inning and help send Wake Forest to a dramatic 9-7 win over North Carolina in a game that started Thursday night but carried into early Friday morning in the second round of the 2002 ACC Baseball Tournament at Florida Power Park. The Demon Deacons have won 11 of their last 12 meetings with the Tar Heels, including four straight in the ACC Tournament.
"I thought my kids played their hearts," said UNC head coach Mike Fox. "Wake Forest has a great team and they showed it tonight, but we played well enough to win and I feel bad for my players that we couldn't win the game."
Wake Forest jumped out to a 5-1 lead in the third, before UNC rallied to within 5-4 on a two-out, two-run single by Sean Farrell in the fourth.
Wake extended its lead to 6-4 with one run in the fifth, but again Carolina battled back to within one run. Mell Adams homered to deep left-center field in the sixth to cut the Demon Deacon lead to 6-5.
Carolina finally took the lead in the seventh, rallying for two runs on four hits against All-America closer Dave Bush, the ACC's saves leader with 13. Sean Farrell led off with a double and scored the tying run on a single by Chris Maples. Maples scored the go-ahead run on a single to left by Ryan Blake, for UNC's first runs against Bush since April 9, 2000.
ut Wake tied the game, 7-7, in the top of the eighth after Adam Bourassa drew a leadoff walk from Scott Manshack and then scored on a single by Ryan Johnson.
The Tar Heels had their chances to scratch out the victory, loading the bases with no outs against Bush in the bottom of the ninth. Chad Prosser lined out to center field and Maples was thrown out at the plate attempting to score on the sacrifice for a double play. Blake popped out to end the inning and keep Wake's hopes alive and setting the stage for Wake's two-run 11th inning off of Maples, who entered the game in relief from third base and pitched 3.2 innings.
Thursday's loss sends UNC into the loserʼs bracket to face Georgia Tech at 3:30 p.m. in an elimination game.
"We better put this one behind us quick,"Fox said. "You have to turn around quick and you can't dwell on the day before. We know how good Georgia Tech is, so we'll be ready to play tomorrow at 3:30."
