University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
UNC Wilmington
No. 5 Carolina Shuts Down Seahawks, 8-1
March 24, 2009 | Baseball
March 24, 2009
WILMINGTON, N.C. - No. 5 North Carolina put up five runs in the third inning, and three Tar Heel pitchers combined on a five-hitter in an 8-1 win over No. 26 UNC Wilmington Tuesday in front of a record crowd of 3,608 at Brooks Field. Levi Michael homered and doubled as the Tar Heels (18-4) won their eighth in a row over the Seahawks (17-4).
Michael jump-started Carolina with his ACC-best ninth home run in the first and doubled in the five-run third. Wilmington native Garrett Gore and Ryan Graepel added two hits and an RBI apiece for the Tar Heels, and Kyle Seager doubled in the third to extend his season-best hitting streak to 12 games.
UNC lefty Brian Moran (1-1) earned his second career win - both against the Seahawks - with 2 1/3 shutout innings in relief. He entered with two on the fifth, stranded both runners and allowed just one hit the rest of the way, while striking out three. Right-hander Matt Harvey closed with two scoreless frames and struck out four, including the side in the ninth.
Carolina starter Bryant Gaines struck out six and held the Seahawks to just one run on three hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings.
UNCW starter Stephen Harrold (2-1) was tagged for six runs on eight hits over just two-plus innings. He allowed five straight hits to open the third and was lifted without retiring a batter in the frame. The Seahawk bullpen was solid the rest of the way and was charged with just one earned run.
In the first, Michael got a hold of a 3-2 pitch from Harrold and sent it over the scoreboard in right center for his fifth round-tripper from the left side.
The Tar Heels broke things open in the third when the first five batters all hit safely and came around to score. After a Ben Bunting single through the right side, Michael struck for his second extra-base hit, a double to left that UNCW left fielder Grayson Evans appeared to lose in the lights. Dustin Ackley sent the next pitch through the right side to score two, and Seager doubled off the right field wall to put two more in scoring position.
Gore singled to right for the fifth straight hit of the inning to score Ackley and end the night for Harrold. Mark Fleury delivered a sacrifice fly off reliever Steven Davis to center to plate Seager, and Graepel followed two batters later with a double to right to score Gore with the fifth and final run of the frame.
Wilmington got on the board in the fourth when Evans drew a leadoff walk and scored on an RBI single up the middle from Rhett Miller.
Both bullpens put up zeros until Carolina scratched out two more runs in the eighth. After Graepel drew a two-out walk, Mike Cavasinni tripled off the right field wall for the Tar Heels' first hit since the third, and he later scored when Bunting reached on an error for an 8-1 final margin.
The Tar Heels are back in action Wednesday against Charlotte at Boshamer Stadium. Due to expected inclement weather tomorrow night, first pitch has been moved up to 4 p.m.
