University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Charlotte
Iannetta, Hewitt Lead No. 8 Tar Heels Past Charlotte, 12-5
April 7, 2004 | Baseball
April 7, 2004
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Junior catcher Chris Iannetta and senior third baseman Sammy Hewitt each homered and drove in four runs to lead No. 8 North Carolina (24-6, 7-2 ACC) to a 12-5 win over Charlotte (13-13, 3-6 C-USA) Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium. With the victory, the Tar Heels are now 19-2 at home this season and have won five in a row overall.
After driving in his first run of the day on a sacrifice fly in the first, Iannetta hit a solo homer in the third and then drove in two more runs with a single in the fourth. He has now hit safely in each of the last 19 games, a career-best streak. In addition to his homer, Hewitt was 2-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored.
Additionally, left fielder Jay Cox was 2-for-3 with three RBI, and shortstop Greg Mangum went 2-for-4 with a walk for the Tar Heels, who had 12 hits as a team.
Sophomore Jonathan Hovis (3-0) earned the win after working the fourth and fifth innings. He allowed just one hit and struck out one batter. Hovis came on in relief of Adam Kalkhof, who allowed two runs on four hits in three innings. The start was his first since March 6.
Forty-Niner starter Spencer Steedley (1-3) took the loss after allowed seven earned runs in 3.2 innings. Right fielder Adam Willard went 3-for-5 with an RBI to lead Charlotte at the plate.
The 49ers jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first thanks to an RBI single to right by first baseman Jamie Rusco. The hit scored Willard, who doubled to right center.
The Tar Heels quickly responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. After Mangum came home on Iannetta's sacrifice fly, right fielder Marshall Hubbard drew a walk, and Hewitt homered into the parking lot past the left field wall for a 3-1 Carolina lead. Hewitt's homer was his sixth of the year, which is third on the squad.
The 49ers added a run in the second when Willard reached on a fielder's choice and drove in second baseman Michael Roane, who doubled to lead off the inning.
Iannetta pushed the Tar Heel lead to 4-2 in the third with a home run to straight-away center. The blast was his seventh of the season, which ranks second on the team. He struck again in the fourth with a two-run single to right center that opened the scoring in the Tar Heels' six-run inning. The bases loaded hit scored first baseman Brack Massey, who doubled, second baseman Bryan Steed, who walked. Following a bases loaded walk by Hewitt, Cox doubled to left to clear the bases and lift the Tar Heels to a 10-2 lead. Carolina sent 10 batters to the plate in the fourth.
Carolina tacked on a run in the sixth when Hewitt tripled home Hubbard, who singled to lead off the frame. Charlotte center fielder Chris Lane appeared to have lost Hewitt's fly ball in the lights, allowing it to drop in center. Hewitt alertly took third on the play, and Hubbard scored give UNC an 11-2 lead.
Charlotte cut the lead to 11-4 on a two-run single to right by left fielder Brian Scafe in the seventh.
Carolina scored its final run on the night when a Wes Moyer sacrifice fly scored Mike Daniel, who reached on a pinch-hit double in the bottom of the eighth.
The Tar Heels return to action this weekend at Georgia Tech. Games are scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. Friday and Saturday's games will be televised by Fox Sports Net South and broadcast on AM-1360 WCHL. An audio broadcast of Sunday's game can be heard at TarHeelBlue.com.
