University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
California
California Stops Carolina, 12-4
March 14, 2004 | Baseball
March 14, 2004
After throwing four shutouts in its last five games, North Carolina (12-4) allowed a season-high 12 runs and lost its first home game of the season, 12-4, to California (11-14) Sunday at Boshamer Stadium. The loss also snapped an eight-game win streak for the Tar Heels.
Holding a 6-4 lead entering the eighth, the Golden Bears scored five runs off the Carolina bullpen to put the game away. Left fielder Justin Nelson hit a three-run homer to open the scoring, and first baseman Allen Craig followed with a two-run single. David Weiner went 4-for-5, and David Nicholson and Garrett Bussiere each had three hits to lead the Bears at the plate. Nelson drove in a game-high four runs.
Center fielder Mike Daniel and first baseman Justin Webb each had two hits to lead the Tar Heels.
Carolina starter Andrew Miller (2-1) worked five innings and suffered his first collegiate loss, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and one walk. He also struck out five in his first weekend start of the season.
Cal reliever Matt Brown earned the win to improve to 3-1 on the year. He allowed just one hit over 4.2 innings. Starter Kyle Crist worked 3.1 innings and allowed four earned runs on six hits and one walk.
After Carolina left fielder Jay Cox robbed Craig of a home run to open the third inning, the Golden Bears went on to score their first runs of the series and take a 4-0 lead. A pair of Tar Heel errors and a hit batter contributed to the rally, but Bussiere and Brett Munster came through with RBI singles in the frame.
Down 4-0 entering the third, Carolina scored two runs in both the third and fourth innings to tie the score. Tar Heel catcher Chris Iannetta drove in the first pair in the third with a two-run home run to left field, his third of the year. The shot drove in right fielder Marshall Hubbard, who drew a two-out walk to keep the inning alive. Hubbard singled up the middle in the first to extend his hitting streak to 10 games.
In the fourth, third baseman Sammy Hewitt got things started with a double to right. He moved to third when Daniel reached on his second infield hit of the day. Webb then singled through the left side to score Hewitt and cut the lead to 4-3. After second baseman Greg Mangum drew a walk to load the bases, Cox drove in Daniel with a sacrifice fly to left field to tie the game.
The Golden Bears reclaimed the lead in the sixth when Nicholson roped an RBI double to left that scored shortstop Jeff Dragicevich, who walked to start the inning. Cal added a run in the seventh on a run-scoring double down the right field line by Nelson that pushed the advantage to 6-4.
Cal tacked on its final run in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Munster.
Carolina returns to action for a two-game mid-week series against Princeton at Boshamer Stadium. Games are set for 3 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday.
