University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Charlotte
No. 4 Carolina Rallies Past Charlotte In 12 Innings
April 16, 2008 | Baseball
April 16, 2008
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Note: A complete game photo gallery will be posted Thursday night.
CARY, N.C. - Left fielder Kyle Shelton followed a two-run, game-tying rally in the 11th inning with an RBI fielder's choice in the 12th to lift No. 4 North Carolina to a 5-4 comeback win over Charlotte Wednesday at Cary's USA Baseball National Training Complex. With the victory, the Tar Heels (31-7) extended their winning streak over the 49ers (27-8) to 12 games.
In the decisive bottom of the 12th, the Tar Heels loaded the bases on a leadoff walk, a hit batter and a Dustin Ackley single before Shelton hit a one-out grounder to Charlotte shortstop Shayne Moody that scored Garrett Gore from third with the game-winner.
Freshman right-hander Matt Harvey (5-2) earned the win after setting down Charlotte in order and striking out two in the top of the inning. The 49ers' Andrew Smith (4-2) was responsible for the Tar Heels' game-winning rally in the 12th and took the loss.
Third baseman Chad Flack, who brought Carolina within a run with an RBI single in the 11th, was 3-for-5 and became the 18th player in Atlantic Coast Conference history to reach the 300-hit plateau with a sixth-inning single. Already the Tar Heels' career leader in base hits, Flack set a school record with his 936th career at-bat in the eighth and finished the night with a record 938 trips to the plate over his four-year career.
Second baseman Kyle Seager went 2-for-6 with an RBI triple in the sixth and the game-tying single in the 11th. Catcher Tim Federowicz chipped in with three hits, while Ackley added two and scored a run.
Center fielder Brad McElroy had three hits, and catcher Chris Taylor added two to pace the Charlotte offense.
After Carolina stranded five runners over the ninth and 10th innings, the 49ers scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th on pinch hitter Justin Wilson's RBI single to center field off Tyler Trice. Chris Taylor led off the inning with a double to center off Brian Moran and reached third when an errant throw from Gore, who was trying to get the lead runner on a fielder's choice, hit him in the back.
Wilson followed with the go-ahead, pinch-hit single, and Alex Bryant added an RBI double two batters later, but the Tar Heels threw out Charlotte's O'Brien Taylor at the plate to hold the lead to 4-2.
That play proved huge for Carolina, as Flack and Seager tied the game with consecutive two-out RBI singles in the bottom of the inning. Walks to Ackley and right fielder Tim Fedroff by Charlotte right-hander Zach Rosenbaum put two on for Flack, who served his third hit of the night into right field to bring the Tar Heels within one. Seager then laced a single to center to drive in his second run of the night and tie the game at four and set the stage for the game-winning rally in the 12th.
UNC starter Mike Facchinei went 5 2/3 innings, holding Charlotte to two runs on five hits. He struck out four and did not walk a batter for a 12-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his last two starts. After allowing three straight hits to open the game, Facchinei faced the minimum over the next five innings and allowed just two more base hits the rest of the way. He struck out the side in the fifth and retired 16 of the final 18 batters he faced.
In addition to Harvey, the Tar Heels got quality relief pitching from Colin Bates, who struck out four over two innings, and Moran, who fanned five and allowed one unearned run over a career high-tying 2 2/3 innings.
Charlotte starter B.J. Hagen allowed two runs over seven innings, scattering 10 hits and two walks.
Charlotte's first three batters pounded out base hits against Facchinei as the 49ers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first. Aaron Bray doubled down the right field line to open the game. A bloop single to right center by Moody put runners on the corners for McElroy, who singled to left to put Charlotte in the scoring column. Two batters later, Moody scored the second run of the inning on an RBI groundout by Rob Lyerly.
The Tar Heels were unable to get anything going against Hagen until the sixth when they tied the game with a one-out rally. Flack laced his 300th career base hit to left and scored on a triple to right from Seager to put Carolina on the board. Charlotte right fielder Alan Parks made a diving attempt on Seager's base hit but it got by him, rolled to the wall and allowed Seager to reach third. He then scored on a wild pitch by Hagen to tie the score at two.
UNC is back in action this weekend with a three-game set against Boston College in Cary. The Tar Heels and Eagles will square off at 7 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. A webcast of Friday's game will be carried on ACC Select, and Saturday's game will be televised on Fox Sports Net South in North Carolina.
