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Cox Lifts No. 10 Tar Heels Past VCU, 3-2
April 20, 2005 | Baseball
April 20, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Sophomore Jay Cox hit a go-ahead double in the seventh, and relievers Jonathan Hovis and Matt Danford held the lead as No. 10 North Carolina (30-8-1) posted a 3-2 win over Virginia Commonwealth (20-10) Wednesday at Boshamer Stadium.
Cox's pinch-hit double capped a two-out rally in the seventh for the Tar Heels that broke a 2-2 tie. Center fielder Chase Younts roped a double to left center, and second baseman Greg Mangum was walked before Cox came through to give Carolina its second lead of the night. The Tar Heels held a 2-1 lead until the Rams tied it in the fifth.
Hovis (4-1) allowed just one hit over two scoreless innings to pick up the win. He struck out three before Danford came on to work the ninth for his seventh save of the season. UNC starter Andy Gale went six-plus innings and allowed just two runs on eight hits and one walk. He struck out seven and now has 17 strikeouts against just one walk in his last 15 innings of work. Gale fired a complete game shutout of Davidson in his last start.
Prior to Cox's run-scoring single, Younts and first baseman Matt Spencer drove in the runs for the Tar Heels, who improved to 24-3-1 at home. Designated hitter Matt Ellington went 2-for-4 for his fourth straight multi-hit game, and right fielder Seth Williams extended his hitting streak to a season-best six games with an infield single in the eighth.
Rams' reliever Cody Eppely (2-2) allowed Cox's go-ahead hit and took the loss. He gave up one run on two hits over just 0.2 innings. VCU righty John Leonard held the Tar Heels to just two runs (one earned) on four hits and three walks over 6.1 innings.
The Rams jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI single by second baseman Scott Sizemore, but the Tar Heels responded with two in the second to pull ahead. Spencer drove in the first Carolina run with an RBI single through the right side, and Younts put the Tar Heels in front with an RBI groundout to first.
Neither team managed a run in the third or fourth, but VCU scored in the top of the fifth to knot the score at two. Third baseman Barrett Ripley led off the inning with a single and then scored from third on a single to left by shortstop Sergio Miranda.
VCU threatened to take the lead in the seventh with a runner on third and just one out, but Hovis fanned the final two batters of the frame to keep the game tied. Cox then came through for the eventual game-winning hit in the bottom of the inning.
The Tar Heels host Duke for a three-game series this weekend. Game times are 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday.
