University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
No. 9 Tar Heels Secure Wake Forest Series with 7-3 Win
April 3, 2004 | Baseball
April 3, 2004
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Senior Sammy Hewitt's two-run home run highlighted a four-run ninth inning as No. 9 North Carolina (22-6, 6-2 ACC) scored a 7-3 come-from-behind win over Wake Forest (11-16, 1-7 ACC) Saturday at Hooks Stadium. With the victory, the Tar Heels are assured of their first series win in Winston-Salem since 1996 and move to 6-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Redshirt freshman designated hitter Matt Ellington went 3-for-5, while Hewitt, third baseman Justin Webb and catcher Chris Iannetta also added two hits to lead the Tar Heels at the plate. Iannetta, who drove in the go-ahead run in the ninth, extended his career-best hitting streak to 17 games. Hewitt was 2-for--5 with two runs scored and two RBI.
Senior reliever Kevin Brower (1-0) picked up the win after getting one out in the eighth, and Michael Gross worked a scoreless ninth to hold on for the victory. Junior Garry Bakker did not figure in the decision but was strong for 7.2 innings against the Demon Deacons. He scattered eight hits and allowed three earned runs, while striking out five against just one walk.
With the game tied at three entering the top of the ninth, shortstop Greg Mangum led off the inning with a walk. Center fielder Blair Waggett bunted Mangum over to second before he scored on a double to left by Iannetta to give Carolina a 4-3 lead. After right fielder Marshall Hubbard flied out to left, Hewitt homered to straight away center field to put the game away. The Tar Heels added one more run in the inning on an RBI single by Mike Daniel. Hewitt now ranks third on the team with five homers on the year.
Thanks to a run-scoring single to left by Iannetta, the Tar Heels jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Freshman second baseman Bryan Steed singled to shortstop to lead off the inning and moved over to third on a ground out and a wild pitch before coming home on Iannetta's base hit. Steed has now hit safely in each of the last five games.
Wake Forest came back in the bottom of the inning to take a 2-1 lead courtesy of a Casey Sterk two-run homer to right center. The shot scored center fielder Matt Miller, who singled to lead off the frame. Sterk now has two home runs on the year. The Deacons added a run in the fifth when catcher J.B. Tucker's sacrifice fly to left scored designated hitter Nick Blue, who singled to lead off the inning.
After loading the bases with just one out the sixth, Carolina managed to score one run and trim the Wake Forest lead to 3-2. After singles by Ellington and Webb, Mike Daniel reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Steed then reached on an RBI fielder's choice, which plated in Ellington.
Down 3-2 after seven, Carolina tied the score at three on an RBI single up the middle by Webb in the eighth. Hewitt led off the inning with a double to center field and took third on a grounder to second by Ellington. Webb then came through with the run-scoring single to tie the game at three.
Wake starter Justin Keadle took the loss after allowing 10 hits and six runs in 8.2 innings. He struck out six. Blue had two hits to lead the Deacon offense.
The series wraps up Sunday with a 1:30 p.m. tilt. Freshman Andrew Miller is scheduled to start for Carolina, while Kyle Young will throw for the Deacons.
