University of North Carolina Athletics
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Princeton
Princeton Rolls Past Tar Heels, 8-3
March 18, 2003 | Baseball
March 18, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -Princeton (2-9) defeated North Carolina (13-6), 8-3 Tuesday afternoon at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels had won six straight entering the day, but the Tigers lit up Carolina starting pitcher Scott Manshack for seven runs in just 4.2 innings. Princeton's Mark Siano pitched a complete game to earn his first victory of the season.
Princeton grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Steve Young and Eric Fitzgerald led off with singles for the Tigers and would both come around to score on an error by Carolina first baseman Jeremy Cleveland.
Carolina scored twice in the bottom of the first to tie the score. Blair Waggett led off the inning with a triple to center field and scored when Greg Mangum followed with a double. Two batters later, Mangum tied the score when he crossed home on an RBI groundout by Ryan Blake.
The Tigers regained the lead in the top of the third. After a Ryan Eldridge single, catcher Tim Lahey blasted his second home run of the season over the 400 foot sign in center field.
A two-out, three-run homer by Princeton's Adam Balkan in the top of the fifth extended the Tigers' lead and chased Carolina starter Scott Manshack from the game.
Princeton tacked on another run in the top of the seventh, giving them an 8-2 advantage. Eldridge singled and advanced to second on a balk by UNC reliever Scott Senatore. Lahey followed with a run-scoring single, giving him three RBIs on the day.
The Tar Heels and Tigers will meet again on Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m. Carolina will then host Wake Forest for a three game series this weekend at Boshamer Stadium to begin ACC conference play.
