University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Missouri (NCAA Regional)
Tar Heels Top Missouri In Eleven Innings, 4-3
May 30, 2003 | Baseball
May 30, 2003
STARKVILLE, MISS. -North Carolina (40-21) defeated Missouri (35-21), 4-3 in 11 innings on Friday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field in the first game of the NCAA Starkville Regional. In the fifth extra-inning contest over their last seven games, the Tar Heels pulled out a win, their 40th of the season. This marks the fourth time in five years that head coach Mike Fox has won 40 games at Carolina. UNC starting pitcher Daniel Moore went 6.1 innings and gave up just two runs on five hits while striking out four. Missouri starter Justin James pitched 9.0 remarkable innings, striking out seven while walking just one batter, but did not figure in the decision. The Carolina bullpen performed magnificently, allowing just one run in 4.2 innings pitched.
Missouri jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Jayce Tingler drew a leadoff walk, and with two outs, Ryan Rallo ripped a single past Carolina starting pitcher Daniel Moore, scoring Tingler from third base.
The Tar Heels came right back with two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead. Greg Mangum led the inning off with a triple down the right field line and scored two batters later when Jeremy Cleveland blasted his 19th home run of the season into the left field bleachers.
The Tigers tied the game with a run in the top of the fourth inning. Moore allowed singles to Rallo and Cody Ehlers then walked Brad Flanders to load the bases with just one out. Rallo came home with the tying run when Zane Taylor lined a sacrifice fly to left field and Sean Farrell's throw to the plate was not in time.
After three scoreless innings, Missouri took a 3-2 lead in the top of the eighth inning. Ian Kinsler led the inning off by blasting a solo home run over the left field stands off of Carolina reliever Scott Senatore.
Carolina tied the score at three in the bottom of the eighth thanks to a two-strike, pinch-hit home run by freshman Mike Daniel. Daniel was batting in place of designated hitter Wes Moyer who had gone 0-for-2 in his two at-bats.
Missouri threatened in the top of the tenth inning but came up empty. With one out, Rallo walked and Ehlers singled off of UNC relief pitcher Kevin Brower. Brad Flanders then lined a ball that seemed destined for the left-center field gap, but center fielder Blair Waggett made a spectacular diving play to retire Flanders and keep the runners at first and second. With two outs, Taylor grounded a ball up the middle, but second baseman Mangum slid to his right and forced Rallo at second to end the inning.
The Tar Heels had an opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the tenth, but left the bases loaded. Daniel singled to lead off the inning and moved into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Waggett. An intentional walk to Mangum followed by a four-pitch walk to Chad Prosser loaded the bases for Cleveland with just one out. But Missouri reliever Andy Shipman struck out Cleveland and got Farrell to fly out to center, halting UNC's rally.
Carolina put together a short, game-winning rally in the bottom of the eleventh. Sammy Hewitt led the inning off by crushing a double into the right-center field gap. Hewitt had been in an 0-for-13 slump before this at-bat. With Hewitt at second, Ryan Blake dumped a two-strike pitch softly into center field, allowing Hewitt to score the game-winning run.
The Tar Heels will play host and No. 1 seed Mississippi State on Saturday at 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET). The Bulldogs defeated Middle Tennessee by a score of 10-4 in Friday's second game. Listen to all of Saturday's action live from Starkville on the Tar Heel Sports Network by clicking here.
