University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Duke
No. 18 Tar Heels Take Series from Duke, 14-2
April 25, 2004 | Baseball
April 25, 2004
DURHAM, N.C. - Freshman left-hander Andrew Miller tossed seven shutout innings, and the Tar Heel offense tied a season high with four home runs to lead No. 18 North Carolina (31-11, 11-7 ACC) to a 14-2 series-clinching win over Duke (22-20, 7-8 ACC) Sunday at Jack Coombs Field. With the win, UNC earned a point in the Carlyle Cup standings.
With the strong outing from Miller, the Tar Heels got more than enough offense courtesy of two homers from senior third baseman Sammy Hewitt and one each from catcher Chris Iannetta and right fielder Marshall Hubbard. Hubbard was 3-for-4 on the day to extend his season-long hitting streak to 14 games. He also scored three runs. Hewitt also scored three times Sunday and drove in a total of eight runs in the series.
Miller (4-2) pitched seven scoreless innings, allowing just three hits and four walks while striking out five for the win. Senior Michael Gross worked the final two innings. Duke starter Danny Otero (2-2) took the loss for the Blue Devils.
The Tar Heels used a two-out rally to take a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning. Despite two quick outs to start the inning, UNC batted around. Hubbard broke a scoreless tie with his 14th home run of the year, a solo shot over the scoreboard in left field. The Tar Heels followed with four more runs on a walk and four singles, highlighted by a two-run single by Bryan Steed.
UNC added a run in the fifth to go ahead 6-0. Hubbard hit a two-out single to right field and later scored on a single by Matt Ellington.
The Tar Heels broke open the game with a six-run sixth inning, highlighted by a three-run homer by Iannetta and a two-run shot by Hewitt. He later pushed the lead to 14-0 in the eighth with his second two-run shot of the day. Hewitt now has 10 home runs on the year.
The Blue Devils got on the board in the ninth when freshman Eric Baumann hit his first career home run, a two-run shot over the right-center field wall.
After a break for finals, Carolina returns to action at UNC Greensboro on Wednesday, May 5.
