University of North Carolina Athletics
Carolina Baseball Monday Notebook
March 16, 2009 | Baseball
March 16, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina, ranked No. 1 in this week's Collegiate Baseball and NCBWA rankings, returns to action with a two-game midweek series against Ivy League opponent Princeton beginning Tuesday at Boshamer Stadium. The Tar Heels (14-2) and Tigers (3-2) will square off at 3 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
UNC is slated to start right-handers Patrick Johnson and Bryant Gaines midweek. Tuesday's starter, Johnson has not recorded a decision and sports a 1.80 ERA and 17 strikeouts in 10 innings, while Gaines, who will throw Wednesday, is 2-0 with a 4.03 ERA and 20 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings. He has won his last two starts and fanned nine in six innings versus Appalachian State last time out.
Carolina is 23-9 all-time versus the Tigers, who are coached by former UNC great Scott Bradley, including a two-game sweep in Cary last year by a 15-2 margin.
Three Tigers owns .400 or better averages in limited action this season - David Hale (.471), Greg Van Horn (.438) and Brian Berkowitz (.417).
Princeton, which sports a solid 3.72 staff ERA, is in action against Elon Monday night before heading east to Chapel Hill.
Before closing the book's on last week's action, TarHeelBlue.com takes a look back at the week that was for the Diamond Heels:
NOTING THE WEEK OF MARCH 9-15:
• With a pair of wins at a rain-soaked Virginia Tech, North Carolina is now unbeaten in its last 18 weekend series, including a run of 15 consecutive ACC weekends. The Tar Heels have not dropped a series since April 2007 (at Florida State) and are 17-0-1 in weekend sets over this stretch.
• After hitting just eight home runs over its first 12 games, UNC belted eight homers last week and added eight doubles and two triples for a .617 team slugging percentage.
• Carolina stole eight bases in Sunday's win over Virginia Tech after swiping just seven over its first 15 outings. The eight steals were the most by the Tar Heels since 2002 to match the highest single-game total in the Mike Fox era.
• All-America Dustin Ackley led No. 1 North Carolina to an unbeaten week by hitting .647 (11-17) with four home runs, seven RBI and seven runs scored. He also slugged 1.412 and reached base at a .700 clip in the Tar Heels' four victories. Ackley's four homers came over a span of just seven trips to the plate, including two home runs in the Wednesday win over Appalachian State for his third career multi-HR game. He was 4-for-4 in that win over the Mountaineers for his 11th career game with four-plus hits. Ackley went 6-for-9 in the series sweep at Virginia Tech with three hits and two RBI in each game. On the season, he is batting .426 with 20 runs, four home runs and 11 RBI.
• Freshman second baseman Levi Michael led Carolina 10 RBI over the four wins last week. He belted a pair of three-run home runs, including a game-tying shot in the 9-8 win over Appalachian State Tuesday and a go-ahead blast in Friday's win at Virginia Tech. Michael, who went 5-for-10 in his first ACC road series, finished with a career-best five RBI in the opener versus the Hokies. He hit .375 (6-16) for the week to raise his season mark to .313 with a team-best five home runs an 18 RBI, which is second on the squad.
• All-America third baseman Kyle Seager hit .571 (8-14) last week with three multi-hit games and is riding a season-best six-game hitting streak. On the year, Seager leads the Tar Heels with a .467 average and shares the team lead with 20 runs scored to go along with 14 RBI.
• Junior catcher Mark Fleury belted his second grand slam of the season in the first inning of Sunday's win over Virginia Tech. He owns a .347 average on the year and has a career-high four home runs and a team-best 22 RBI, which is just three off his career total entering 2009.
• After missing much of the last two seasons due to injury, junior outfielder Mike Cavasinni is working his way back into form with a .333 average (5-15) last week, including a season-best three hits in the Sunday win over Virginia Tech.
• Both Alex White and Adam Warren were victorious this weekend to give each of Carolina's talented weekend starters a 3-0 record. With game three of the Virginia Tech series washed out, Matt Harvey pitched in relief and went four innings to claim his first career save.
• Sophomore right-hander Bryant Gaines won his second straight start with a career-high nine strikeouts over six innings against Appalachian State Wednesday. He allowed one run on three hits and did not issue a walk. Gaines retired the first 12 batters he faced and struck out seven his first time through the order.
• Sophomore right-hander Colin Bates pitched twice on the week with a win and a save for his efforts. He went 4 1/3 innings and allowed no runs on two hits, while striking out six to only one walk. Bates picked up a win versus Appalachian State Tuesday and saved Friday's win in Blacksburg.
