University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Northwestern State
Northwestern State Rallies Past No. 17 Tar Heels, 6-2
February 28, 2004 | Baseball
Feb. 28, 2004
HOUSTON - Northwestern State (4-5) rallied for five runs in the top of the ninth to score a 6-2 come-from-behind win over 17th-ranked North Carolina (4-2) Saturday on the second day of the Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational at Reckling Park.
The Tar Heels were leading 2-1 heading into the eighth, but the Demons sent 10 men to the plate and scored five runs off the UNC bullpen to earn the victory. NSU left fielder Michael Palermo tripled to right field to start the rally, and four other Demons hit safely in the frame. Carolina closer Robert Woodard also hit two batters, and the Tar Heels made a pair of errors to aid the rally. NSU starter Clayton Turner (1-1) tossed a complete game, five-hitter to earn the victory.
Freshman righty Daniel Bard (1-0) put the Tar Heels in position to win, as he went eight innings and allowed just one run on four hits and two walks. He also struck out six. Bard's outing was the longest of any Tar Heel starter this season. The Charlotte native retired the final nine batters he faced and struck out the side in the seventh. But Woodard, who took the loss, allowed five runs on four hits in one-third of an inning. Senior Scott Senatore came on to get the final two outs of the ninth.
Junior catcher Chris Iannetta went 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and two runs batted in to lead the Carolina offense. Additionally, second baseman Greg Mangum doubled in the eighth to push his hitting streak to six games.
The contest was dominated by pitching from the start, as both Bard and Turner combined to allow just six hits through the first six innings of play. Turner carried a perfect game into the fifth, but Iannetta ended the no-hit and shutout bid with one swing of the bat. His second home run of the season was a shot over the left field wall on a 1-1 pitch.
With the game still tied at one in the seventh, Iannetta came through with an RBI-double to left center, which scored left fielder Jay Cox from first. Cox reached on a fielder's choice after first baseman Sammy Hewitt singled to right.
The Demons jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second on a solo homer to right from designated hitter Bobby Barbier, who leads NSU with four home runs this season. Lyles and first baseman Hunter Thoms each had two hits to lead the Northwestern State attack.
Carolina closes out the Crowne Plaza/Rice Invitational against No. 23 Nebraska at 1 p.m. EST Sunday.
