University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Gardner-Webb
Balanced Attack Leads No. 3 Carolina Past Bulldogs, 13-2
March 26, 2008 | Baseball
March 26, 2008
CARY, N.C. - No. 3 North Carolina continued its recent offensive outburst Wednesday with a 13-2 win over Gardner-Webb at Cary's USA Baseball National Training Complex. Using a balanced attack, the Tar Heels (20-4) eclipsed the 10-run mark for the fourth straight game and pounded out a double-digit hit total for the sixth consecutive contest.
With the win over the Bulldogs, Carolina became the seventh team in the nation to reach the 20-win mark this season.
Paced by a career-high tying four hits from first baseman Dustin Ackley and three-hit efforts by second baseman Kyle Seager and catcher Tim Federowicz, every Tar Heel in the starting line-up hit safely against Gardner-Webb (9-13).
Ackley was 4-for-5 with three runs scored for his seventh career four-hit game, while Seager was 3-for-5 with two RBI to move his career-best hitting streak to 20 games. Federowicz was 3-for-5 with three doubles and an RBI for his fifth straight multi-hit game.
Shortstop Garrett Gore, who has combined for two home runs and six RBI over the last two games, and right fielder Tim Fedroff, who hit his team-best seventh homer, each drove in a game-high three runs. Gore singled home a run in the second and belted a two-run shot in the third, while Fedroff hit a sacrifice fly in the second also connected on a two-run home run in the third.
Center fielder Seth Williams doubled in a run in the sixth to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games.
In a predetermined staff outing, sophomore left-hander Rob Catapano (1-0) earned the win after striking out three in two innings. He allowed a two-run home run to Gardner-Webb designated hitter Bubbie Spake in the first, but fanned three of the final batters he faced before the Tar Heels went to the bullpen in the third. Carolina closed with seven shutout innings of relief by a combined seven pitchers, as the teams combined to use 16 pitchers on the night.
Bulldogs' starter Ben Campbell (1-3) allowed four runs on seven hits in just 1 2/3 innings to take the loss. Eight different players hit safely for Gardner-Webb in the game.
After Spake's third homer of the year put Carolina in an early two-run hole, the Tar Heels struck for four runs in both the second and third innings to grab an 8-2 lead. A two-run single by Seager closed the scoring in the second, and two-run homers from Fedroff and Gore accounted for the four runs in the third.
A Gardner-Webb error gave the Tar Heels a run in the fourth, and three doubles in the sixth led to three more runs for UNC. After a leadoff double from Seager, third baseman Chad Flack and Williams followed with successive RBI doubles, and pinch-hitter Greg Holt drove in his first career run with a single.
Ackley's fourth single and the third double of the night by Federowicz that dropped in between two Gardner-Webb outfielders led to the Tar Heels' 13th and final run in the seventh.
The Tar Heels host rival NC State this weekend for a three-game set beginning Friday in Cary. A webcast of Friday and Sunday's games will be available live and on-demand through ACC Select.
