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No. 15 Tar Heels Hold Off East Carolina, 8-5
May 17, 2005 | Baseball
May 17, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Designated hitter Matt Ellington and catcher Justin Webb each drove two runs, and five pitchers combined on a five hitter as No. 15 North Carolina (38-14-1) held on for an 8-5 victory over East Carolina (32-21) Tuesday at Boshamer Stadium. The win was the Tar Heels' 30th at home this season, tying a school record set in 1993 and 2000.
Carolina cruised to an 8-0 lead and had allowed just two hits through seven, but three Tar Heel errors helped lead to five ECU runs over the eighth and ninth innings. UNC closer Matt Danford stranded two men on base in the ninth to secure the win, which snapped a four-game losing streak.
In a predetermined staff day, freshman right-hander Andy Gale and junior lefty Adam Kalkhof combined to allowed just one hit through the first six innings. Gale (3-1) gave up one hit and faced the minimum over three innings. He struck out three, did not walk a batter and erased the only hit he gave up with a double play in the second en route to the win. Kalkhof came on in the fourth and worked three hitless innings. He walked two and struck out one.
Ellington went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored. The homer was his ninth of the season and first since the Tar Heels' 18-6 win at East Carolina on April 19. Webb was also 2-for-4 with a two-run double and a run scored. Center fielder Chase Younts and second baseman Bryan Steed also drove in runs on the night.
Catcher Adam Witter had two of the Pirates five hits, and third baseman Mark Mincozzi drove in two runs.
ECU starter Chris Powell (1-3) was sharp early, as he allowed just two hits heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Tar Heels scored three times in the inning on just one hit, but Powell was lifted in favor of Jason Neitz, who allowed two unearned runs over 1.1 innings. Powell gave up four runs on three hits over 4.1 innings.
Carolina jumped on the board first as Younts scored when shortstop Josh Horton grounded into a double play in the first. Back-to-back singles by Younts and Webb put runners on the corners, and Horton then slapped a grounder to second that resulted in a double play, but allowed the first run of the night to score.
The Tar Heels were then held hitless by Powell until the top of the fifth, when they scored three times to push the lead to 4-0. Powell hit third baseman Reid Fronk and Steed to start the rally, and Younts bunted both runners into scoring position. Webb followed with a double to left to drive in the first two runs. He swiped third and then raced home on a wild pitch for the fourth run of the frame.
Carolina added two unearned runs in the sixth to claim a six-run cushion. Ellington and pinch hitter Ross Cook singled to open the scoring threat before an error loaded the bases. Steed then reached on a fielder's choice to drive in the first run of the frame, and Younts followed with a sac fly to left center.
Ellington added two more runs in the seventh on the two-run homer to left, which scored first baseman Chad Flack, who struck out but reached on a wild pitch to lead off the inning.
The Pirates finally got on the board with four runs in the eighth. A Webb throwing error allowed the first run to score before Minicozzi came through with a two-run single. Witter then reached on a fielder's choice to drive in the fourth run of the inning. In the ninth, outfielder Drew Costanzo doubled to lead off the inning and then came around to score as the Tar Heels committed a pair of fielding errors on the infield.
Carolina returns to action at home against Georgia Tech with a three-game series beginning Thursday. Game times are 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday. All three games will be televised by ESPN networks.
