University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Miami
Tar Heels, Hurricanes Play to 7-7 Draw
April 17, 2005 | Baseball
April 17, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - With a curfew in effect due to Miami's travel plans, No. 7 North Carolina and the No. 9 Hurricanes played to a 7-7 tie in 10 innings in the final game of a three-game series Sunday at Boshamer Stadium. The draw was the first for the Tar Heels (28-8-1, 11-4-1 ACC) since 1989. Miami is now 29-9-1 and 13-4-1 in conference play.
After Carolina rallied for three in the sixth to take a 7-6 lead, the Hurricanes tied the game in the ninth and sent it into extra innings on the Tar Heels' third error of the day. After neither team managed to score in the 10th, the game was halted to assure the Hurricanes of making their flight home.
Designated hitter Matt Ellington went 3-for-5 with a homer and two RBI to the lead the Tar Heels at the plate. Left fielder Mike Daniel added two hits, and catcher Justin Webb and outfielder Seth Williams also homered on the afternoon for Carolina, which had seven home runs in the series.
Tar Heel reliever Matt Danford posted a solid outing, as he went a season-long 6.1 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits and a walk. He struck out four. Starter Adam Kalkhof went 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on three hits and three walks.
Miami was led at the plate by third baseman Ryan Braun, who was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Designated hitter Alex Garabedian and first baseman Danny Valencia also added two hits on the day. The Hurricanes used six pitchers after starter Ricky Orta lasted just 2.1 innings.
After the teams traded sacrifice flies in the first, the Tar Heels grabbed a one-run lead in the second on an RBI double down the right field line by Daniel. The hit scored Williams, who walked.
Carolina pushed its lead to 4-1 in the third on back-to-back solo home runs by Webb and Ellington. Webb's shot to left was his eighth of the season and sixth in ACC play, and Ellington followed two pitches later with his seventh homer of the year and second of the series to right.
After being held hitless by Kalkhof through the first three innings, Miami tallied four hits in the fourth and scored three times to knot the game at four. Braun opened the scoring with an RBI double, and shortstop Roger Tomas and Garabedian followed with run-scoring singles.
Miami tacked on two in the fifth and sixth innings to pull ahead 6-4. Valencia gave the Canes the lead with a two-out RBI double, and catcher Eddy Rodriguez followed with a run-scoring single in the sixth for the two-run cushion.
Carolina then scored three in the bottom of the inning to claim its first lead since the fourth at 7-6. Williams drew the Tar Heels within one on a solo home run to left, which was his team-best ninth of the season. Webb then tied the came at six with a bases loaded sac fly, and Ellington then came through with the go-ahead single to center to drive in Ross Cook, who drew a pinch-hit walk.
Miami scored the tying run in the ninth when right fielder Paco Figueroa reached on a fielder's choice and then scored from third when a grounder to third got through the legs of Carolina's Reid Fronk. Fronk's error was the 13th of the series for the Tar Heels, who also stranded 28 runners and issued 21 walks over the three-game set.
Carolina returns to action Tuesday at East Carolina at 7 p.m.
