University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Clemson
No. 4 Tar Heels Close Out Clemson, 8-2
April 11, 2008 | Baseball
April 11, 2008
CLEMSON, S.C. - After lightning and heavy rains forced a suspension of play Friday night, No. 4 North Carolina scored three times over the final three innings to close out an 8-2 win at Clemson Saturday at Doug Kingsmore Stadium. The Tar Heels (27-7, 11-4 ACC) and Tigers (18-15, 6-10 ACC) are scheduled to play game two at 5:40 p.m.
Before play was suspended at 9:32 p.m. Friday, right-hander Alex White (6-2) held Clemson scoreless over 5 2/3 innings and kept the Tigers without a hit until Mike Freeman legged out an infield single with two out in the fifth. White allowed just the one hit and struck out six but also issued a season high-tying five walks. The win was his sixth of the season, which already matches his 2007 total.
First baseman Dustin Ackley had the big swing of the bat for the Tar Heels, a three-run home run in the sixth to break open a two-run game, but leftfielder Kyle Shelton was 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Centerfielder Seth Williams and second baseman Kyle Seager each had two hits and an RBI, while designated hitter Mark Fleury reached base five times on two singles and three walks.
When play resumed in the seventh Saturday, UNC added a run to its lead in the eighth when Shelton doubled to center and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Seager. But the Tigers, who had just two hits in the game through seven, scratched out three hits in the eighth to trim the lead to 6-2. Catcher Doug Hogan and leftfielder Jeff Schaus had RBI base hits in the two-run Tiger rally.
However, the Tar Heels, sparked by Shelton, came right back with two of their own in the top of the ninth to put Clemson away. Fleury singled to leadoff the inning, and Shelton followed with a run-scoring double to right center to score Fleury. Shelton took third on the throw home and later scored on a passed ball for the 8-2 final margin.
On Friday, Williams' two-out, two-strike single staked the Tar Heels to an early lead in the second. Third baseman Chad Flack led off the inning with a single up the middle and moved to third on a stolen base and a Seager fly out. Williams followed with a single up the middle of his own to plate Flack with UNC's first run on his 26th RBI of the year.
Carolina took advantage of three walks by Tigers' starter D.J. Mitchell in the fourth to double its lead. Seager singled to right with the lone base hit of the inning to start the rally. Back-to-back walks to Fleury and Williams loaded the bases for Shelton, who scored Seager with an RBI fielder's choice to shortstop. A third walk loaded the bases once again, but Mitchell struck out shortstop Garrett Gore for the third straight time to strand the runners.
After working out of a tough spot in the bottom of the fifth, White was given a cushion in the sixth courtesy of Ackley's three-run home run. Fleury walked for the third time, and Williams singled to right to lead off the inning. After a Shelton sacrifice bunt, Ackley deposited a Matt Zoltak offering over the right-center field wall for his sixth homer and a five-run lead.
Mitchell (3-3) struck out eight and allowed just three hits over five innings but issued eight walks and was charged with a pair of earned runs before being lifted in favor of Zoltak in the sixth.
