University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
Tar Heels Take Series from Georgia Tech, 7-6
May 21, 2005 | Baseball
May 21, 2005
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - In a game that was halted due to heavy rains Friday, freshman Matt Spencer reached on a bunt single and stole home in the eighth to give No. 15 North Carolina (40-14-1, 17-9-1 ACC) a 7-6 victory and a series win over No. 6 Georgia Tech (37-16, 21-8) Saturday at Boshamer Stadium.
Carolina's 40th win of year secures its first series victory over the Yellow Jackets since 2001. The Tar Heels, who have now won at least 40 games in six of the last seven seasons, will go for the sweep at 5 p.m. on ESPNU. UNC has not swept Tech since 1996.
With the game tied at six heading into the bottom of the eighth, Spencer dropped a one-out bunt down the third base line to start the scoring rally. Second baseman Greg Mangum then singled, and shortstop Josh Horton reached on Tech's fourth error of the game to load the bases. Spencer and Mangum then pulled off the double steal with a 2-2 count on designated hitter Matt Ellington to give the Tar Heels the lead.
Closer Matt Danford came on for a scoreless ninth to claim his team-best ninth save of the season. Junior Adam Kalkhof (4-1) earned the win after allowing just one hit over 3.1 innings of relief. He struck out three.
Right fielder Mike Daniel was 3-for-4 to lead four Tar Heels with multi-hit efforts. Horton, Mangum and left fielder Jay Cox all had two hits on the day, and Ellington drove in two runs without a hit and now has a team-high 54 RBI on the season.
After the game resumed Saturday with Georgia Tech holding a 3-1 lead, Ellington pulled the Tar Heels within one in the bottom of the third on his second sacrifice fly in the game. Mangum singled and took third on a Horton base hit before scoring on Ellington's fly out to right.
One inning later, Carolina took its first lead with the help of two Yellow Jacket errors. Cox and Daniel singled to lead off the inning, and a throwing error by Tech catcher Andy Hawranick on a Justin Webb bunt allowed Cox to score. Daniel then scored when Spencer reached on a fielding error by first baseman Whit Robbins, and Horton followed with a sac fly to drive in Webb for a 5-3 UNC lead.
The Jackets quickly regained the lead in the top of the fifth on a three-run homer by right fielder Jeff Kindel. Tech squandered a chance to add to its lead in the seventh when third baseman Wes Hodges led off with a double, but Daniel made a diving catch to end the inning and save a run.
Carolina went on to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh, as Ellington walked and came around to score when Cox reached on a fielder's choice.
Freshman righty Andy Gale came on for the Tar Heels when play resumed Saturday and worked two innings. He struck out three, walked two and allowed a Kindel's go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth. All three runs were unearned. Carolina starter Andrew Miller worked 2.2 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits.
Tech's Tim Gustafson (4-2) took the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) over 4.2 innings. Starter Blake Wood lasted three innings and gave up five runs (three earned). Hodges and Hawranick each had two this to lead the Jackets at the plate.
On Friday, an error and two walks led to a pair of Georgia Tech runs in the first. Hodges opened the scoring with an RBI single, and designated hitter Matt Wieters then reached on a fielder's choice to plate the second run.
The Tar Heels cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, as shortstop Josh Horton tripled to right center and scored on Ellington's first sacrifice fly. Tech quickly got the run back in the top of the second on a run-scoring infield single by shortstop Tyler Greene.
