University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Florida Atlantic
No. 2 Tar Heels Rally To Sweep Series At FAU
February 24, 2008 | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2008
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Sophomore right fielder Tim Fedroff lifted No. 2 North Carolina to an improbable 8-7 comeback win over Florida Atlantic Sunday with a go-ahead, two-run home run in the top of the ninth Sunday at FAU Stadium. The Tar Heels (3-0) trailed by three runs heading into the final frame but rallied to sweep the season-opening series from the Owls (0-3).
With FAU carrying a 7-4 lead, the Tar Heels homered twice and scored four runs in the top of the ninth to grab their first lead since the fourth inning. Catcher Tim Federowicz started the rally with a leadoff solo homer, and Ryan Grapel and Mark Fleury followed with back-to-back base hits to pull UNC within a run and set the stage for Fedroff. The Flagtown, N.J., then native sent the first pitch he saw from FAU closer Michael Obradovich (0-1) off the scoreboard in right field for an 8-7 UNC lead.
Freshman right-hander Nate Striz worked the ninth to record his first career save and lock up Carolina's sixth straight season-opening sweep. Classmate Ryan Leach (1-0) struck out three over 1 2/3 shutout innings to claim his first victory.
Sophomore left fielder Dustin Ackley went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer, and Federowicz and Graepel also added two hits apiece for Carolina. Ackley had 10 hits, including three home runs, in the series.
The Tar Heels struggled until the ninth, leaving 14 men on base and committing four errors. With a travel curfew in effect, center fielder Seth Williams made a diving catch two minutes before the 3 p.m. deadline to send the game to the decisive ninth inning.
Right fielder Mike McKenna and shortstop Nick Arata had two hits each for the Owls. Arata hit a solo home run in the third, and McKenna had a two-run single in the seventh.
In the bottom of the first, the Owls scratched first for the first time in the series when Daniel Cook reached on a two-base throwing error by UNC starter Rob Catapano and came around to score on an RBI groundout to short by William Block. After the Tar Heels left the bases loaded in the second and third, FAU grabbed a 2-0 lead on a leadoff homer to right by Arata in the third.
Carolina finally broke through in the fourth on Ackley's third home run of the weekend, a three-run shot off FAU starter Jeff Beliveau. Designated hitter Kendric Burney walked, and Fedroff reached on an error before Ackley deposited the 3-2 pitch over the wall in left center for UNC's first lead.
The Owls went back in front in the sixth, chasing Catapano from the game in the process. Singles from Alex Silversmith and McKenna put two on for Tom Hatcher, who singled up the middle to tie the game at three. Riann Spanjer-Furstenburg followed with a second straight single up the middle to give the Owls a 4-3 lead.
Carolina tied the game in the top of the seventh on a fielding error by FAU first baseman Travis Ozga, but left the bases loaded for the third time on the day to set up the Owls' go-ahead rally in the bottom of the inning.
The Tar Heels used four pitchers, issued three walks and committed their fourth error on the afternoon in FAU's three-run seventh. After three free passes by UNC, McKenna singled to left center off freshman Patrick Johnson to break the 4-4 tie. Graepel then misplayed a grounder off the bat of Hatcher that would have ended the inning, but allowed Block to cross the plate and give FAU a three-run cushion that would stand until the Tar Heels' heroics in the ninth.
After Federowicz homered to left center to start the rally, Graepel lofted a one-out double over the head of the FAU left fielder and Fleury followed with a single up the middle to bring the Tar Heels within a run. Fedroff then belted UNC's 11th home run of the weekend for what proved to be the game-winning runs.
Neither starter figured into the decision, but both were effective. In his first career start, Catapano went 5 1/3 innings and struck out seven. He did not issue a walk and allowed four runs (three earned) on six hits. Beliveau went four innings and allowed three unearned runs on five hits and six walks. He struck out three.
The Tar Heels open their home slate Tuesday against No. 25 Old Dominion at Cary's USA Baseball National Training Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m., and a webcast of the game will be available live and on-demand through ACC Select.
