University of North Carolina Athletics
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No. 5 Tar Heels Take Series From No. 8 Virginia, 6-5
March 29, 2009 | Baseball
March 29, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Ryan Graepel was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth to lift No. 5 North Carolina to a 6-5, series-clinching win over No. 8 Virginia Sunday at Boshamer Stadium. Levi Michael had a career-best four hits, and Kyle Seager went 2-for-3 with a key two-run homer for the Tar Heels (20-6, 7-4 ACC).
Left-hander Brian Moran was brilliant in relief of starter Matt Harvey with career bests of 6 1/3 innings and eight strikeouts. He allowed six hits and no walks and kept the Wahoos out of the scoring column until the top of the ninth. Moran, whose 6 1/3 marked the longest relief outing for the Tar Heels this season, now owns a 42-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 2009.
Colin Bates (3-1) picked up the final two outs in the ninth to earn the victory.
Seager, who has hit safely in 16 straight games, was 2-for-4 with an RBI double and his first home run of the season, which gave UNC a two-run lead in the fifth. Michael was 4-for-4 with two runs and an RBI triple, and Mark Fleury doubled and tripled in his fifth career three-hit game.
Dan Grovatt led Virginia (22-4, 6-4 ACC) with four RBI on a two-run double in the first and a game-tying, two-run homer in the ninth.
With the score tied at five thanks to Grovatt's homer and Matt Packer (1-2) on the mound for the Wahoos, Carolina loaded the bases in the ninth with a walk to Dustin Ackley, a Michael single and an intentional pass to Fleury. Graepel was then plunked by a 2-1 pitch from Packer to drive in Ackley with the game-winning run.
Virginia got off to a quick start in the first when Grovatt doubled down the left field line to score two, but Seager answered with an RBI double of his own in the bottom of the inning for a 2-1 Cavalier lead after one. Garrett Gore and Michael both singled to put a runner in scoring position for Seager, who delivered his team-best 11th double.
UVA loaded the bases with no one out against Harvey in the third, but Moran came on to work out of the jam, allowing just one run on a John Hicks sacrifice fly for a 3-1 Cavalier lead.
Carolina tied it up in the bottom of the inning on run-scoring triples from Michael and Fleury. Ackley drew a one-out walk and scored when Michael laced his second three-bagger down the right field line. Fleury followed two batters later with his first career triple off the wall in left to score Michael and tie the game.
Seager's first dinger of the season lifted Carolina to a 5-3 advantage in the fifth. Michael led off the frame with a single for his third hit of the afternoon, and Seager lined a 1-1 pitch from Neal Davis out to right for his second extra-base hit of the game and the Tar Heels' first lead.
Virginia threatened in the eighth against Moran with back-to-back singles to open the inning, but the southpaw buckled down to preserve the two-run cushion. He got the lead runner at third on a Franco Valdes sacrifice bunt attempt, forced John Barr to fly out to center and struck out Jarrett Parker swinging to end the threat.
The Wahoos tied it up in the ninth on Grovatt's two-run shot to right center off Moran. Danny Hultzen started the rally with a one-out single before Grovatt connected on his fourth home run. Bates came on to get the final two outs and preserve the tie.
Neither starter made it out of the fourth inning, as Harvey allowed three runs on three hits and four walks over just two-plus frames. Virginia starter Will Roberts lasted three-plus and gave up three runs on six hits and three walks.
The Tar Heels are back in action Tuesday against Davidson at 6 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
