University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Virginia Tech
Webb, No. 11 Tar Heels Handle Hokies, 17-3
March 11, 2005 | Baseball
March 11, 2005
BLACKSBURG, Va. - Senior Justin Webb homered twice and drove in a career-best seven runs to lead No. 11 North Carolina to a 17-3 victory over league newcomer Virginia Tech (6-5, 1-3 ACC) in the Tar Heels' Atlantic Coast Conference opener at a snowy English Field. After scoring just four runs in three games last weekend, Carolina (11-3, 1-0 ACC) has tallied a combined 29 runs over the last two games.
Webb, who started behind the plate for Carolina, paced an 18-hit Tar Heel attack that produced runs in every inning but two. He went 4-for-5 at the plate for the first four-hit day of his career and also scored three runs to go with the seven he batted in. Webb smashed a grand slam home run in the seventh inning and followed up an inning later with a three-run shot. He now has a team-best four homers on the season.
Webb got plenty of help on the offensive end for North Carolina, as Tar Heel second baseman Greg Mangum contributed three hits and a career-best five runs scored, while freshman first baseman Chad Flack had his first career three-hit day and drove in two runs. Flack has hit safely in each of the last five games. Freshman outfielder Seth Williams had two hits, including a solo home run in the seventh. He has now homered in each of the last two games.
Sophomore lefty Andrew Miller made the start and went seven innings to improve to 4-0 this season. He scattered seven hits and gave up three runs, only one of which was earned. Miller struck out eight batters and did not issue a walk. He has combined for 28 strikeouts over his last three starts.
Virginia Tech contributed to its own downfall with five errors, three of which came during the first four innings when the Tar Heels were building a 6-0 lead. The Hokies got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth when sophomore center fielder Nate Parks reached on an error and eventually scored on a single by freshman right fielder Jose Cueto. Virginia Tech also added runs in the sixth and seventh.
Hokie starter Ryan Kennedy, who entered as the ACC leader in ERA, gave up 12 hits and eight runs (five earned) during 5.2 innings on the mound. The loss was his first after opening the season with a pair of wins.
The 17 runs mark the most in an ACC game for the Tar Heels since they scored 20 versus Maryland on March 17, 2002. The win was the first for the Tar Heels in four games away from Boshamer Stadium.
The series is scheduled to resume at 2 p.m. Saturday with the finale set for Sunday at 2 p.m. Sophomore righty Daniel Bard is slated to start for the Tar Heels in game two.
