University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Davidson
Ackley Slugs No. 5 Tar Heels Past Davidson, 9-4
March 31, 2009 | Baseball
March 31, 2009
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - All-America Dustin Ackley belted a pair of two-run home runs to jump-start No. 5 North Carolina to a 9-4 win over Davidson Tuesday at Boshamer Stadium. Ackley finished 4-for-4 with three runs scored and drove in a season-best four runs for the Tar Heels (21-6).
Ackley, who now has 12 career games with four-plus hits, recorded his fourth career multi-homer game and second this season. The Walnut Cove, N.C., native also went deep twice against Appalachian State March 11 and is second on the squad with eight homers - one more than he hit all of last year.
Mark Fleury was 2-for-3 with two RBI, and Levi Michael added two hits for Carolina.
Right-hander Bryant Gaines (4-0) remained unbeaten in midweek action with five solid innings. He allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks, while striking out five. The Tar Heels then turned to four relievers to close out the victory. Nate Striz came on to pitch out of an eighth-inning jam and recorded the final five outs.
Davidson righty Andy Bass (0-2) allowed seven runs on five hits and three walks over 2 1/3 innings. Seth Freeman was 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, a double and two runs for the Wildcats (10-12).
Highlighted by Ackley's pair of homers, the Tar Heels scored nine runs over the first four innings and never looked back. After Bunting led off the game with a walk, Ackley smacked his first home run out to right to open the scoring.
Fleury doubled and scored on a Mike Cavasinni groundout in the second, and his two-run single highlighted a four-run third for the Tar Heels. After Kyle Seager drew a bases-loaded walk to score the first run of the inning, Fleury singled through the right side to drive in Michael and Ackley, who both singled. Ryan Graepel added an RBI grounder to plate Seager and close the scoring.
Davidson crept back in the game with three in the fourth, including two on a home run off the bat of Freeman, but Ackley struck again in the bottom of the inning with his second two-run shot of the night. Bunting singled to left, and Ackley followed two batters later with a towering dinger off the left field light pole for a 9-3 UNC lead.
In the seventh, Freeman greeted Ryan Leach with a double just inside the first base bag and scored on Sam Payne's sacrifice fly to bring the Wildcats within five. Davidson threatened again in the eighth, putting two on with just one out, but Striz entered and stranded runners on the corners.
He walked the first two batters in the ninth but rebounded to strike out two of the final three to end the victory.
The Tar Heels are back in action Wednesday against Old Dominion at 6 p.m. at Boshamer Stadium.
