University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
George Washington
No. 4 Tar Heels Blank Colonials To Sweep Series
February 26, 2006 | Baseball
Feb. 26, 2006
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Junior preseason All-America Andrew Miller struck out 11 and allowed just two hits over seven shutout innings to pitch No. 4 North Carolina to a series sweep of George Washington, 14-0, Sunday at Boshamer Stadium. Outfielder Matt Spencer had three hits, including his third home run of the season, and scored four runs as the Tar Heels (7-0) reached double-digits in runs for the fourth time in the last five games.
Miller, who has yet to allow a run in 13 innings this season, picked up his second victory in as many starts. He allowed only two singles - none after the third inning - and just one GW batter reached base after the third. Miller (2-0) set down 13 of the last 14 batters he faced and came within one of matching his career high in strikeouts. He fanned the side in the second and struck out two batters in three other innings.
Freshman lefty Brian Farrell came on to work a perfect eighth, and classmate Matt Cox tossed a scoreless ninth to closeout Carolina's second shutout of the season. GW had only three hits on the day and only one that reached the outfield.
Spencer, who drove in six runs in the series, went 3-for-4 with a career-best four runs scored and three of the Tar Heels' six stolen bases. He capped the Carolina scoring with a two-run homer in the eighth inning, his second in the series and team-leading third of the season. Spencer also has a team-best 13 runs batted in.
Shortstop Josh Horton and first baseman Tim Federowicz also had two hits each to help pace the UNC attack. Horton, who has hit safely in all six games he has played this season, was 2-for-5 with two runs batted in, while Federowicz went 2-for-4 with an RBI double. Center fielder Mike Cavasinni also reached base three times and scored three runs.
Starter Dan Pfau (0-1) took the loss for the Colonials (1-3) after allowing six runs on five hits in five innings. He walked four and struck out six.
Cavasinni drew a leadoff walk and scored on a Benji Johnson sacrifice fly in the first, and two GW errors led to three more runs in the second as the Tar Heels jumped out to an early 4-0 lead. Second baseman Bryan Steed drove in Matt Iannetta with a single to right for the first run in the second. Horton then reached on a fielder's choice to drive in Spencer, and Steed scored on the play when the throw by Colonial shortstop Michael Parker was wide of first.
The Tar Heels tacked on two more in the fourth to push their lead to 6-0. Spencer struck out but reached on a wild pitch and later scored on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Reid Fronk, and Cavasinni legged out a bunt single and scored on an RBI single from Horton to left center.
Five runs in the sixth on just one hit essentially put the game away for the Tar Heels. Spencer walked, stole two bases and scored on a wild pitch, and Steed walked and came around to score on three wild pitches for the first two runs. GW first baseman Andrew Haberern then booted a grounder off the bat of left fielder Jay Cox to score two more runs, and Federowicz followed with an RBI double to push the lead to 11-0.
In the eighth, pinch hitter Joe Pietropaoli picked up an RBI and reached on a fielder's choice. Spencer followed with his home run, a two-run shot to right field to drive in the final two runs of the game.
Carolina returns to action Wednesday against Gardner-Webb at 3 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
