University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Georgia Tech
No. 4 Tar Heels Rally For 14-11 Win Over No. 24 Georgia Tech
May 13, 2007 | Baseball
May 13, 2007
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - ehind a career-best four hits from catcher Benji Johnson and three-hit efforts from Reid Fronk, Garrett Gore and Josh Horton, No. 4 North Carolina rallied from a seven-run deficit to post a 14-11 series-clinching win over No. 24 Georgia Tech Sunday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels (41-11, 18-9 ACC) and Yellow Jackets (31-20, 15-11 ACC) combined for 25 runs, 35 hits and eight home runs in the three-hour, 33-minute contest.
With the win and Virginia's loss to NC State Sunday, UNC regains the lead the ACC's Coastal Division. The Tar Heels now own a half-game lead over the Cavaliers in the standings.
After Carolina allowed a single-inning, season-high seven runs in the second, Johnson sparked the Tar Heels' largest comeback of the season with a three-run home run in the bottom of the inning and went on to add a double and two singles. In addition to Johnson's effort, Fronk went 3-for-5 with a home run and three RBI, and center fielder Seth Williams hit the go-ahead ahead solo home run in the sixth and scored a career-best four runs.
Gore's three hits matched a career high, and right fielder Tim Fedroff was also 2-for-2 with four runs scored.
Sophomore Tim Federowicz (2-2) went a career-long 3 1/3 innings to pick up his second win of the season in relief. He allowed two runs on three hits and struck out three before closer Andrew Carignan worked the final two innings and allowed two runs on a career-high five hits.
Reliever Brad Rulon (2-3) took the loss for Tech after allowing two runs on two hits and four walks. He surrendered Williams' home run in the sixth that put the Tar Heels in front for good.
Matt Wieters, Wally Crancer and Luke Murton each had three hits for the Yellow Jackets, who had 16 hits and five home runs.
In a second inning that saw 12 runs scored and five homers hit, Georgia Tech posted seven runs and three home runs with two out in the top of the inning. Second baseman Jason Garofalo put the Jackets on the board with a two-run shot to left, and Danny Payne followed with his second homer of the weekend for the first of two sets of back-to-back home runs in the inning. Luke Putkonen then hit shortstop Patrick Long to bring Wieters to the plate, and he delivered the third homer for Tech, a two-run blast to right to end the day for the Tar Heels' starter. First baseman Tony Plagman closed the scoring for the Jackets in the second with a two-run single off reliever Matt Danford.
Down 7-0, Carolina needed only two pitches to get on the board in the bottom of the second, as Horton led off with a triple to left and scored on a sacrifice fly by third baseman Chad Flack. An error and a Fedroff single put two on for Johnson, who drilled a 2-2 pitch to right center for his sixth home run of the season. Fronk followed with his fifth home run in the last seven games to cut the lead to 7-5.
The bottom of the order set the table again for the Tar Heels in the third, loading the bases on a walk and singles by Fedroff and Johnson. Fronk then singled to center for his second RBI of the day, and Gore followed with an infield single to tie the game at seven. Carolina squandered a chance to take the lead, as Ackley and Federowicz were retired to leave the bases loaded.
The Tar Heels finally went in front in the fifth when Fedroff and Johnson started yet another scoring rally with a walk and a double to open the inning. Fedroff was awarded home on a balk by reliever Tim Ladd to give UNC an 8-7 lead, and Federowicz added a sacrifice fly for a two-run cushion.
Georgia Tech quickly tied the game in the sixth on its fourth home run of the day. Crancer singled to leadoff the inning before Murton homered to center field off Federowicz to knot the score at nine.
The seesaw affair continued in the bottom of sixth, as Williams put the Tar Heels back in front on a solo homer to left on the first pitch he saw from Rulon. Fedroff scored the second run of the inning and his fourth of the day on a throwing error by Long to give Carolina an 11-9 lead.
A Fedroff sacrifice fly and Fronk's third run-scoring base hit of the day gave the Tar Heels a four-run cushion in the seventh, and Flack drove in the final run of the day for the Tar Heels on an RBI single in the eighth.
Tech scored twice in the ninth top cut the lead to the 14-11 final score.
Neither starter could get out of the second inning, as Putkonen and Tech's Ryan Turner combined to allow 10 runs on 11 hits, including five home runs, over just 3 1/3 innings.
The Tar Heels play their final regular season home game Tuesday against Winthrop at 6 p.m.
