University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
North Carolina A&T
No. 4 Tar Heels Dispatch Aggies, 5-0
April 9, 2008 | Baseball
April 9, 2008
CARY, N.C. --- North Carolina senior right-hander Mike Facchinei and four relievers combined for a three-hit shutout, as the No. 4 Tar Heels defeated in-state foe North Carolina A&T, 5-0, Wednesday evening at the USA Baseball National Training Complex. Sophomore first baseman Dustin Ackley and sophomore right fielder Tim Fedroff combined for five hits and five runs batted in to pace the Carolina offense.
For the second day in a row, UNC (26-7) found itself locked in a pitcher's duel, as Facchinei and Aggie righty Marquis Frink traded zeros for the first five innings. Facchinei (2-0) was especially effective, facing just two over the minimum through a career-long 6.1 innings and matching a career-high eight strikeouts, despite throwing just 71 pitches.
Carolina finally broke a 15-inning scoreless drought in the sixth with an unearned run off Frink (1-3). Ackley led off with a sharp single to right that was misplayed by Joe McIntyre, allowing Ackley to advance to third. After a Garrett Gore lineout, Fedroff singled to right to plate Ackley for a 1-0 advantage.
After a walk and a groundout put the tying run on second in the top of the seventh, Facchinei was lifted in favor of senior righty Rob Wooten. Wooten struck out first baseman Nick Rogers on four pitches for the second out of the frame, and Ackley's diving tag of first to beat McIntyre preserved the shutout.
The Tar Heels broke it open in the bottom of the inning. Tim Federowicz led off with a single and advanced to second on Ben Bunting's sacrifice bunt. After a groundout and a walk, Ackley delivered again, scoring two with an RBI double down the left field line. Gore then walked on four pitches to set up Fedroff's second run-scoring hit of the night, a two-run double to right center.
Freshman Nate Striz, Federowicz and sophomore Rob Catapano allowed just one baserunner over the final two innings to complete shutout. Frink was strong in the loss for A&T (12-22), allowing four earned runs on seven hits over seven innings.
Next up for the Tar Heels is a trip to Clemson, S.C., for a three-game ACC series with the Tigers. First pitch for Friday's series opener is set for 7:15 p.m.
