University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Wake Forest
Harvey Pitches No. 1 Carolina Past Deacs
May 24, 2008 | Baseball
May 24, 2008
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - Freshman right-hander Matt Harvey posted career highs with 13 strikeouts over eight shutout innings, and Tim Fedroff provided all the offense No. 1 North Carolina would need in a 2-0 win over Wake Forest Friday in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. The Tar Heels improved to 46-11 with the win, while Wake Forest dropped to 24-31.
Harvey, who held Wake Forest to just two hits and one walk, registered the most strikeouts by a Tar Heel since Andrew Miller fanned 13 at Georgia Tech March 24, 2006. The Mystic, Conn., native retired the first six batters he faced and cruised from there, retiring 24 of the 28 he faced on the night. Harvey (7-2) did not allow a runner past first base and recorded the longest outing by a Carolina starter this season.
He struck out the side in the second and fanned two each in the fifth through eighth innings to set a record for the most strikeouts in an ACC Tournament game in Jacksonville.
Rob Wooten, who pitched in his 100th career game, recorded the first out of the ninth. Brian Moran picked up the final two outs to earn his second save and lock up the Tar Heels' eighth shutout of the season, which is one shy of the school record of nine set in 2006.
Fedroff, who was 2-for-4, gave the Carolina the only run it needed in the sixth with his team-best 12th home run of the season. Dustin Ackley added two of the Tar Heels' six hits and scored the second run in the eighth.
Harvey outdueled Wake's Charlie Mellies, who dropped to 4-6 despite his third straight complete game. He held Carolina to just six hits and two runs over nine innings.
Harvey and Mellies combined to allow just five hits over the first five innings before Fedroff broke the scoreless tie with a solo shot to right on a 1-2 pitch. After doubling in the first and lining out to right in the fourth, the Flagtown, N.J., product drove his third hard-hit ball of the night out of the park for a 1-0 Tar Heel lead.
The homer was the first of the day in the tournament after 18 were belted over the first two days of the event.
Carolina added some insurance in the eighth when Ackley ignited a two-out rally with his second single of the night. A fielding error by Wake shortstop Andy Goff put runners on the corners and a wild pitch from Mellies allowed Ackley to score from third with the Tar Heels' second run of the night.
The Tar Heels, who cannot advance to the title game, will close round-robin play Saturday against Florida State at 5 p.m.
