University of North Carolina Athletics
Bats Break Out For White Squad In FWS
October 16, 2009 | Baseball
Oct. 16, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Junior outfielder Ben Bunting went 2-for-3 with a game-high three RBI to lead five players with multiple hits in a 9-4 win for the White team Friday in North Carolina's baseball intra-squad Fall World Series at Boshamer Stadium.
With its second straight victory over the Blue squad, White secures the first best-of-three series, 2-1. The second series opens Saturday at 1 p.m.
In addition to Bunting, who also scored two runs, Mike Cavasinni, Levi Michael, Jesse Wierzbicki and Chaz Frank added two hits apiece. Cavasinni doubled, tripled and scored two runs, while Wierzbicki drove in two runs. All five players had consecutive hits in a four-run first inning for the White squad.
Jacob Stallings, who went 2-for-3 on the afternoon, and Brett Knief accounted for the Blue team's offense with two-run home runs in the second inning. Tommy Coyle added two hits for his second multi-hit game of the FWS.
Freshman right-hander Parker Thomas earned the win for the White team after scattering seven hits over five innings. He allowed four runs - all in the second inning - walked two and struck out five. Parker retired seven of the final eight batters he faced.
Greg Holt, who struck out the first four batters he faced, nailed down a save with two perfect innings of innings out of the bullpen.
Freshman right-hander Tim Brechbuehler got the start for the Blue squad and allowed five runs on six hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings. Rookie lefty Zach Bernard worked 2 1/3 scoreless out of the Blue bullpen.
Four consecutive doubles in the bottom of the first gave the White squad an early lead. After Cavasinni led off with a double to right center, Bunting, Michael and Wierzbicki followed with successive RBI two-baggers to plate the first three runs. Frank singled for the fifth straight hit, and Holt delivered a sacrifice fly to left to score Wierzbicki with the fourth and final run of the frame.
The Blue team came right back with four in the top of the second on a pair of two-run homers. After a leadoff double from Seth Baldwin, Stallings connected on a shot to deep left center to cut the lead in half. Brett Thomas drew a walk, and Knief then drilled an inside-the-park homer off the wall in right center to tie the score.
Frank manufactured a run in the third to give White a 5-4 lead. The Lexington, N.C., product dropped a bunt down the third base line, stole second and third and then scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch.
After Josh Leemhuis doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly from Bunting in the fourth, the White team put the game away with three in the sixth. Cavasinni drove in the first run with a two-out triple, and Bunting and Wierzbicki followed with RBI singles in the inning.
The series continues at 1 p.m. Saturday. Admission to all games is free of charge. Any schedule changes will be posted when available at TarHeelBlue.com.
