University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
VMI
No. 1 Tar Heels Close Out VMI Sweep, 11-3
February 22, 2009 | Baseball
Feb. 22, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - All-America Dustin Ackley had a career-best five hits and right-hander Matt Harvey struck out 11 batters to lift No. 1 North Carolina to an 11-3 win over VMI Sunday at Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium. With Sunday's victory, the Tar Heels (3-0) swept their season-opening series for the seventh straight season.
Ackley, who also tied a career-best with four runs scored, was 5-for-5 with two doubles to raise his average to .692 on the young season. The Walnut Cove, N.C., product recorded the first five-hit game by a Tar Heel since Mike Cavasinni have five hits in the 2006 NCAA Tuscaloosa Super Regional.
In addition to Ackley's efforts, Mark Fleury drove in a game-high three runs, while Kyle Seager was 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Ben Bunting and Jacob Stallings added two RBI apiece, as Carolina pounded out 15 hits while scoring 11 unanswered runs.
Harvey (1-0) needed just five innings to fan 11 against no walks for his second career double-digit strikeout game. He allowed three hits and three runs - all in the first - and set down 12 in a row following a first-inning three-run home run. The Mystic, Conn., product struck out the side in second and fifth.
Relievers Nate Striz, Bryant Gaines, Logan Munson and Ryan Leach each worked a scoreless inning to close out an unblemished weekend for the UNC bullpen, which combined for 12 scoreless innings versus the Keydets (0-3).
VMI reliever Jeremy Brown (0-1) took the loss after allowing five runs in the third inning without retiring a batter.
Jordan Ballard connected on his second homer of the weekend in the first for a 3-0 VMI lead. Sam Roberts and Tanner Biagini singled before Ballard took a 3-1 offering from Harvey out to left for a three-run shot.
The Tar Heels answered with a run in the bottom of the inning when Ackley doubled down the left field line to extend his hitting streak to 16 games, and Seager drove him in with a single to center to trim the lead to 3-1.
After three straight walks loaded the bases in the second, Stallings brought Carolina within a run with a sacrifice fly to left field to score Fleury, who led of the inning with a free pass.
A five spot in the third -highlighted by an RBI triple from Bunting - put UNC in front for good. Ackley singled and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game before Fleury gave the Tar Heels the lead with an RBI single through the right side. The third run of the frame scored on an errant throw by right fielder Sam Roberts on Fleury's single, and Bunting followed with his triple over the left fielder's head to score Fleury.
Stallings then tallied his second RBI of the day when he dropped down a sacrifice bunt to score Bunting from third with the fifth and final run of the inning.
After Ackley doubled and scored on a Fleury sacrifice fly in the sixth, Carolina closed the scoring with three in the eighth. Levi Michael was hit by a pitch and scored following back-to-back singles by Ackley and Seager. Fleury came through two batters later with a sacrifice fly to center field, and Bunting added an RBI groundout for the Tar Heels' final run.
Carolina is back in action at home Tuesday against No. 22 Coastal Carolina at 3 p.m.
