University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Clemson
Tar Heels Fall Again To No. 19 Clemson, 5-2
May 12, 2003 | Baseball
May 12, 2003
CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson (35-17, 12-9 ACC) defeated North Carolina (35-17 12-9 ACC), 5-2 on Monday afternoon at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. In a game dominated by pitching, the Tar Heels led 2-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, but Clemson came from behind in their last at-bat for the second day in a row, taking the series from Carolina. UNC starter Garry Bakker pitched well for seven innings but was charged with three runs in the eighth inning and fell to 6-3 on the season.
The Tigers claimed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Brad McCann led the inning off with a single to left, and with two outs, Garrick Evans grounded an RBI single through the left side of the infield, scoring McCann with the game's first run.
Clemson starter Steven Jackson kept the Carolina offense silent through five, allowing just two base runners and taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning. But designated hitter Adam Weaver led off the top of the sixth for the Tar Heels with a double into the left-center field gap. Blair Waggett came up next and laid down a perfect bunt which Jackson fielded and threw errantly down the first base line, allowing Weaver to score and Waggett to take second base. A sacrifice bunt by Greg Mangum moved Waggett to third, but Jackson came back to retire Chad Prosser and Jeremy Cleveland, keeping the score tied at 1-1.
The Tar Heels came right back and scored a run in the top of the seventh inning. Jackson walked both Sean Farrell and Ryan Blake, then with one out, Chris Iannetta came through with a sharp single into left which scored Farrell from second with the go-ahead run.
Three consecutive singles by the top of Clemson's order with one out in the bottom of the eighth, loaded the bases and chased Bakker from the game. The next batter was David Slevin who lined the first pitch he saw from Carolina reliever Michael Gross into the right-center field gap, scoring Russell Triplett and Kyle Frank with the tying and go-ahead runs. With two outs, Ryan Hub blooped a single into left field which scored McCann and Slevin to give the Tigers a 5-2 lead.
The Tar Heels return to action on Wednesday when they travel to UNC-Wilmington for a 3 p.m. game against the Seahawks. Carolina will then host the Virginia Cavaliers at Boshamer Stadium for the final ACC series of the season beginning on Thursday.
