University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Princeton
No. 9 North Carolina Tops Princeton, 11-4
March 14, 2005 | Baseball
March 14, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Sophomore right-hander Daniel Bard struck out a career-high nine batters over seven shutout innings, and designated hitter Matt Ellington was 4-for-4 with three runs batted in and left fielder Mike Daniel went 4-for-5 and drove in two runs to lead No. 9-ranked North Carolina (12-3, 1-0 ACC) to an 11-4 victory over Princeton (0-6) Monday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels, who improved to 11-0 at home with the win, have combined for 40 runs and 49 hits over the last three games.
Bard (3-1) allowed just three runs on three hits and no walks en route to his third win in four starts. He struck out the side in the first and seventh innings and allowed just one hit over his final four innings. Bard lowered his season earned run average to 1.12 and now has 25 strikeouts over 24 innings.
Ellington's four hits were a career-best and he also walked to reach base five times on the day. He had an RBI single in the third and a two-run single in the fifth and leads the squad with 17 RBI on the year. Daniel's four-hit effort matched his career-best day, and freshman shortstop Josh Horton had his first career three-hit showing. Freshmen Reid Fronk and Seth Williams each added two hits Monday, as 10 different Tar Heels hit safely and seven players drove in runs. The 20 hits, which were all singles, were the Tar Heels' second-most this season, falling just short of the 21 hits versus Seton Hall on February 18.
After stranding four runners over the first two innings, Carolina sent nine men to the plate in the third and scored five runs. Fronk led off with a single and took second on a wild pitch before Ellington singled through the right side to drive in the first run. Following a walk to Williams, first baseman Chad Flack singled, also through the right side, to drive in Ellington and extend his hitting streak to six games. Daniel then singled to left to drive in Williams, and center fielder Chase Younts singled through the right side to plate Flack and push the lead to 4-0. Catcher Justin Webb then lofted a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Daniel for the final run of the frame. In all, the Tar Heels had six singles in the inning.
After four more singles and a walk in the fifth, Carolina added four more runs to grab a 9-0 lead. Daniel led off the inning with a single to left later scored from second when Horton singled up the middle for his third hit of the afternoon. A single through the left side from Fronk drove in Webb, who walked, and Ellington followed with his two-run single to right that drove in both Horton and Fronk for the nine-run cushion.
The Tar Heels tacked on two more in the seventh on an RBI single from Daniel and a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to center from Younts. Ellington started the rally with his fourth hit of the day, and a walk to Williams and a single by freshman Matt Spencer loaded the bases before Daniel plated Ellington with a single to center, and Younts followed with the sac fly to drive in Williams for Carolina's 11th and final run.
Princeton struck for four runs off freshman reliever Tyler Trice in the eighth and ninth innings. Left fielder Adam Balkan drove in the first run with an RBI groundout, and reserve catcher Ian Shannon plated the second with an infield single to the left of the mound. The final two runs in the ninth came off the bat off first baseman Stephen Wendell, who hit a two-run homer to left center. Trice allowed four runs on five hits over two innings of relief.
Princeton starter Eric Walz (0-1) took the loss after allowing nine earned runs on 14 hits and five walks over five innings. Second baseman Aaron Prince led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate.
The series resumes Tuesday with a doubleheader set for noon. Junior lefty Adam Kalkhof will start game one for the Tar Heels, with freshman right-hander Andy Gale slated to make his collegiate debut in the second game. Carolina will be wearing St. Patrick's Day green hats. The first 200 fans in attendance will receive the same hat that the Tar Heels will wear on the field.
