University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Miami
White, No. 1 Tar Heels Shut Down Canes, 3-1
March 10, 2007 | Baseball
March 10, 2007
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Freshman right-hander Alex White struck out seven and allowed just one unearned run over 7 2/3 innings, and junior closer Andrew Carignan picked up his second straight save to lead No. 1 North Carolina to a 3-1 victory over No. 11 Miami Saturday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels (14-1, 2-0 ACC) have now won four of their last five series against the Hurricanes (10-8, 0-2 ACC) since 2002.
White allowed five hits and a season-high six walks but rebounded from a rocky start to set down 14 straight Miami batters from the second through the seventh innings. The Greenville native's seven strikeouts were a career high and he moved to 3-0 through five career starts.
White ran into trouble in the eighth, as Miami loaded the bases, but sophomore lefty Matt Cox came on to strand all three runners with a key inning-ending strikeout. After picking up an insurance run in the eighth, the Tar Heels turned to Carignan, who also earned the save Friday. He retired three of the four batters he faced to nail down his fourth save of the year and the fourth of his career against the Canes.
First baseman Dustin Ackley had his fourth straight multi-hit game and picked up a key RBI triple in the bottom of the eighth. Left fielder Reid Fronk also added two hits and drove in the go-ahead run in the third. Ackley, who has a team-high 22 RBI, extended his team-best hitting streak to seven games, while catcher Benji Johnson hit safely for the sixth straight game.
UM starter Eric Erickson (2-2) pitched well in defeat, allowing just two runs on eight hits over seven innings. Second baseman Jemile Weeks had two of the Hurricanes' five hits on the day.
The teams traded unearned runs in the first, as the game got off to a sloppy start. Weeks led off with an infield single, moved to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch and scored on a groundout by first baseman Yonder Alonso.
The Tar Heels came right back with a run in the bottom of the inning, as Fronk led off with a double to right and moved to third when Erickson threw a pickoff attempt into center field. All-America shortstop Josh Horton followed two batters later with an RBI grounder to the right side to tie the game.
Fronk figured into the scoring again in the third with what proved to be the game-winning RBI. Second baseman Garrett Gore led off with a double down the left field line and scored on Fronk's single to center for his second straight hit.
White took over from there, as he set down the Canes in order until allowing a double to Ryan Jackson with one out in the seventh. He was thrown out trying to stretch the base hit into a triple and White got out of the inning without any damage.
Miami loaded the bases with just one out against White in the eighth, but he threw out Weeks at the plate on a Dave DiNatale dribbler back to the mound for the second out. Cox then came on to strike out Dennis Raben preserve the Tar Heels' one run lead. He got two quick strikes on the Miami right fielder before getting him to chase a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.
Just as it did Friday, the Tar Heels then added a late insurance run on Ackely's triple over the head of Miami center fielder Blake Tekotte in the ninth. Chad Flack led off the inning with a double, but was thrown out at home as pinch hitter Tim Fedroff reached on a fielder's choice. Fedroff then stole second before Ackley came through with the RBI base hit for a two-run cushion heading into the ninth.
Carignan got two outs quickly before issuing a walk to Tekotte, but Weeks flied out left to end the game.
The series finale is set for noon Sunday on CSS with UNC right-hander Luke Putkonen set to start against Miami lefty Manny Miguelez.
